Thanksgiving Crepe Filling Recipe: Sweet Potato Crepes with Warm Honey Praline Sauce

Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday celebrated by millions of Americans and Canadians every year.  The best way families give thanks is by cooking traditional (or even haute-gourmet) dishes that spark warm conversation across the table. 

A popular side dish item that is often served on Thanksgiving is baked sweet potatoes with gooey marshmallows iced on top. Though I love to eat sweet potatoes as a side dish, I am planning on adding a spin to this time-honored tradition. Instead of baked sweet potatoes this year, why not make sweet potato crepes with warm honey praline sauce and brown sugar n' spice whipped cream. 

The recipe is real simple to make and you can cut time in half by using Crepini's Naked Crepes which are ready made! 

This sweet potato crepe filling recipe was created by Lori Roach, for Louisina's Sweet Potato Commission's website. 

Ingredients:

Brown Sugar 'n Spice Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
3/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Honey-Praline Sauce:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs honey
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Sweet Potato Filling:
2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 can cut Louisiana sweet potatoes in syrup (15-ounce) drained

Directions

1.) Beat together all ingredients for whipped cream until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until needed. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup butter and next 3 ingredients until well combined. Bring to a boil and let cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in toasted pecans. Set aside and let cool for about 20 to 25 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it cools. 

2.) For the sweet potato filling, beat together cream cheese and 1 cup brown sugar with electric hand mixer until smooth. Mix in next 3 ingredients. Mix in sweet potatoes until well blended. Set aside. 

3.) To assemble  your CREPiNi crepes, spoon about 1/3 cup sweet potato filling to center of each crepe. Roll up and place in 11x15-inch glass pan. Place in oven at 300 F for 10 minutes or until just warm. Or, heat filled crepes 1 at a time in microwave on low for about 30 seconds or until just warm. To serve, place one filled crepe on plate and top with warm honey-praline sauce that has been stirred to evenly distribute pecans. Sauce should still be warm, but if it isn't, heat on low just until warm, not hot. Top with each crepe with brown sugar 'n spice whipping cream. 

4.) Makes 10-12 servings

How did the recipe go? Comment below what you thought of it!

Crepini LLC produces crepes that are all natural, vegetarian (non vegan), and nut free. Crepini's crepes are fresh, frozen crepes made for wholesale, retail, and food services and other industries in North America. Visit our website here and also Like us on Facebook here and Follow us on Twitter here for company updates, and recipe ideas.  

Thanksgiving Crepe Filling Recipe: Super-Simple Apple-Cinnamon Crepes

It seems like it was last weekend when kids were dressing up for Halloween, and now, families are planning banquet-sized meals for Thanksgiving this year.  Generally, a traditional Thanksgiving meal generally consists of: Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, as well as other accouterments.

However, it's okay to take a walk outside of tradition and to experiment with new recipes that could, ultimately, become a family tradition down the road. Ever since I can remember, Thanksgiving never seemed complete without apple pie at the end of the dessert table. I always savor its flaky crust, fresh cinnamon smells, and gooey center whenever I heartily eat it every year.

This year, why not try making a "Super-Simple Apple-Cinnamon Crepe" filling recipe that will not only entice family and friends but also make pie eating more portable and less messy!

Try this super easy recipe from the Food Network out and comment below how the process went. Bon Apetite!

Super-Simple Apple-Cinnamon Dessert Crepes

Ingredients
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash Salt
1/2 cup Fuji Apple
1/8 teaspoon lemon Juice
1 tablespoon reduced fat/light cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup fat-free whipped topping, thawed from frozen
2 (9-inch) Ready-to-use dessert Crepes (Crepini's Naked Crepes are PERFECT for this recipe)
1 Teaspoon Fat-Free or light caramel dip, room temperature
Powdered Sugar, for Optional Garnish

Directions
In a small nonstick pot on the stove, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir to dissolve. Add apples and lemon juice and stir. Bring to medium heat and cover. Cook until the apples have softened and liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes, uncovering often to stir.

Remove the pot from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Allow it to cool for several minutes. Thoroughly stir in cream cheese. Fold in whipped topping.

Lay crepes flat on a dry surface. Evenly distribute the apple mixture between the crepes. Fold each crepe up envelope-style, first folding the sides in, and then folding/rolling it up from the bottom.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Place the crepes in the skillet with the seam-sides up. Cook them until slightly browned, about 1 minute per side. (Flip carefully). 

