National Crêpe Suzette Day

Food lovers are celebrating Julia Child's birthday today. And in her honor, the 99 Cent Chef's new palate-pleasing video, "Julian & Julia," introduces Julia Child's nephew, Julian Child. He's a real chip off the cutting board and a chef worthy of sauteing with Aunt Julia's copper-bottomed pot!

I had the good fortune to run into Julian Child at the Hollywood Farmers Market this last Sunday. We chatted about his "Aunt Julia" and the movie "Julie & Julia."

As we walked through fresh and fragrant stalls of produce Julian stopped at a stack of organic oranges and reminisced about his childhood summers in Paris, France, and how he would tug at Julia Child's apron and beg for his favorite dish: Crepe Suzette in an Orange Butter Sauce.

Aunt Julia eventually grew tired of always preparing it and soon taught it to her nephew, a budding chef. I seized the opportunity to invite Julian to The 99 Cent Chef's kitchen to cook his Aunt Julia's Crepe Suzette for everyone!

A delicious and decadent dessert made with loads of butter, this French classic is easy and of course, cheap to make. Flour, eggs, milk, orange juice, butter, and a 99-cent airline bottle of cognac make up the main ingredients. (You can leave out half the butter, but then it would not be a true Julia Child culinary experience. Try it this way at least once!

Julian & Julia - VIDEO

Play it here. The video runs 6 minutes, 20 seconds.

Click here to view or embed video from YouTube.

Ingredients (about 6 crepes)

• 1 cup of Flour
• 3/4 cup of Milk
• 3/4 cup of Water
• 2 to 3 Eggs
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of Vanilla - optional.
• Pinch of Salt

Orange Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup of Orange Juice - freshly squeezed or store-bought pasteurized.
• Zest of 1/2 Orange - optional.
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• 1 stick of Butter - OK to use less.
• Airline bottle of Cognac (or Brandy) - about 1/4 cup.

  Directions for Crepes

In a large bowl mix together flour, milk, water, salt, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of melted or soft butter. Whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.

 Heat your medium (about 8 inches) non-stick omelet pan and coat with 1 pat of butter or oil. 

When butter is melted, add 1/4 cup of Crêpe batter - enough to just cover the bottom of the pan.

 

Hold up the pan and swirl to coat the pan evenly. It is better to have too much batter than too little - a thin Crêpe will tear when turning. 

Cook the Crêpe for a minute, then loosen around the edges and continue cooking for another minute. Peek before turning to see if the Crêpe is starting to brown. Carefully turn the Crêpe over and cook for another half minute. 

As my video shows, the first Crêpe may stick and be unusable. Instead of throwing it away, you might as well taste it to see how tender the crêpe turned out.

Don't worry, it takes a couple of Crêpe to get it right. Your crêpes may not be perfect, but with a sweet Orange Butter Sauce, no one will be complaining about its appearance. Set aside your cooked Crêpes to add to the Orange Butter Sauce.

Directions for Orange Butter Sauce

Use a large enough pan to dip a whole crepe into. Melt butter, then add orange juice, zest, and sugar in the pan, over medium/high heat. Cook until sauce is reduced by half and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooking Crepes Suzette

Reduce heat and add a Crêpe. Notice my use of a spoon and fork, in the video, to fold Crêpe into the sauce. Fold in half once, then fold one more time and push the Crêpe to the edge of the pan to make room for more. 

I managed to fit about 3 Crêpes at a time into my pan. Allow crêpes to heat through for a minute.

When the sauce and Crêpes are warm, pour in half the cognac and bring to the table. 

Now the fun part - Cognac Flambé! Have a long-handled match ready. This is when you want an audience. 

Your table should be set and the lights dimmed so you can serve the flaming Crêpes Suzettes with a flourish! Place before your dazzled guest and strike a match, lighting the sauce...oh my!

Be careful, the cognac will flame up, so you don't want flammable items nearby (overhead curtains, paper, etc.), and your kids should not attempt this! 

Serve this first batch of Crêpes with a spoonful of sauce.

Finish saucing the other Crêpes, then Flambé, and repeat. Bon Appetit!

If you are not familiar with the culinary icon, Julia Child, here is a scene from "Julie & Julia." Meryl Streep "chews" the scenery as larger-than-life Julia Child.

The other half of the movie is about Julie Powell blogging and cooking her way through, in one year, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" co-written by Julia Child. Both stories resonated with this Chef.

