Everyone Wants To Be the Best Ever

Have you ever noticed that if you google (when did google become a verb?!?) "recipe for the best _________ ever," you get about a bajillion results of people claiming they have the absolute best recipe for said item?

Have you ever been lured in by one of those recipes thinking, you know...it has the qualities for the best recipe ever, perhaps it could be, just perhaps. Then you make it and....wow...it really is just is plain awful. Yeah, I've been there. I don't really trust people who claim they have the best of anything anymore, which is why I'm not going to tell you that this french toast recipe I'm about to bequeath to you is the best ever.

Instead I'm just going to tell you that it's pretty flipping fantastic and that you should probably try it because you're missing out on life if you don't. You don't want to miss out on life. That will make you a sad, sad panda.

It Could Be the Best French Toast Ever but I'm Not One to Make that Decision For You

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Yield: Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup half and half (may substitute milk)
• 2 tablespoons orange juice and/or 1 teaspoon orange zest (both optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract  
• 4 tablespoons butter for greasing the pan (or butter substitute...or oil)
• 8-9 thick slices of day old challah bread 
• Powdered sugar and maple syrup for serving

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, orange and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well with a fork or whisk. Pour into a shallow casserole dish for dipping the bread.

Heat 1 tablespoon shortening, oil or butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat, for every 2-3 slices of bread. (If using butter, be careful not to burn it, and try melting it on a lower heat.) Use remaining shortening, oil or butter for remaining bread.

Dip bread slices into egg mixture one at a time, coating on all sides and place bread in hot skillet.  Sprinkle extra cinnamon on top of bread if desired. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat, on each side, or until lightly browned. Repeat for remaining bread slices.

Top with powdered sugar and maple syrup, or fresh fruit. 

Notes: I definitely used skim milk, both orange juice and orange zest and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. I also used sourdough from our local bakery because that's what we had and it was amazing.