crêpes

3/4 c flour
1-1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp melted butter

(makes 6-8 crêpes, depending on how thin you make them)

The batter is very simple, the magic really comes from the technique. I use an 8" skillet (the small size makes them easier to control). The key is to use a very hot pan, and cook them very quickly so you get some nice color, but don't burn them.

1. When your pan is nice & hot, take a stick of butter and lightly rub it around the pan (wrap plastic wrap or wax paper around the end of the butter, to give you something to hold onto). The butter should foam on contact—if it browns right away, the pan is too hot.

2. Pour a small amount of batter into the center of your pan, and immediately swirl it around so it covers the bottom. Use just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan—just shy of 1/4 cup.

3. The crêpe is ready to be flipped... well, when the crêpe is ready to be flipped (this is where the practice and judgment come in). Signs to look for: you see just a hint of browning around the edge, the uncooked batter top isn't runny anymore (or, just lift up a side and peek to see if the underside looks good). It happens pretty fast, so keep an eye on it. After you flip, it should only need a few seconds to brown the other side a little, since it's pretty much cooked through already.

Repeat from step 1. Stack crêpes on a plate, with wax paper in between.
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Here, I've drizzled honey on one of them, and filled the other with pumpkin butter & dusted with cinnamon. But there's really no limit to how you can serve these...

Fill with any kind of fruit, jam, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, or dessert spreads (chocolate sauce, caramel, Nutella). Dust with cinnamon, powdered sugar, or cocoa powder. Fold 'em, stack 'em, or roll 'em up. Or just pick them up and eat plain.

Recipe from my old school Betty Crocker cookbook.