And the movie's Paris locale is intoxicating. You will find yourself leaving the theater with the booming voice of Julia Child in your head and your utterances will have her cadence. She is so fun to mimic you cannot help but bellow "Bon Appetit" every chance you get!

And 99 Thanks to Bob McGinness for his creative camerawork!

Yogurt and Pineapple - Video Recipe

 Fresh fruit and yogurt go well together in my latest recipe video,  Pineapple and Yogurt.

Pre-mixed yogurt with fruit is too sweet for me. It is easy enough to mix a handful of pineapple chunks into yogurt. The smallest can of pineapple is plenty for this recipe. Try slicing the whole pineapple sometimes. It takes a bit of work for the freshest taste.

This fruit and yogurt mix will keep a couple of days in the refrigerator -- if you can resist finishing it off in one sitting!

This isn't so much an original recipe as a recipe reminder of how easy and nutritious it is to add fresh fruit to yogurt.

Anytime I find fruit on sale at my local 99c only Store or Latin Grocer I immediately think of a light breakfast. My most common homemade yogurt with fruit includes strawberries, pineapple, sliced mango, blackberries, and blueberries.

Fresh frozen fruit mixes nicely into yogurt, although the texture is mushy when defrosted. Some canned fruit works well, I like canned pineapple and peaches in natural juice.

As for yogurt I just use plain. Vanilla and other flavors are usually too strong and often have added sugar. But, if you like a certain type on sale then use it.

Sometimes an unusual brand will show up on sale like this creamy French-style yogurt called "oui" made by Yoplait. It was so good I got half a dozen jars. They also had a lemon-flavored. It's one of those Deals of the Day that has come and gone.

"Oui" is advertised as "French Style," whatever that means. But it is milder tasting - less sour than typical yogurt, with a slight almond flavor. And the glass jars are collectible too.

As with any new find at a 99c only Store, I will try it in the car parking lot, and if it's good then I will go back and get a whole bunch more. I've learned you gotta be impulsive there or it may be gone an hour later -- snooze you lose!

So do check out my latest stop-motion animated video. There's really nothing to this recipe and anyone can make it. Sometimes less is more, for a perfectly delicious recipe.

Raspberries & Yogurt - Video

Play it here. The video runs 49 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Blueberries and Yogurt - Video Recipe

  Fresh fruit and yogurt go well together in my latest recipe video,  Blueberries and Yogurt.

Pre-mixed yogurt with fruit is too sweet for me. It is easy enough to mix a handful of fresh blueberries with yogurt. 

This fruit and yogurt mix will keep a couple of days in the refrigerator -- if you can resist finishing it off in one sitting!

This isn't so much an original recipe as a recipe reminder of how easy and nutritious it is to add fresh fruit to yogurt.

Anytime I find fruit on sale at my local 99c only Store or Latin Grocer I immediately think of a light breakfast. My most common homemade yogurt with fruit includes strawberries, pineapple, sliced mango, blackberries, and blueberries.

Fresh frozen fruit mixes nicely into yogurt, although the texture is mushy when defrosted. Some canned fruit works well, I like canned pineapple and peaches in natural juice.

As for yogurt I just use plain. Vanilla and other flavors are usually too strong and often have added sugar. But, if you like a certain type on sale then use it.

Sometimes an unusual brand will show up on sale like this creamy French-style yogurt called "oui" made by Yoplait. It was so good I got half a dozen jars. They also had a lemon-flavored. It's one of those Deals of the Day that has come and gone.

"Oui" is advertised as "French Style," whatever that means. But it is milder tasting - less sour than typical yogurt, with a slight almond flavor. And the glass jars are collectible too.

As with any new find at a 99c only Store, I will try it in the car parking lot, and if it's good then I will go back and get a whole bunch more. I've learned you gotta be impulsive there or it may be gone an hour later -- snooze you lose!

So do check out my latest stop-motion animated video. There's really nothing to this recipe and anyone can make it. Sometimes less is more, for a perfectly delicious recipe.

Blueberries & Yogurt - Video

Play it here. The video runs 40 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

National Crêpe Suzette Day

Food lovers are celebrating Julia Child's birthday today. And in her honor, the 99 Cent Chef's new palate-pleasing video, "Julian & Julia," introduces Julia Child's nephew, Julian Child. He's a real chip off the cutting board and a chef worthy of sauteing with Aunt Julia's copper-bottomed pot!

I had the good fortune to run into Julian Child at the Hollywood Farmers Market this last Sunday. We chatted about his "Aunt Julia" and the movie "Julie & Julia."

