Grandma's French Toast

This recipe is one passed down to me (Kristen) by my Grandma, Joyce. The measurements are approximate. If you're used to cooking without measurements, "just eyeball it" as Joyce would say. You can substitute the milk for a vegan option (extra creamy is the best) as well as the butter. As for the egg, I'm not sure how well it turns out without it but it's always worth trying (or trying a substitute that you're used to!)

Ingredients needed:

• Bread slices (preferred: thicker white bread or thick brioche. Thinner bread can be kind of mushy in the middle.)

• Milk (2 cups)

• 1 large egg

• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

• 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp of almond extract. Almond is my own spin on it but it tastes great without.)

• Butter (margarine, vegetable spread, coconut oil, or crisco. A saltier butter tastes wonderful in contrast to syrup.) You need enough to form a small melted layer so that the pan is evenly covered.

• Maple syrup (or any syrup of choice,) fruit, chocolate chips, whatever toppings you desire.

Steps:

1. Add the milk, egg, cinnamon, and extracts to a bowl.

2. Heat a frying pan on medium heat with the frying oil of choice (butter, coconut oil, etc.)

3. When the pan is well heated, whisk the milk, egg, cinnamon, and extracts vigorously until there's a decent layer of frothy bubbles on top. This will need to be done between every bread slice.

4. Lightly dip a bread slice on both sides into just the top layer of the bubbles and milk. Immediately add it to the pan so it starts cooking.

5. Quickly whisk the mixture again to do your next bread slice, and repeat.

6. Check the bread slices by lifting the corners. When they have a nice golden brown across most of the slice, flip them to cook on the other side.

7. If you're making more than 4 at a time, you may want to regrease the pan/add more butter for the next round. The slices should cook with slightly fried edges. Also, add more cinnamon after every 4 slices.

8. Move the cooked slices to a plate and top with whatever you like, such as syrup or fruit.

When using thinner bread, you may want to cook the slices a little longer or else they may feel extra squishy in the middle.

If you try it out and love it, I'd love to hear from you! My Grandma would have been so proud and happy that others enjoyed her recipe. She believed that food was always the number one thing you should focus on providing for others around us, and those we love. Her cooking was how she showed care and compassion. She even made cookies for the mail person to show thanks for delivering the mail regularly.

This recipe is important to me because it's one of the few that I remember and specifically asked my Grandma for many years before she passed. When us Grandkids would stay over, she'd make this or her famous pancakes. One year she ran out of maple syrup and had to make a simple syrup for me since I was always the last to get up. This recipe reminds me of my Grandma drinking coffee even right up until bedtime, sharing her big bed with her when staying over, her and I both reading books until she was ready to go to sleep, and how she kept her room ice cold all night long (the woman hardly slept with any covers on her!) While this is one that she learned during her cooking and waitressing years, it holds so much love and memories within it and is one I am truly honored to share.