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4-6 tablespoons butter, divided
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 slices bread*

Melt two to three tablespoons of butter in a frying pan or skillet over medium high heat.

Beat together eggs, milk, vanilla extract and salt. Dip bread one at a time into egg mixture and fry until light brown and egg is cooked.

After 4 slices of bread have been cooked, melt remaining 2-3 tablespoons butter. Cook remaining bread slices until light brown on both sides and egg is cooked.

Serve with butter and syrup or butter and syrup heated together.

*As a treat, use cinnamon bread (available in bread aisle or bakery in most grocery stores).

FREEZER FRENCH TOAST

3 eggs
1 cup half and half or light cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cornflake cereal crumbs
8 1" thick slices French bread

Mix eggs, half and half, sugar and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Dip the French bread in this egg mixture, leaving the bread in the bowl for a few minutes so it absorbs more egg mixture. Dip bread in the cornflake crumbs to coat. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm.

When ready to bake, first preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place frozen French toast pieces on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Turn the toast once during baking.

Makes 8 slices.

Calories: 200
Fat: 6 grams
Sodium: 140 mg

Source: Pillsbury's All New Brunch Cookbook

FRENCH TOAST

4 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
10 to 12 slices white bread
Butter
Maple syrup or other syrup

Break eggs into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate; beat lightly with a fork. Stir in sugar, salt, and milk.

Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet coated with a thin layer of butter or margarine.

Place the bread slices, one at a time, into the bowl or plate, letting slices soak up egg mixture for a few seconds, then carefully turn to coat the other side. Soak/coat only as many slices as you will be cooking at one time.

Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Serve French toast hot with butter and syrup.

Recipe serves 4.

STRAWBERRY AND CREAM CHEESE STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread
1 large package of cream cheese
2 pints of strawberries
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk

Instructions:

Slice bread in about 1-inch pieces and set aside. Whip cream cheese and strawberries together and spread inside the bread slices then place 2 slices together with the cheese on the inside. Save 1 pint of the strawberries for topping. Mix eggs and milk together. Dip bread into egg mixture and fry on a well-greased griddle. Put on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Slice the rest of the strawberries for topping the toast. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with a drizzle of maple syrup.

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

This truly tastes like the "real thing".

16 slices good white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2/3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Maple or fruit syrup, for garnish

Place the bread cubes in a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk, half-and-half, maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour over top of bread cubes, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake for 50 minutes, until puffed and golden. Slice into individual servings, and top each serving with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Source: Favorite Recipes from the Mainstay Inn

1 loaf firm white bread
10 eggs
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 1/2 cups half and half -- or milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
8 TBS butter -- melted

Strawberry Sauce:

2 cups sliced strawberries -- fresh or frozen
2 cups strawberry preserves

Cube bread and layer half in a 12x8.5" pan. Cut cream cheese into small pieces and scatter across bread. Cover with remaining bread cubes. Mix eggs, half-and-half, maple syrup, and melted butter together well. Pour evenly over bread cubes and press bread cubes down to soak up egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350?°F for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve with fresh strawberry sauce or maple syrup.

To make sauce, heat sliced strawberries and strawberry preserves together (may use the microwave). Serve over French toast.

EMERIL'S FAVORITE FRENCH TOAST

From Emeril: Oh, man, talk about a walk down memory lane. This is one of the first things I ever made in the kitchen when I was a little boy. Even back then I liked to experiment to keep things interesting, and this is the result of one very successful experiment. The orange flavor in this French toast will just about knock your socks off. Try it-I bet you'll be back for more!

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 slices bread
8 teaspoons unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar
Maple syrup or cane sugar (optional)

Tools:
Measuring cups and spoons, or zester or fine grater, large mixing bowl, wire whisk, plate, 6-inch nonstick skillet, plastic turner, baking sheet, aluminum foil, oven mitts or pot holders

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200??F.

2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk well.

3. Add the milk, orange juice, orange zest, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk until well combined.

4. Working quickly, dip each bread slice into the egg mixture in the bowl, turning it to coat both sides with the mixture. Transfer the coated bread slices to a plate while you finish coating the remaining slices.

