Midwest Living March/April 2015 Recipes

When did being vanilla become an insult? This stack of golden crepes and creamy mascarpone is simple, elegant and deceptively delicious. Supermarket crepes are larger than homemade ones, so if you use purchased, you'll need to make an extra half batch of filling, or just make a cake with fewer layers.Vanilla Bean Crepe Cake

Kolaches (koh-LAH-chees) are a staple in the bakeries and farm kitchens of the Midwest's old Czech communities. Warm from the oven, our version is petite, pillowy and just begging for coffee.Czech Kolaches

Crepes meet casserole in a family-friendly recipe that starts with rotisserie chicken; if you sub purchased crepes (or make our whole wheat ones ahead), it's quick enough for a weeknight.Cheesy Chicken-Broccoli Crepe Bake

The classic French dessert is absurdly simple; soak crepes in buttery, boozy, orange-flavor syrup, then serve with whipped cream. Although unflavored Sweet Crepes are traditional in this dish, you could make a delicious orange-chocolate variation by substituting Cocoa Crepes.Crepes Suzettes

This creamy, crazy-delicious lasagna is simple, too, thanks to jarred Alfredo sauce and no-boil noodles. If you're lucky enough to have a specialty grocery store or Italian deli that sells all-natural refrigerated Alfredo sauce without preservatives, this is a great way to use it.Ham and Mushroom Lasagna

When shopping, look for a ham with the lowest possible percentage of water. Choose an unglazed ham, and if your ham comes with a glaze packet, discard it. While you can choose either the butt half or the shank half, the butt half will give more succulent texture and a more distinct flavor.Cherry-Glazed Ham with Fresh Basil

Low-cal, low-fat and economical to boot! Boiling the bone with the beans and vegetables gives the broth major ham flavor.Fennel and Bean Ham-Bone Soup

The "windows" on this oven-baked brunch dish reveal a filling of chopped asparagus and pancetta, Gruyère and a sunny egg. When you slice the asparagus, think small, like diced onion. It may seem unorthodox to chop up those beautiful stalks, but it guarantees you get morsels of asparagus in every bite.Crepe-Framed Eggs with Asparagus Hash

Loaded with protein and fresh greens, this is a simple yet flavorful potato salad. Paired with a fruit salad, it's almost hearty enough to eat as a meal.Greens, Eggs and Ham Potato Salad

Wrapping the crepes into fruit-filled bundles means that you can assemble them ahead, store them in the fridge, and then zap them in the microwave before serving. (Plus, it's fun to cut in and see the ruby filling spill out.) But for a speedy and pretty variation, just fold the crepes into quarters and top with the cherries and ice cream.Cherry Pie Crepes a La Mode

If you can make pancakes, you can flip crepes. Make the batter in the morning to cook at night, or cook the crepes on Sunday to use during the week (or freeze for future use).Basic Crepes with Variations

This gooey mess of caramelized onion and barbecue sauce also tastes great as a cold sandwich. (And did you know caramelized onions freezes well? Make extra for topping burgers, pizzas and more.)Ultimate Grilled Ham-and-Cheese Sandwich

Start with a basic deviled egg filling (mayo, yolks, salt, pepper), and then add a mix-in and topper.(Left to right)Indian Add curry powder. Top with cucumber.Asian Add Sriracha sauce. Top with pickled ginger.Seaside Add smoked salmon. Top with fresh dill.Steakhouse Add bleu cheese. Top with bacon.

Treat all your little bunnies (and the big ones, too) to a short stack of veggie-flecked flapjacks.Whip up your favorite plain, buttermilk or whole wheat pancake batter. Stir finely grated carrot and pumpkin pie spice into the batter. If you like, add golden raisins. Griddle pancakes as usual. Combine an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple (partially drained) and an 8-ounce tub of cream cheese. Sweeten with brown sugar; top with nuts.