As we walked through fresh and fragrant stalls of produce Julian stopped at a stack of organic oranges and reminisced about his childhood summers in Paris, France, and how he would tug at Julia Child's apron and beg for his favorite dish: Crepe Suzette in an Orange Butter Sauce.

Aunt Julia eventually grew tired of always preparing it and soon taught it to her nephew, a budding chef. I seized the opportunity to invite Julian to The 99 Cent Chef's kitchen to cook his Aunt Julia's Crepe Suzette for everyone!

A delicious and decadent dessert made with loads of butter, this French classic is easy and of course, cheap to make. Flour, eggs, milk, orange juice, butter, and a 99-cent airline bottle of cognac make up the main ingredients. (You can leave out half the butter, but then it would not be a true Julia Child culinary experience. Try it this way at least once!

Julian & Julia - VIDEO

Play it here. The video runs 6 minutes, 20 seconds.

Click here to view or embed video from YouTube.

Ingredients (about 6 crepes)

• 1 cup of Flour
• 3/4 cup of Milk
• 3/4 cup of Water
• 2 to 3 Eggs
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of Vanilla - optional.
• Pinch of Salt

Orange Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup of Orange Juice - freshly squeezed or store-bought pasteurized.
• Zest of 1/2 Orange - optional.
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• 1 stick of Butter - OK to use less.
• Airline bottle of Cognac (or Brandy) - about 1/4 cup.

  Directions for Crepes

In a large bowl mix together flour, milk, water, salt, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of melted or soft butter. Whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.

 Heat your medium (about 8 inches) non-stick omelet pan and coat with 1 pat of butter or oil. 

When butter is melted, add 1/4 cup of Crêpe batter - enough to just cover the bottom of the pan.

 

Hold up the pan and swirl to coat the pan evenly. It is better to have too much batter than too little - a thin Crêpe will tear when turning. 

Cook the Crêpe for a minute, then loosen around the edges and continue cooking for another minute. Peek before turning to see if the Crêpe is starting to brown. Carefully turn the Crêpe over and cook for another half minute. 

As my video shows, the first Crêpe may stick and be unusable. Instead of throwing it away, you might as well taste it to see how tender the crêpe turned out.

Don't worry, it takes a couple of Crêpe to get it right. Your crêpes may not be perfect, but with a sweet Orange Butter Sauce, no one will be complaining about its appearance. Set aside your cooked Crêpes to add to the Orange Butter Sauce.

Directions for Orange Butter Sauce

Use a large enough pan to dip a whole crepe into. Melt butter, then add orange juice, zest, and sugar in the pan, over medium/high heat. Cook until sauce is reduced by half and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooking Crepes Suzette

Reduce heat and add a Crêpe. Notice my use of a spoon and fork, in the video, to fold Crêpe into the sauce. Fold in half once, then fold one more time and push the Crêpe to the edge of the pan to make room for more. 

I managed to fit about 3 Crêpes at a time into my pan. Allow crêpes to heat through for a minute.

When the sauce and Crêpes are warm, pour in half the cognac and bring to the table. 

Now the fun part - Cognac Flambé! Have a long-handled match ready. This is when you want an audience. 

Your table should be set and the lights dimmed so you can serve the flaming Crêpes Suzettes with a flourish! Place before your dazzled guest and strike a match, lighting the sauce...oh my!

Be careful, the cognac will flame up, so you don't want flammable items nearby (overhead curtains, paper, etc.), and your kids should not attempt this! 

Serve this first batch of Crêpes with a spoonful of sauce.

Finish saucing the other Crêpes, then Flambé, and repeat. Bon Appetit!

If you are not familiar with the culinary icon, Julia Child, here is a scene from "Julie & Julia." Meryl Streep "chews" the scenery as larger-than-life Julia Child.

The other half of the movie is about Julie Powell blogging and cooking her way through, in one year, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" co-written by Julia Child. Both stories resonated with this Chef.

And the movie's Paris locale is intoxicating. You will find yourself leaving the theater with the booming voice of Julia Child in your head and your utterances will have her cadence. She is so fun to mimic you cannot help but bellow "Bon Appetit" every chance you get!

And 99 Thanks to Bob McGinness for his creative camerawork!

National Crêpe Suzette Day

Food lovers are celebrating Julia Child's birthday today. And in her honor, the 99 Cent Chef's new palate-pleasing video, "Julian & Julia," introduces Julia Child's nephew, Julian Child. He's a real chip off the cutting board and a chef worthy of sauteing with Aunt Julia's copper-bottomed pot!

