The Joy of Cooking

There are many sources for recipes and food knowledge.   I actively read Cooking Light and enjoy searching out allrecipes.com (the Ghiradelli chocolate fondue? delicious).    But when you're looking for the basic instructions and standby recipes, the classic Joy of Cooking is a great asset.   For instance:

Wednesday I made my first crepe at our internal career fair at work.   I thought to myself, "self, I like crepes.  I liked when my co-worker MH would invite me over for crepes with rum and sugar.   I like to go out to Crepes and Crepes in Writer's Square downtown and order the spinach and goat cheese crepe for an entree and the nutella with strawberry crepe for dessert.   This is, in fact, a pancake.  I can, in fact, make pancakes.   Therefore, I should be able to make a fancy thin French pancake in the comfort of my own home."

So which of my cookbooks will have a simple crepe recipe?  No contest.  The Joy of Cooking.
In my version, page 236 - Griddle Cakes and Fritter Variations (who uses the phrase griddle cakes?). 

Sift: 3/4 cup all purpose flour
Resift with: 1/2t salt, 1 t baking powder, 2 T powdered sugar (omit sugar if making savory crepes)
Beat: 2 eggs
Add and beat: 2/3 C milk, 1/3 C water, 1/2t vanilla
Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid.  Combine them, don't worry about the lumps.
Heat a 5 inch skillet.  Use a few drops oil (or in my case, cooking spray).  Add a small quantity of batter and tip the skillet to cover the bottom of the pan.   Cook until browned underneath, then flip.

If you have mad skills, you can flip the crepe in the air when side one is done and you have loosened it from the bottom of the pan with your spatula.   I actually did this pretty well although the Chey-dog stood ever ready in case one hit the floor.