PERRYSBURG — Busy moms need a go-to recipe that the whole family will enjoy.

When mother-of-three Victoria Albright was asked to share one for the cook’s corner, her three children unanimously picked French Crepes.

“They love crepes. It is something that everybody will eat,” Albright said. “And, honestly, my husband and I love them, too.

When they first married, Victoria and Chad lived just outside of Washington, D.C., and found a farmers market where they discovered the dish.

“There was a crepes stand and we loved it,” she said. “We moved back here and couldn’t really find anything. I just kind of searched around (for a recipe) and tweaked it to make it my own.”

Crepes are also tied into the couple’s love story — in the city of love.

“We went to France for one of our anniversary trips and that was such a cool memory: Getting crepes and walking through Luxembourg gardens,” Albright said.

The crepes also were slightly more delicious in Paris.

“They tasted more fresh. I feel like in Europe things are more fresh and not as processed. But they were pretty comparable to the crepes stand we visited in Virginia,” she said.

The crepes combinations are endless. The children’s favorites are Nutella, which is a hazelnut cocoa spread, and strawberries.

“We also do — we call it the Chunky Monkey — bananas and peanut butter. Or you can do more savory, which I personally like,” Albright said, adding that her preference is ham, Swiss and spinach.

“My husband likes turkey, pepper jack and spinach on his.”

The crepes can also be served any time of day, from breakfast to brunch to dinner.

Albright made minor substitutions in the recipes that she found for crepes.

“I try to stay away from too much sugar,” she said. “I found that monk fruit sweetener (works), so I use that instead to have more of a natural route.”

Albright said she also had to find a flour balance to get the crepes’ consistency just right.

“You want to get them really thin; the recipes I was finding were more thick,” she said.

Thin is best so they can be folded, like a pizza slice, Albright said.

When the batter’s in the pan, swirl it around to keep it from getting too thick.

“The lower the heat setting, the better. You don’t want it to burn or bake too quickly. Patience is a virtue here.”

The young family is constantly on the run — with baseball, karate, music, Girl Scouts and dance — and Albright is prepared with meals and snacks.

“I want my kids to have a good source of protein. We do egg sandwiches and protein shakes,” she said. “We’re a very active family, so I like to make sure we have our protein.”

When everyone’s home, they grill chicken, burgers and brats, and enjoy chicken fajitas.

“I love doing anything Mexican, like a variation. Taco salads, or enchiladas and walking tacos.”

The kids are “selective,” Albright said with a laugh.

“I tell them ‘this is what I made,’” she said. “I’m not a shorthand cook.

“They get to choose their breakfast. They usually get to choose what they want for lunch. For dinner, whatever’s on the menu,” Albright said. “I do ask them for their input for the dinner menu for the week.”

Mom and dad are both Eastwood High School graduates.

Their children are Aiden, who will be 2 this month; Brodie, 5 1/2; and Haylee, 7. The two older children attend Frank Elementary.

They lived in D.C. for 10 years, but came back home after Brodie’s birth.

“We realized all of our family’s here for the most part, and needed some extra helping hands,” said Albright, who is a former teacher who works from home for a health and wellness company.

Perrysburg is a perfect place to raise a family, she said.

“I love how that’s it just up and coming, and growing. But I love how it still has that small-town feel to it. I love all the local places and restaurants, and the people are friendly.”

French Crepes.

Debbie Rogers | Sentinel-Tribune

French Crepes

Ingredients

2 cups milk; Albright uses 2%

4 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and slightly cooled

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted if desired

First, blend milk, eggs, butter, sugar (Albright uses monk fruit sweetener), vanilla, salt, and flour 15 to 20 seconds, or until batter is smooth. You could also whisk in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

Heat an 8-inch frying pan over medium-low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the pan, tilting pan immediately from side to side to form an even circle. Cook about 1 minute per side, or until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

Serve with your favorite stuffings. We fancy strawberries and nutella; ham, swiss and spinach; bananas and peanut butter. Top with powdered sugar.