I had the good fortune to run into Julian Child at the Hollywood Farmers Market this last Sunday. We chatted about his "Aunt Julia" and the movie "Julie & Julia."

As we walked through fresh and fragrant stalls of produce Julian stopped at a stack of organic oranges and reminisced about his childhood summers in Paris, France, and how he would tug at Julia Child's apron and beg for his favorite dish: Crepe Suzette in an Orange Butter Sauce.

Aunt Julia eventually grew tired of always preparing it and soon taught it to her nephew, a budding chef. I seized the opportunity to invite Julian to The 99 Cent Chef's kitchen to cook his Aunt Julia's Crepe Suzette for everyone!

A delicious and decadent dessert made with loads of butter, this French classic is easy and of course, cheap to make. Flour, eggs, milk, orange juice, butter, and a 99-cent airline bottle of cognac make up the main ingredients. (You can leave out half the butter, but then it would not be a true Julia Child culinary experience. Try it this way at least once!

Julian & Julia - VIDEO

Play it here. The video runs 6 minutes, 20 seconds.

Click here to view or embed video from YouTube.

Ingredients (about 6 crepes)

• 1 cup of Flour
• 3/4 cup of Milk
• 3/4 cup of Water
• 2 to 3 Eggs
• 2 tbsp. Butter
• 1/4 tsp. of Vanilla - optional.
• Pinch of Salt

Orange Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup of Orange Juice - freshly squeezed or store-bought pasteurized.
• Zest of 1/2 Orange - optional.
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• 1 stick of Butter - OK to use less.
• Airline bottle of Cognac (or Brandy) - about 1/4 cup.

  Directions for Crepes

In a large bowl mix together flour, milk, water, salt, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of melted or soft butter. Whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.

 Heat your medium (about 8 inches) non-stick omelet pan and coat with 1 pat of butter or oil. 

When butter is melted, add 1/4 cup of Crêpe batter - enough to just cover the bottom of the pan.

 

Hold up the pan and swirl to coat the pan evenly. It is better to have too much batter than too little - a thin Crêpe will tear when turning. 

Cook the Crêpe for a minute, then loosen around the edges and continue cooking for another minute. Peek before turning to see if the Crêpe is starting to brown. Carefully turn the Crêpe over and cook for another half minute. 

As my video shows, the first Crêpe may stick and be unusable. Instead of throwing it away, you might as well taste it to see how tender the crêpe turned out.

Don't worry, it takes a couple of Crêpe to get it right. Your crêpes may not be perfect, but with a sweet Orange Butter Sauce, no one will be complaining about its appearance. Set aside your cooked Crêpes to add to the Orange Butter Sauce.

Directions for Orange Butter Sauce

Use a large enough pan to dip a whole crepe into. Melt butter, then add orange juice, zest, and sugar in the pan, over medium/high heat. Cook until sauce is reduced by half and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooking Crepes Suzette

Reduce heat and add a Crêpe. Notice my use of a spoon and fork, in the video, to fold Crêpe into the sauce. Fold in half once, then fold one more time and push the Crêpe to the edge of the pan to make room for more. 

I managed to fit about 3 Crêpes at a time into my pan. Allow crêpes to heat through for a minute.

When the sauce and Crêpes are warm, pour in half the cognac and bring to the table. 

Now the fun part - Cognac Flambé! Have a long-handled match ready. This is when you want an audience. 

Your table should be set and the lights dimmed so you can serve the flaming Crêpes Suzettes with a flourish! Place before your dazzled guest and strike a match, lighting the sauce...oh my!

Be careful, the cognac will flame up, so you don't want flammable items nearby (overhead curtains, paper, etc.), and your kids should not attempt this! 

Serve this first batch of Crêpes with a spoonful of sauce.

Finish saucing the other Crêpes, then Flambé, and repeat. Bon Appetit!

If you are not familiar with the culinary icon, Julia Child, here is a scene from "Julie & Julia." Meryl Streep "chews" the scenery as larger-than-life Julia Child.

The other half of the movie is about Julie Powell blogging and cooking her way through, in one year, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" co-written by Julia Child. Both stories resonated with this Chef.

And the movie's Paris locale is intoxicating. You will find yourself leaving the theater with the booming voice of Julia Child in your head and your utterances will have her cadence. She is so fun to mimic you cannot help but bellow "Bon Appetit" every chance you get!

And 99 Thanks to Bob McGinness for his creative camerawork!