Savory crepes are great for any meal
Story and photos by Breeana Hill

When I think about crepes I think sweet. Most people eat crepes with fruit, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. I thought it would be nice to tweak the recipe so that I could use crepes like a tortilla, and fill it with meat, veggies and other various ingredients. So instead of adding vanilla and sugar to my crepe batter, I decided to add salt, pepper, and green onions.

Making the perfect crepe can often be intimidating to people. Here are some basic questions that most people ask me about making crepes:

How much batter do I put into the skillet?
Pour enough batter into the crepe pan to just coat the bottom. Help it spread to the outside edges by swirling the pan. The finished crepe should be the thickness of a tortilla.

How do I keep the batter from sticking to the pan?
Remember to coat your pan with a little butter before making your first crepe, but don’t let the butter get too hot or it will burn. Medium heat will do. The first crepe will turn out a little more buttery than the others but still delicious. If you find that the crepes are beginning to stick again part way the batch, don’t be afraid to re-coat the pan.

When do I flip the crepes?
Crepes do not take very long to cook. Watch the edges. When it begins looking a little flaky around the edges and the middle starts to get air bubbles underneath, it’s time to flip!

What sort of ingredients can I put inside that will taste good?
Be creative. Imagine that the crepe is more of a tortilla with a lot more flavor! I have included a list below the crepe recipe are some ingredients that were hits with my friends and me.

Savory Dinner Crepes Recipe
2 Eggs
½ Cup of Water
¾ Cup of Milk
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
½ Teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions
Butter to coat skillet
Blender to mix ingredients

*Makes approx 12 crepes

Put all the ingredients in a blender. Blend. It really is that easy! It doesn’t matter what order you put them in and it is by far the quickest way to make your crepe batter.
Let the batter sit in the refrigerator for one hour to get all the air bubbles out.

After the batter has sat for one hour, heat a skillet over a medium heat. Whatever the size, be sure to coat the skillet with a thin layer of butter so that your crepes do not stick. Ladle just enough batter into the skillet to coat the bottom. Roll the skillet around quickly so that the entire bottom is thinly covered with the batter. The batter cooks fast, so you have to be speedy with rolling it in the skillet. Cook each side until golden brown. That’s it! Fill with yummy ingredients, roll like a burrito and eat! Enjoy your savory crepes.

Ingredients that I put in my crepes:
• Mashed potatoes
• Sautéed onions, and garlic
• Chopped red and green bell peppers
• Grilled chicken
• Queso cheese sauce
• Salsa

Ready to go! | Credit: Breeana Hill

The holiday season is upon us. This is the time of year when our favorite treats make their way out of the recipe box and onto the festive holiday tables. One of my holiday favorites is good old fashioned chocolate fudge. Many people ask me if fudge is a hard dessert to make and I say that it is not hard dessert, but rather a needy dessert.

It requires all of your attention with constant stirring so that the sugars do not burn. By using a double boiler, as this recipe calls for, you will lower the chances of burning because you can monitor the temperature and the bowl is not directly on the heat. All of the ingredients can be found at Home Plus. After your fudge is made you can store it in your freezer for months. However most people do not seem to be able to hold onto this yummy dessert for that long! Good luck and good cooking!

Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

Justin Nalepa enjoys Credit: Brian Miller

1 can sweetened condensed milk
12 marshmallows
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 C butter
3 C chocolate chips
(You will need two bags. Basically it’s a bag and a half)

One large pot with a metal bowl or another pot that fits inside making a seal

*Butter a baking pan to pour fudge into and make sure it is buttered well*

*For thicker pieces use a smaller pan such as 9×9 or even a loaf pan. For thinner fudge use a 9×13 pan*

Directions:
1. Fill large pot with enough water to barely touch the bottom of inside bowl or pot, bring to a boil, and then place bowl inside of pot.
2. Put in butter and let melt.
3. Add marshmallows and let them melt with the butter. (the marshmallows take the longest to melt so just let them balloon up with air before adding more ingredients)
4. Add chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk.
5. Stir continuously (fudge is a needy dessert…meaning it needs your attention at all times so that you do not burn it!)
6. After all the ingredients are melted together including the marshmallows because they will take the longest, let boil for 5 minutes while constantly stirring.
7. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla.

Ready to try the fudge | Credit: Brian Miller

8. Pour mixture into buttered pan RIGHT AWAY. It will have the consistency of a batter.
9. Cool for 2-3 hours (once the bottom of the pan is completely cool you can put into the freezer to cool faster).
10. Cut into small pieces.
11. ENJOY
12. Tips for making great fudge:
• Make sure your pan that will hold the fudge is well buttered.
• Be sure to stir the mixture the entire time
• Wait until the end to add the vanilla
• Do not put into the freezer until the pan has completely cooled

No oven? No worries. Sweet and spicy chicken pineapple curry could be just the ticket
Story and photos by Breeana Hill

What’s for dinner? It’s a question that we ask ourselves every night. However, when you are in a new country with new surroundings, it can be a little more difficult to answer! Finding certain spices and ingredients can be a chore which will often at times turn people away from cooking. No one wants to go to a million different stores or markets trying to hunt down a specific ingredient just to make dinner.

When I first arrived on Jeju and saw that I had no oven and only a two-burner gas stove, I thought to myself, “Oh no!” I knew that I would need to start expanding my recipe collection to include meals that can be made in one skillet or in my toaster oven.

I have decided to share my sweet and spicy chicken pineapple curry recipe this month as an introduction to simple and tasty meals. This is a recipe in which all of the ingredients can be found in one place. (I bought all of them at Home Plus in Seogwipo.) While you might have to shell out some more cash for the spices (approximately 4,000 won/bottle), they are worth having on hand because they are common spices that many recipes use. I also try to use fresh produce such as onions, garlic and ginger. I find that the freshness gives the dish more flavor and complexity. The coconut milk is what gives the curry its sweetness. Adding more or less of the chili sauce will control the heat factor the curry has. For those of you looking to kick it up a notch, simply add fresh chilies to your curry. One last note: curry always tastes better after it has set for a while. So, you might be surprised at how yummy it is the day after you make it. Good luck and good cooking!

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Pineapple Curry

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 inches of fresh ginger root, minced
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 package of mild curry powder mix
3 tablespoons of chili sauce or chili powder
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 cup of water
1 cup of coconut milk
1 can of stewed or chopped tomatoes
2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1-1 1/2 cups of fresh pineapple cut into chunks

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion. Sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add in the garlic and ginger, and cook them for 1 minute.

Add in the stewed tomatoes. Wait 2 minutes, and then add the curry powder mix and 1/2 cup of water. Stir it together, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. It should be a thick paste.

Pour the skillet mixture into a blender. Add the other 1/2 cup of water. Blend it on high. Return the mixture to the skillet on medium-low heat. Add in the chicken and pineapple. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Finish the dish with coconut milk. This can be completely stirred in or swirled for a more artsy look.

*Note you can substitute other meats and add vegetables for a chunkier curry. Also curry tends to taste better the next day, so enjoy your leftovers!