Diner-Style French Toast

***Here it is!! The site POLL WINNER!!! French Toast!!!****

I loooove french toast, especially the kind that comes from those lil hole-in-the wall diners. You know the ones that you are a lil nervous about eating at because it doesn't look that clean but you are starving at 4am and nothing else is open? That diner french toast never seems to disappoint, which is why I've been on a quest for a good french toast recipe for a while. I stumbled upon an excellent recipe from Taste of Home magazine, tweaked it a bit and now it's one of my fav!! This french toast is exactly the way I like them to be; buttery golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Serve fresh off the griddle with some creamed butter, powdered sugar and piping hot butter maple syrup...heaven!!

Diner-Style French Toast

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of thick bread
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 c. milk
• 1 t. vanilla (plus more if desired)
• 1/2. t. cinnamon (plus more if desired)
• 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1-2 T butter (to grease griddle)
• powder sugar, butter, maple syrup (optional garnish)
  
  
  
  Step 1.) Cut up 6 slices of French bread an inch thick (This also taste great with Texas toast or challah bread)

Step 2.) In medium size bowl add in 4 eggs & 2/3 c. of milk

Step 3.) In a measuring cup /small bowl mix together 1/2t. cinnamon and 1 t. vanilla ( I do this separately because it keeps the cinnamon from floating to the top and helps it mix in better.) Add this mixture to the egg & milk.

Step 4.) In a separate bowl add in 1/3 c. flour, 1/3 c. sugar, 1/8 t. salt. Whisk well until light and powdery. We don't want those ugly flour lumps in our egg mixture.

Step 5.) Gradually add flour mixture into egg mixture. Whisking after each addition. Now if you're a cinnamon freak like me and like to actually see the cinnamon on your french toast then go ahead and shake in a few shakes of that stuff in the batter.

Step. 6) Heat a griddle with 1 T. of butter until melted over med-high heat. Drop a few drops of water onto the griddle and if the water dances around slightly the griddle is ready! If it smokes then it's too hot.

Step. 7.) Place the bread into the egg mixture for about 4 seconds per side. Now a lot of recipes I've come across says leave them in there for about 30 seconds but I found that was too long for my taste since I don't like a real dense, soggy french toast. Do a small sample piece and see how you prefer it.

Step 8.)Place the dipped bread onto the griddle and cook until both sides are golden brown. About 2- 3 minutes. When I'm on the last side I sometimes use a spatula to flatten the bread down a little. When I don't hear any more sizzle from the raw egg I know the bread is done on the inside.

Place on a plate, top with a dollop of butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with hot maple syrup.

DELISH!!