MMMM Crepes

In my first year of high school, I was not the best of students.  I met a boy and would skip school and engage in inappropriate behavior (nope, no details).  My friends and I would take off.  In fact, my very last term my sophomore year, I ended up flunking two classes.  My parents never saw that report card - that boy that I had become so very close to had joined the army - I mailed that report card to him and asked him to destroy it.  Had my dad seen that report card, I probably would have been strung up, flogged, caned or any other terrible tortures.  Funny thing, my mom and dad never did ask where that report card was.

Trocadero Gardens across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower

I got a little more serious in my junior year.  Started making a plan for my future.  I became very interested in business education classes and put all my extra energies there.  I was a fast typist, loved doing 10-key, took business law, was great at shorthand and any other business classes that I could sign up for.  I became active in FBLA and competed in district and regional competitions.  I actually won some awards.  In my senior year, I was selected as my schools Sterling Scholar for business education.

Notre Dame

Also in my senior year, I took a French class.  Oh, how I wish I had taken it all throughout high school.  I absolutely loved French.  I had planned on going to Utah State University and continuing my business education.  Because I loved French so much, I decided I wanted to minor in French.  My grown up plan in high school was to graduate from college, go to Paris and work in the American Embassy there.  It was my dream.

Well, obviously, I never made it to France to work in the embassy.  I ended up getting pregnant, getting married.  I never went to college - except a semester at the "technical college".  I had babies, I raised kids, I worked to support a family, struggled to pay bills and just did what I could to make my family survive.  Do I have regrets, sure - but not my kids, never my kids - they are my life.

The Seine

Obviously, when I won my trip to Paris and Bordeaux, France, it was such a dream come true.  I used a little bit of that high school French and ate food, lots of glorious and delicious food.  I saw sights I had only dreamed about.  One of my very favorite things in France was crepes and gauffres; but, especially crepes - filled with chocolate (or nutella) and bananas.  So freaking delicious.  It's been almost two years and I just keep thinking about those crepes. So, I bought some nutella about month ago and told myself I would make crepes.  So today, this Sunday morning, I found a recipe for crepes and made them for myself.  They were so delicious!!  Maybe not France delicious, but yummy just the same.  I don't know that Ted enjoyed them as much as I did - but, it brought back a lot of happy memories of walking through Trocadero Gardens, along the Seine, up the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame.

An actual French Crepe - with chocolate and banana

I will probably never make it back again, but, this morning I had a rush of memories from high school to France.  I think I may have to go there again - and soon.  If you're curious, here is the recipe:

CREPES

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

(whisk together)

add 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

(whisk into the liquid - and I also added about 1/4 cup Splenda and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla)

2 tablespoons melted butter

Melt a small pat of butter into a griddle or frying pan.  Take 1/4 cup of the batter and pour onto the hot pan.  Tilt the pan into a circular motion to coat the surface evenly.  Cook approximately 2 minutes on the on side and then flip to cook the other side.   

I spread nutella and sliced banana onto the crepe.  Ted also had strawberry jelly and banana on his.  You could do butter and powdered sugar or you could even fill it with eggs and avocado and top with salsa.  So very versatile!!

I guess it's time to get back to life and decorate for Christmas.