Moms Saturday Mornings French Toast Recipes

Steps:

• Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Line two 18-by-13-inch sheet pans with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
• Brush one prepared pan with 2 tablespoons butter. Arrange the bread slices on it so the bottom is completely covered (2 rows of 4 slices lengthwise, and the remaining 2 slices cut in half and arranged at the bottom). Pour the egg mixture over each slice and let sit in the mixture for 5 minutes. Flip the slices and let soak until the batter is almost completely absorbed by the bread, about 5 minutes more. Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Remove 4 strips of zest from the orange using a vegetable peeler, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Toss together the cherries, orange zest, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a small baking dish and place on the second sheet pan along one of the short ends (it will take up about a third of the pan). Toss the almonds, syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until the almonds are coated. Spread the almonds on another third of the pan next to the baking dish. Arrange the sausage patties on the remaining third of the pan.
• Bake the French toast on the bottom rack and the sausage, cherries and almonds on the top rack until the French toast is puffed and beginning to brown and the almonds are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the sheet pan with the sausage, cherries and almonds from the oven. Transfer the pan with the French toast to the top rack, increase the heat to high broil, and broil, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top of the toast is golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Check the toast every 30 seconds so that it doesn't get too dark! Serve the toast topped with the crumbled almond brittle, roasted cherries, a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and a drizzle of syrup, and sausage on the side.

Steps:

• 1. Get a medium size mixing bowl with somewhat of a flat bottom. 2. To make the batter, crack 4 eggs in the bowl and add the nutmeg and cinnamon. Use about 4-6 good shakes of each spice. 3. Add about ½ to ¾ cups of milk or more if needed and mix very well. 4. Add two good quick dashes of the pure vanilla extract and mix. 5. Cut any toppings you desire and put them to the side for now. 6. Use a 10-12 inch (or bigger if you've got it) non-stick skillet or fry pan and put it on a middle to high heat setting. If you don't want the bread to cook quickly on the outside, leaving the inner portion of the bread to remain soft, then set your stove to a lower setting. 7. Coat the entire bottom of the skillet with butter. 8. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is nice and hot, start soaking the pieces of bread in the batter to your liking. 9. Drain excess batter from the bread, and put the pieces in the skillet and watch this new tasty breakfast treat come into fruition before your very eyes. 10. When all your slices are cooked to your liking, delicately place them on the plates that are graced to have such a noble breakfast resting upon them. 11. Heat your your warm amber sweet maple syrup and pour upon the slices, adding your favorite selected toppings that you pre-cut earlier. Aahh, you thought I forgot about my favorite "special" topping I mentioned earlier. I did not, my curious friend. 12. The finishing touch, the ultimate crown topping to this meal is 1-2 scoops of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream per plate!! Nothing beats that brand of ice cream for me. This is the time to shut off the TV, radio, computer and all that is around you in the world and eat with honored reverence my "Mom's Saturday Mornings French Toast." And the cheering of the crowd swells as another touchdown is scored! Enjoy.