You don’t need a special occasion to eat this beautiful meal. I believe that every meal is a special occasion and should be treated so. Make your place setting pretty and inviting. Use cloth napkins, your good tableware, maybe even some flowers or candles on the table. And who says you need anyone else there but you? Always make it special for that special person-YOU! And as always, enjoy!

I remember my Babi and mom making crepes or as we call them in Czech, palacinky, They would roll them with either fruit or for a dessert treat, with some marmalade and then  chocolate, melted butter and nuts on top, talk about delicious! Many people associate the crepe with the French, Brittany region,  but actually it is a very popular recipe in the Czech Republic too.

Since I love strawberries I used some of these fragrant and bright red strawberries and added some bananas for potassium. Since the strawberries are not in season and a bit tart, I added some sugar, about 1 tablespoon to the strawberries and let them macerate for about 10 minutes. I then added the bananas in with them and let them sit for another 5 minutes. I then filled the crepe with  about a 1/4 cup of the fruit and rolled it up. For some extra sweetness I sifted some confectioners’ sugar on top and surrounded my plate with some more fresh strawberries. What a perfect way to start my day!

Crepes

Ingredients: makes 4

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoon melted unsalted butter, plus extra for coating the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioners sugar for dusting (about 1/8 cup)

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. In a small bowl beat the egg and milk, then add into the flour and mix until smooth. Add in the melted butter and vanilla. Place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to allow the air bubbles to settle.

Heat a small non-stick pan or preferably a crepe pan over a medium low heat.  Add butter to coat. You basically just want to wipe the pan with butter so the crepes do not stick.  Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. You want a paper thin coating. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for additional 20 seconds and remove onto a cutting board to slightly cool. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Crepes may be stored for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped or 2 months in the freezer.