Here are two more of my family’s favorite dishes.

Chicken Creme Crepes in Red Meat Blanket started out as a Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve, dish. It became such a hit that we began requesting my sister to make it for birthdays and special occasions.  The creamy crepes coupled with the tomato sauce make for a delicious contrast in flavors.

The Spanish Sardine pasta is quite easy to put together and is one of those dishes you can serve at a moment’s notice.

Enjoy!

Chicken Creme Crepes Recipe

Filling:

  • 4 pcs deboned and diced chicken
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup pickle relish
  • 1 cup diced sweet ham
  • ¾ cup all-purpose cream
  • 1 ½ cup grated cheese

Sauce:

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1 ½ cups ground lean beef
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup minced parsley
  • 2 pcs bay leaf
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup grated quickmelt cheese

Crepes:

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups full cream milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 3 beaten eggs
  • 1/3 cup minced parsley

Procedure:

  1. To prepare filling, marinate chicken in seasonings for one hour. Heat butter and sauté onion, celery and chicken until meat turns white. Add pickle relish and ham. Simmer and stir in cream and grated cheese. Set aside.
  2. To prepare sauce, sauté garlic, onion and beef until meat is cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients except cheese. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in cheese and cook until well blended.
  3. To prepare crepes, blend all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Pour ¼ cup batter into a buttered 8-inch non-stick skillet. Tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook over low heat until top is set and dry. Remove crepe from pan. Repeat with remaining batter.
  4. To assemble, spoon 1/3 of sauce over base of a baking dish then set aside. Place about ¼ cupful of filling in each crepe and roll up to enclose filling. Arrange crepes side by side on dish then spoon remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with more grated cheese and bake at 190°C (350°F) for 30 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with mushroom slices and parsley sprigs. Serve hot.

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 Spanish Sardine Pasta Recipe

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 kg pasta
  • 1 small can Spanish style sardines
  • 4 tomatoes
  • ½ cup basil leaves
  • Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

  1. Cook the spaghetti noodles.
  2. Chop the fresh tomatoes and garlic.
  3. Drain the sardines, debone and shred into bite-size pieces.
  4. Mix the sardine oil with the olive oil.
  5. In a pan, heat the mixture and sauté the garlic.
  6. Add the tomatoes and sauté for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Add the shredded sardines and sauté with the tomatoes until mixed well. Put some shredded basil leaves next and mix quickly with the sauce.
  8. Add the cooked pasta last, making sure not to pour all at once. Start with a handful of noodles then mix with the sauce. Do this until they are mixed evenly.
  9. Garnish with shredded basil leaves and add parmesan cheese.

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