French Toast with a Zesty Twist

Lazy Sundays have always been my favorite. They're the "calm after the storm" of Saturdays. Although my Saturdays are no longer as crazy as they used to be, I still love waking up, making a cup of hot tea, grabbing the Sunday paper and snuggling between the covers while cutting my coupons and reading the comics. 

Sundays are also the days I make a nice, big breakfast (or brunch for those very lazy days). I typically stick to a vegetable-filled omelet, soy chorizo and cilantro egg scramble or a typical Polish-style breakfast with a selection of breads, cheeses and fresh vegetables.

This morning, however, I broke out the Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook Joe and I received from his mother as a engagement gift. This is where I discovered the best French Toast i have ever had. The secret ingredient? Orange zest mixed with the batter. It added a unique, fresh taste to it. Of course, I had to make a few small adjustments, including substituting regular milk for almond milk and decreasing the sugar amount. Give it a shot, it makes all the difference! 

Serving Size: 4

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 baguette (one-day old so it absorbs the mix better)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups almond milk (or any other milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter (preferably from grass-fed cows)

Instructions

1. Slice the baguette so that it is about 2 centimeters thick.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice, sugar and salt. Mix well. 
3. Submerge the slices of baguette for at least 15 minutes, turning once. This ensures  a custard-like interior when the bread is cooked.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, melt some butter on a frying pan over medium heat. Place the slices of bread, in batches, on the hot frying pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook each slice until it is golden brown (about 3-4 minutes on each side). 
5. Keep the slices of cooked baguette in a single layer in the oven to keep warm before serving.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.