When my brother and I were going through my mom's things (we did it while my dad took himself on vacation so he wouldn't have to do it), I discovered blintzes thoughtfully frozen in the fridge.  I'm guessing they were lovingly made for a husband with not too much skill in the kitchen, or for a day when she was just coming out of the hospital and didn't feel like cooking.  Going out to eat was not an option, and you can hardly blame her because all her food was better then restaurant food anyway.  

Anyway, so I found these blintzes in the freezer, and I just couldn't help myself.  I fried them up for the two of us, with peas on the side of course, and we toasted Coronas in honor of my mom (her favorite, from many camping trips on the beach in Mexico when we were growing up), and ate blintzes until we couldn't possibly eat any more.  It was a gift, that dinner that she made and we found.  

I have a crepe maker for the express purpose of making blintzes, but yesterday I got the brilliant idea to make my Cannelloni recipe with savory crepes instead of cheating and using manicotti shells like I usually do.  I tell you, they were delicious, and there is nothing like a crepe fresh off the crepe maker.  And it was just what the doctor ordered for my poor hubby who had a root canal yesterday.  He declared it the best meal I've made lately.

I think there will never be a day when I enter my kitchen to try a fun, new recipe and I don't think of my mom.

Savory Crepes:

2 large eggs

1 C. milk

1/3 C. water

1 C. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tb. butter, melted

Mix all in blender.  Chill for one hour.  Heat  nonstick crepe maker.  Carefully (to make sure all surfaces are covered) dip maker in the mix.  When the edges are crispy, flip the crepe over for another 15 seconds or so to cook the other side.

Cannelloni:

Cannelloni shells or crepes (8-12)

3 (8oz) cans tomato sauce

2 Tb. grated Parm

1 lb meat (beef or ground turkey)

1/4 C. chopped onion

1 clove garlic - minced

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach - thawed and well drained

1/3 C. Parm cheese

2 Tb. milk

2 eggs - slightly beaten

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 C. Butter

1/4 C. plus 2 Tb flour

2 C. half-and-half

1/8 tsp white pepper

Cook cannelloni or crepes.  Set aside.  Combine tomato sauce and 2 Tb. parm cheese; spread 1 C. tomato mixture on lightly greased 13-9-2 inch baking dish; set aside dish and remaining sauce.  Cook meat, onion and garlic in skillet until browned.  Drain well.  Add spinach, saute 3 minutes.  Add 1/3 C. Parm, milk, eggs, and oregano; stir well.  Stuff cannelloni or crepes with beef mixture.  Place filled cannelloni/crepes on tomato mixture in baking dish; set aside.  Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually add half-and-half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Stir in pepper.  Pour over cannelloni; spoon remaining tomato mixture over cream sauce.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.