Recipe Fridays!

Mushroom Crepe Cake

from Smitten Kitchen

adapted a bit generously from Alton Brown

I know I usually don't do savory recipes on my blog, but this was too good to pass up. I did adapt this to my own needs here and there, using ingredients I had around the house, in amounts I thought were good. I took out the mozzarella cheese from the filling, as I'm not a big fan, and addded a bit of shaved parmesan instead; your preference, of course! I also added some garlic and dill to the crepes for a bit of flavor. I let the crepe batter rest in the fridge overnight and it was perfect come morning; I got about 10 8-inch crepes out of it. Though making the crepes was fussy and time-consuming, the result was totally worth it: yum!

Ingredients
Serves 6, or 8 if you’re putting out a spread


1 cup yellow onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk
1/2 cup mild white cheese, mozzarella or provolone, shredded
Savory crêpes, recipe follows
2 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced (I skipped this, didn’t have them on hand)
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded

Directions

In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt one tablespoon of butter and begin to cook the onion so that it “sweats” but does not gain color. Turn the heat to medium-high, add all of the mushrooms and remaining two tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are soft. Stir in the flour, then drizzle in the milk while you stir. Reduce the liquid in the pan by half. Add the provolone or mozzarella and let it melt. Immediately take filling off the heat.

Layer two crêpes on a buttered sheet pan (Brown says that this allows you to still save your cake if the bottom one sticks — smart!). Spread a thin layer of the filling onto the crêpe, then a few chives. Top with another crêpe and spread more filling. Repeat this process until you are out of filling. (You’ll likely run out of filling before crêpes.)

Top with a final crêpe and sprinkle on the Parmesan with a caveat: Brown says you can run this under the broiler until the Parmesan is melted and golden brown. I know not all broilers are created equally (and my dinky oven is distinctly less equal than others) but mine just browned at the edges and didn’t melt. I’d either skip this next time or borrow the baby’s brûlée torch and use that instead. If you’re more confident in your broiler’s skills, go for it.


Savory Crêpes

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter, for coating the pan

Directions

In a blender combine all of the ingredients (excepting the butter for coating the pan) and pulse for 10 seconds. (Too lazy to bust out a blender, I mixed the flour and salt and slowly whisked in a mixture of the eggs, milk, water and butter.) Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for one hour, or up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour a couple tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and throw the crepe in the garbage; seriously, the first one is always cursed. Sometimes the second too. By the time you get to the third one, go ahead and keep what you made, even if it’s not perfect. Lay the crêpe flat on a large cutting board to the cutting board to cool; continue cooking until all of the batter is gone.

Do ahead: Crêpe batter can be made up to two days in advance, stored in the fridge. Cooked, cooled and well-wrapped, crêpes can be stored for several days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer. Frozen crêpes can be thawed on a rack; gently peel them as you need. Filling can be made a day in advance; reheat slowly, over a low flame. I made my crêpes in advance, and the filling in the morning; it doesn’t take much time (and even less if you clean and slice your mushrooms the night before).

Corsetiere Extraordinaire . . .

Cherry Blue Corset

I just discovered the work of the amazing Maya Hansen, and boy, do I wish I could pick up one in every style! I'm a sucker for a beautiful corset, and these are simply stunning, with a sense of whimsy, fun, and even goth sensibility that I quite love.

Calippo Corset

And, her photography is fabulous! I was certainly inspired by images like these for my recent Seamstress of Avalon shoot;)

Diva Blue

Doesn't this model look like Kirsten Dunst?

Check out Maya Hansen online, or, if you're in Madrid, check her out in person;)

What do you think, dear readers? Would you spring for one of these beautiful corsets? (I know I would!)

Beneath the veil . . .

I am not a Muslim. I will freely confess that I don't know enough about their religion or culture to speak as any kind of authority.

But I do know that it is wrong for government to try to legislate how one practices their religion and beliefs.

Here in this country, there is (theoretically) a separation of church and state. Government doesn't get involved in religion, even when religion acts in an infamous manner, like with the yahoos with Westboro Baptist Church. Sometimes the line blurs, and is even crossed, but for the most part, the idea our forefathers had has been maintained, and Religion and Politics are two separate ideas. Usually.

Now, France has introduced a bill that will ban Muslim women from wearing the face veil in public, inviting fines and even citizenship classes for those that disobey it. As if saying the practice of Islam means you are obviously not French. Proponents of the law, including President Sarkozy, say that wearing the veil is demeaning and oppressive to women, that it undermines gender equality. Women who wear the veil say it is a matter or faith and dignity, and that the state should not dictate how they live their lives.

I will say that when I see a woman on the streets here completely covered, I want to take off her head-wrap and tell her, "It's okay! Your hair and legs are not shameful!" But, I don't, of course. I may not agree with the practice of covering up as they do, but it is not for me to say how someone practices their faith or lives their life. I am astonished that any country would choose to become the so-called "morality police" and try to force women to be less modest. I suppose I should not be, given the right-wing conservatism here. But, I still believe in personal freedom.

It just seems to be turning into more and more of an endangered species.

In the fog . . .

