RECIPE Tip of the Day 2/13/07: French Toast

Easy-Peasy French Toast
Good for 2-3 slices of bread, depending on loaf width. Whole grain bread tastes just as delicious as white bread in this recipe. (See Shopping Tips below.)

Mix in a bowl wide enough for dipping the bread:
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk (I only use whole; why bother with water milk?)
cinnamon (to taste)
vanilla extract (to taste)

In your preheated frying pan, put a pat of unsalted butter (or use the leftover fat from the bacon you may have just fried). Dip your bread slices well in the egg mix. Then fry 'em good and golden!

Top with maple syrup (only the real stuff, please).


Shopping Tips:

Bread: Watch out for "high fructose corn syrup" as a sweetener. Stroehmann makes a good whole grain bread for the value. As for organic, there are lots to choose from, if you are willing to pay 2 to 3 times as much than a conventional loaf. I buy Rudi's Organic at my local supermarket.

Eggs: Omega-3 added eggs, as well as organic eggs, are the "in thing" right now (I do admit to buying them regularly myself). It should be a matter of taste and budget. Just look for "cage-free" or at least the "Animal Care Certified" logo.

Milk: Whether buying conventional or organic, it should also be a matter of taste: do not buy ultra-pasteurized milk, which is extra processing for a longer shelf life, and usually results in a blander milk. Single pasteurization is good enough.

Cinnamon: Buy it from the dollar store. You get more for your buck than at the supermarket, and it's just as good, if not fresher because of higher turnover.

Vanilla Extract: I bought this huge bottle from Costco, which is lasting me forever (they don't need my free advertising, so I will not link to them).

Maple Syrup: Buy "U.S. Grade A Dark Amber" from Canada or Vermont (sorry New York — I haven't tried one of yours that I've liked).