Momma Gert's Place

Greetings readers and welcome to Momma Gert's Place - the Soul Food Connection. I would like to dedicate this issue to spring romance and spring love. After those cozy winter evenings and being cooped up for so long, these are indeed the days to shed a few coats and become a bit more fancy free with your significant other or close friend. Hence, for April, May, and June the menus shall be catered to cooking for two. Hopefully you'll enjoy!

Papaya-Banana-Honey Shake

  • 1 small or medium papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced
  • 1 banana, broken
  • 1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon raw honey
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Combine all ingredients together in a blender. Whirl together at medium speed. Taste for sweetness. Add more honey if the mixture is not sweet enough to your taste. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.

  • Yields: 2 generous servings
  • Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Fruit-Flavored Crepes With Strawberry Sauce

General Crepe Recipe
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Melt butter in a small skillet and set aside. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat mixture with rotary beater until smooth.

Heat buttered skillet over medium heat. For each crepe, pour 2 tablespoons batter into skillet. Immediately rotate the pan. Cook crepe until light brown. Turn and brown the other side. Stack crepes between sheets of waxed paper or paper toweling until ready to use.

  • Yields: approximately 12 crepes
  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Crepe Filling
  • 1/4 cup chopped apples, bananas, drained crushed pineapple, or

    strawberries

  • nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup softened cream cheese

Combine cream cheese with one of the fruits. Divide filling among four crepes. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Roll crepes. Place in buttered shallow baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.

Note: Dip apple or banana in lemon juice to avoid discoloration.

  • Yields: 4 crepes
  • Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Strawberry Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup orange juice or pineapple juice
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries

Combine sugar and cornstarch in 1 quart sauce pan. Stir in orange or pineapple juice. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Boil 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter. Remove from heat. Stir in strawberries.

  • Yields: about 1 cup
  • Preparation Time: 10 minutes