One of the blogs I read, Scoutie Girl, has a post today about depression, and has encouraged her readers to write about their struggles. I have written about this before in general, but I wanted to get a little more specific today.

I was a classic over-acheiver in high school. I joined everything I could that had to do with creativity or academics: International Thespians Society, National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Social Planning Committee, you name it. I volunteered for everything, did every play and musical, was at school more than I was home most days. I hit the ground running at 5:45am and didn't get home until after 9:30 most nights.

At the same time, my mother lost her father, and she had a complete nervous breakdown. No one else in the family wanted to acknowledge it or knew what to do, so I took over. I badgered my father to get her help, I became her therapist whenever she needed to talk or cry or scream, I made sure bills got paid and things got done around the house. I went from a 16-year-old worried about college and prom to a woman worried about whether or not her mother would be alive when she got home from school.

My mother got help and I got myself out of there when I went to college, and I thought things would get better. But, after spending so long taking care of everyone else and ignoring my own issues, they slammed into me like a freight train. I broke down my sophomore year in college, staying in bed, missing classes, bursting into tears, forgetting to eat, not sleeping, and yes, contemplating suicide. I hid this as much as I could from those around me; I had always felt that being in any kind of pain and letting it show was a sign of weakness that others would despise me for. I finally got help, went on medication for a while, and came home.

Again, I thought things would be better.

Ten years later, the fog is still around. It seems like it doesn't take much to trigger me: a little stress, a few setbacks, and suddenly the world is ending. But, I have learned a few things along the way too, that help me through the fog:

1) Have an outlet. My writing and creating keeps my thoughts and emotions focused on something other than stress and fear.

2) Give yourself permission to cry, and then let go. Bottling up the tears just makes it worse, but you can't wallow in them either. Cry, and then stop.

3) Acknowledge the depression. Say it to your friends and family, and ask for their help.

4) Don't let yourself stay in bed, or on the couch, or in the house. Force it if you have to, but get outside!

5) Whether you believe it or not, this depression will end. There is another side to this, and you will feel better in time. Remember that.

I have been having a tough week or so, weepy and snappish, but I know this will pass. I keep working on my novel, keep making hats, and keep my eyes trained on my destination, and I know the fog will lift. Eventually.

Favorite Site Tuesdays: Yellow Field 7

Winter White Cloche

This week's featured site is the simply lovely Yellow Field 7, with hand-draped hats by Behida Dolic. Behida fell in love with early 20th Century fashion at an early age and now makes these fantastickly sculptural cloches. Each is unique, each is fitted to the wearer, and each makes an indelible statement. I confess to not liking all of the fashion of the '20's and '30's, but the hats? Sign me right up;)

Luise Brooks

I love the color and the slight overhang of the brim on this one. Paired with a white and blue striped shirt or dress for summer, perfect;)

Red Cloche

Anything that follows the natural curve of the body is lovely in my book. There is nothing more graceful than the curve of the head.

Special Green Cloche

There is something about this one that reminds me of the old Buck Rogers strips from the '30's and '40's. Love it.

Pink Cloche

I'm not a huge pink fan, but this hat could convince me. Look at that dramatic draping along the side! This hat screams silk kimono, fainting couch, and long cigarette holder.

Stop by Yellow Field 7 or Behida Dolic's website to see more of her work; if you're a hat fiend like me, you'll be itching to put on your t-straps and charleston right into a purchase;)

Naperville 2010 !

The Plaid Brigade

My last Naperville was this weekend, and it was wonderful and bittersweet. Lots of lovely people were there, we had fantastic weather (especially Sunday!) and it was a nice way to end my years of doing this event.

Me as Martha "Mittie" Roosevelt

In spite of some snags in the weeks running up to the event, we ended up having good attendance both days. Mittie was out in force, in all her Southern Sassiness (I should trademark that!). It seemed we had some really good patrons too this weekend; kids who were cool and inquisitive, and adults who were really interested in what we had to say. We've all researched our history so thoroughly that it's a joy to talk to people about it, and I think a few were educated without being aware;)

Tabitha looked lovely, of course.

Tabitha reading an 1862 paper.

The battle, especially on Sunday, was very good this year. We sat near some bloodthirsty children on the Union side who would have jumped over the fence and fought with the boys in blue if they could have!

A gathering in the Halfway House yard, our home at Naper Settlement.

Teddy with K., and me gazing longingly at the fudge shop.

We had two visitors from England this year, the irrepressable Teddy and Tom. They were a hoot, and I was glad to meet them;)

Our boys in blue, on the march.

President Lincoln, of course;) Max is one of the best Lincolns I've seen, funny, knowledgible, and very personable.

Even during the Civil War, a good Southern girl has to have her iced chai;)

 . . . And funnel cake!

Yes, it was a bittersweet weekend. I kept saying to myself, "This is the last time I'll . . ." Breaking everything down Sunday evening was especially hard; I tried to take it all in and not start blubbering like an idiot. This event was my first Civil War event and it is fitting that it will be my last here. Thank you to Naper Settlement, to Great Lakes Reenactors Guild, and to all my friends who made this weekend special.

The first of the lasts.