5. Heat a small skillet over medium heat until hot, about 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in the skillet, then add a slice of coated bread, and cook until the bread is golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn with a plastic turner and cook until the second side is golden, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

7. Transfer the French toast from the skillet to a baking sheet. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the other slices.

8. Repeat with the remaining slices, being sure to add 1 teaspoon of the butter to the pan before every slice.

9. Sprinkle the French toast with confectioners' sugar and serve with maple syrup or cane sugar if desired.

The freshness of the bread is important. Fresh bread will absorb batter more quickly than stale bread. Depending on the size of the bread, you may find that there's a bit of batter left over. If that's the case, just go ahead, add a bit more butter to the pan, and cook up another slice or two. If you don't want to eat these today, refrigerate them, tightly covered, for up to one or two days, and reheat in the oven or microwave for a really quick breakfast or great afternoon snack!

FLUFFY FRENCH TOAST

This is an unusual (but very delicious) recipe for French toast that uses a batter thickened with flour. Try it. You'll like it!

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white sugar
12 thick slices bread

Directions:
Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.

CREME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST

A rich, puffy outer crust makes this a French toast recipe well worth the time! It's a perfect choice for preparing the night before a busy holiday morning. Very rich French toast - can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
6 (1 inch thick) slices French bread
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange brandy
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Remove crusts from bread, and arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, orange brandy, and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the dish from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.

4. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and lightly browned.

Serves: 6

Source: www.swedishchef.co.uk

FRENCH TOAST BUNDT

24 Rhodes* rolls, thawed but still cold
2 egg whites
1/3 c liquid hazelnut coffee creamer
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 c maple syrup

Drizzle with:

maple syrup
powdered sugar

Cut rolls in half. Mix all other ingredients together in a bowl. Dip rolls in mixture and place in large bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the bundt pan and the leftover mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate both overnight. In the morning, remove wrap and slowly pour leftover mixture over rolls. Cover again with wrap and let rise at room temperature until rolls barely reach the top of pan. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes. Do not underbake. To prevent bundt from falling over sides of pan, carefully press rolls inward with fingertips during baking cycle. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto serving platter. Wait 5 minutes. Drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into slices and serve. Add more syrup if desired.

Source: Rhodes Products

*Note: Any frozen rolls will do fine.

LEMON CREAM CHEESE FRENCH TOAST
Serves 6

Maggie says: ???Take me to your leader???. This is about the most sublime recipe of them all!

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces of low or no fat soft cream cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
1/3 cup sugar
1 loaf of packaged, plain, sliced French Bread (small sized loaf)

Egg Batter:
6 eggs or egg beater equivalent
2 1/2 cups of non-fat half & half
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Warm Orange Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup fresh quartered strawberries

Stir together in a small bowl the cream cheese, lemon juice, zest and sugar. Set aside. Blend the egg, half & half, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg in a large flat bottom bowl. Set aside. Using two slices of the French bread, spread about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling on one side. Place other slice on top and lightly press together. Dip the sandwich into the batter, turn once and place on a lightly oiled griddle that has been preheated on medium heat. Cook until lightly browned on each side, about 3 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite topping or the warm orange/strawberry sauce.

Warm Orange Sauce:
Heat in a small pan over low heat, orange juice and sugar till dissolved. Add strawberries and just barely warm. Place in a serving bowl to spoon over the French Toast.

Serve with thin sliced low fat slices of ham. Hot maple syrup or powdered sugar sprinkled on top can also be used.

Source: Rose Cottage Guest House, Tacoma, WA

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For Two...

POUND CAKE FRENCH TOAST

(4) 3/4 inch slices of your favorite home made pound cake
2 eggs
?? C. half & half
?? teaspoon almond extract
?? teaspoon vanilla
?? teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter Confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk egg, cream, spices. Soak pound cake slices in the mixture, making sure all sides are soaked. Let sit for 5 minutes. Heat butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Transfer soaked pound cake slices to the skillet and fry until golden brown. Dust with Confectioners' sugar and top with fresh berries.