Crepini LLC produces crepes that are all natural, vegetarian (non vegan), and nut free. Crepini's crepes are fresh, frozen crepes made for wholesale, retail, and food services and other industries in North America. Visit our website here and also Like us on Facebook here and Follow us on Twitter here for company updates, and recipe ideas. 

Food Trend Forecasts for 2014

Courtesy of Olivia Baker

Towards the end of the year, major food specialists, such as Baum &Whitman, prepare a special forecast on potentially popular food trends for the upcoming year.

 Before we delve into this year's Hottest Food Trends for 2014, lets take a look back at Forbes  food trend list from last year.



Forbes 2013 Food Trends

Courtesy of Huffington Post Food Trends 

• High-End Vegan

• Octopus "The New Prawn"

• Korean Flavors

• Lobster Rolls

• Wine & Cocktail Condiments

• Tortas

After frequenting multiple food shows this year, I can attest that wine & cocktail condiments were a huge trend this year. I've sampled Moscatto flavored barbeque sauces and was impressed with how two singular concoctions can blend seamlessly.

In addition, the D.C area was ripe with tortas trucks.  These  piping hot meat or veggie pocket dishes are not only filling but scrumptious. Have you ever eaten a torta? What did you think of this and other food trends?

 Are you also ready for next year's food trends? Check out Entrepreneur's foodie predictions for 2014.

Entrepreneur's 2014 Food Trends

• Ice Cream Sandwiches

• Biscuits

• Mutant Morsels

• Infused Ice

• Tea Cocktails

What's interesting about this article from Entrepreneur is that they forecast-ed the end of the ever delicious yet ever so popular cupcake. NYC Chef Dominique Ansel's "cronut" sparked a  hybrid donut trend that saturated and, eventually, engulfed the cup cake trend in major cities across the U.S. Of course, this is just a prediction based on current news. Who knows, maybe the cupcake will have a comeback next year?

So you've read what the experts think, what are your thoughts on next year's food trends? 

Crepini LLC produces crepes that are all natural, vegetarian (non vegan), and nut free. Crepini's crepes are fresh, frozen crepes made for wholesale, retail, and food services and other industries in North America. Visit our website here and also Like us on Facebook here and Follow us on Twitter here for company updates, and recipe ideas. 

Popular Halloween Treats from the 1920s' to the 1960s'

Picture is courtesy of Graves and Ghouls, Tumblr

In seven days, kids of all ages (including adults who are young at heart) will be going door-to-door for Reese's Cups, Jolly Ranchers, and all sorts of confections. But did you know that Halloween treats have changed over time?

Kids have been going trick-or-treating for several decades now, and food trends have been changing.

Do you still think that kids would want to receive a goblin-faced meat pie (1930's treat) when they go door-to-door? Or snack on olives (1950's treat) instead of a Snickers bar?

Some may say that  kids from the baby boomer era are missing out on king-size Snickers bars, yet, at the same time, Generation Z (the cohort group born after the Millennials) is missing out on some wonderful traditions such as making Popcorn balls, Halloween candy apples, and Goblin franks with their families.

Whatever the case is, we created a list divided by decades, on popular treats that were savored from the 1930's to the 1960's.

Classic Halloween Treats

1920's

• Opera Sticks
• Orange Jelly Beans
• Orange Buttercups
• Black (Licorice) Gumdrops
• Chips
• Hard Candies

1950's

• Goelitz Candy Corn
• Brach's Harvest Panned Mix
• Starlight Kisses
• Spiced Jelly Drops
• Chocolate Nonpareils
• Pure Sugar Apples
• Butter Cream Pumpkins
• Hershey Kisses
• Roasted Peanuts in Shell
• Fleers Double Bubble Gum

1960's

• Cracker Jacks
• Cutie Face suckers (lollipops)
• Popcorn Balls
• Powerhouse bars
• Beechnut Gum
• Huck Fins
• Candy Cigarettes
• Taffy rolls
• Peppermints
• Oh Henry Bars
• Whoppers
• Mason Candies
• Mint Juleps (chewy)
• Money bags (wafers)

When you were growing up, what was your favorite Halloween treat or tradition? Share what you miss from your childhood. Who knows, you may share the same memory with another commentor. 

Crepini, LLC, produces crepes that are all natural, vegetarian (non vegan), and nut free. Crepini's crepes are fresh, frozen crepes made for wholesale, retail, and food services and other industries in North America. Visit our website here and also Like us on Facebook here and Follow us on Twitter here for company updates, and recipe ideas.