Small Batch Crepes for One

Makes 2 - 3 small 6" crepes.  Recipe may be doubled

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp sugar or sugar sub. (omit if using savory fillings)
3 drop vanilla (omit if using savory fillings)

Whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
Combine wet mixture with dry.
Whisk well until batter is smooth.
Allow to rest in fridge for 1/2 hour for best results.
(May skip that step if you're in a hurry!)

DIRECTIONS
Heat burner to medium.
Spray small non-stick frying pan with cooking spray.
Pour in about 1/4 cup batter.
Swirl in pan to form circle out to sides of pan.
Cook about 1 minute until set...
With a spatula, gently flip and briefly cook on the second side.
Remove to a plate for serving and cook remaining batter.
Spray pan again in between cooking each crepe.
Serve immediately, or stack and wrap and store in fridge for later - parchment between layers.
May be served rolled up with fruit, fruit fillings, syrup or just a little butter and sugar.

Pie Dough - Pate Brise

Pie Dough (Pate Brise)

Makes enough for 2 Pie Crusts or 1 Double-crust Pie

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 sticks COLD butter, cut into chunks
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice cold water


Place flour, salt, and sugar in food processor. Drop in cubed butter.
Pulse until butter is chopped into small, pea-sized pieces.
With machine running, SLOWLY drizzle in ice water until mixture *just* comes together and forms a ball.

Shape into 2 discs, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.

May be frozen for later use.

Divide in half, roll out on floured surface OR on parchment paper with a little flour.

Chicken Baking Dish Supper

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Ingredients

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie mix
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 box spice cake mix
1 cup butter, melted (2 sticks)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, Sugar and cinnamon until well-combined.
(It will be very runny.)
Pour this pumpkin mixture into the baking dish.
Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.
Drizzle melted butter over the top.
Bake for about 55-60 minutes.
It might still be just a bit jiggly in the middle when done.
It will continue to set up as it cools.
Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Creme Brulee

• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, slit in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 7 large egg yolks
• Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300º.
2. In a saucepan, heat cream, vanilla pod, vanilla seeds, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally, till bubbles form around perimeter. Do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk eggs in large glass measuring cup (or bowl). Temper yolks by adding a small amount of hot cream to the yolks while whisking. Repeat a few more times, making sure to add the cream mixture very slowly and to keep whisking so yolks do not cook. Pour tempered yolks back into pan with cream and whisk till smooth. Strain the mixture into large measuring cup (you may reuse the cup utilized for tempering) to remove vanilla pod, seeds and any bits of cooked yolk.
4. Place nine 8 ounce ramekins in roasting pan. Fill the ramekins to the top with custard. Carefully place pan in the oven, and pour enough hot water in roasting pan to come halfway up ramekins. Bake until custard is set and jiggles slightly when shaken, about 40 to 50 minutes.
5. Remove from water bath and let cool a half hour or so. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, sprinkle with turbinado sugar and use a kitchen torch to caramelize. In a pinch, you can also place under the broiler (about 4 inches from the element) and broil until sugar is melted. Watch VERY carefully.
6. Place on small plate to serve

Tomato Pie

BEGIN 2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING TIME

1 pie dough (enough for a 9-inch pie), homemade or store-bought
2 pounds tomatoes (about 4 medium), medium diced
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 packed cups), divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon Dijon or other mustard
1 medium onion, diced

Prepare the pie crust. Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 425°F. Meanwhile, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch round, then transfer to a 9-inch pie plate (regular, not deep dish). Roll the edges over on themselves and crimp the crust. Freeze while the oven heats, at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the tomatoes for the oven. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment. Drizzle with the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

Bake the crust and tomatoes. Remove the crust from the freezer and line with parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place the tomatoes on the upper rack and the pie crust on the lower rack. Bake until the edges of crust begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add cheese to the crust and bake again. Remove the crust from oven (leave the tomatoes in), and remove the parchment and pie weights. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheddar. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden-brown, about 5 minutes more. Remove the crust and the tomatoes from the oven (the tomatoes should be slightly wrinkly and look dry on top). Let both cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Make the topping. Place the mayonnaise, Parmesan, mustard, remaining 1 cup Cheddar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

Layer the tomatoes and onions in the crust. Place half of the tomatoes in the crust in a single, even layer, then sprinkle with half the onions. Repeat layering the remaining tomatoes and onions.
Top with the cheese mixture. Dollop the mayo-cheese mixture on top and spread into an even layer.

Bake, then let cool before slicing. Bake until the crust is deep golden-brown, the filling is bubbling, and the cheese is beginning to brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes to see if crust is browning too quickly, and tent loosely with aluminum foil if needed. Let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.