Kathy's Delicious French Toast



Dave's sister Rita, mom Kathy and brother Larry. Here celebrating
Larry's 60th Birthday in November 2010 in Custer SD.



I have been very blessed with terrific mother-in-laws! I owe most of that to the relationships I saw between my dad and Nana, my mom's mom and my mother with Nonnie, my father's mother. they called each other mother-in-loves! I never saw disputes or dislike EVER!!! So when I got my mother-in-laws, I tried to treat them with the same respect. AND although hard at first with my first mother-in-law, over the years she went from calling me the "slut" to daughter....of course in Spanish! I was luckier with Kathy, Dave's mom. She seems to have taken to me right away and considered me a blessing to her son!!! Guess she should ask him!! LOL

I have visited Kathy on many occasions. She usually chooses to take her guests out for meals. But on our last visit, Dave asked her to make her famous French Toast and she agreed. I was very much surprised when the night before, after a rousing game of Mexican Train, she took a whole loaf of white bread and laid it out on a cutting board and then covered the bread with a clean, light dish towel. When I asked why she did that, she said that her mother told her that if you leave the bread out to get dried, it was firmer when cooking and would not fall apart. Plus she said that you really do not want to SOAK the bread thorough but just place a coating on the outside that has plenty of flavor. French Toast should have a crusty outside! (Since mine NEVER do, I decided to pay more attention to her recipe!)

Kathy's French Toast:

Bread - sliced (Kathy uses white bread but I have gone to artisan sweet breads and had the baker thick slice it) It adds another dimension to the flavor of the french toast.
Eggs - Approximately 6 eggs for a loaf of bread - increase if the bread is larger than normal
Milk - 1 cup (for richer batter add Half &Half or cream)
Vanilla - 1tsp
Cinnamon - 1tbsp
Butter - depending on how many slices you are making (I use butter spray instead - easier!)
Confectioner's Sugar - I use a shaker and just decorate the French Toast with confectioner's sugar before serving.
Maple Syrup - I heat up my syrup in the microwave just prior to serving

Leave the bread out to dry all night. In the morning make the French Toast batter using a whisk. Whisk between each bathing of bread to keep all the ingredients mixed and fluffy. Use a medium to large frying pan turn on to medium high heat and add 1 tsp before each slice. Let melt and add the slice. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and then turn. If not lightly browned increase heat slightly and monitor. Make as many as you need following these steps.



Many of the Cates Clan!
Back Row: Sister Terry, Brother-in-law Howard, Sister Sharon, Brother Larry, Mom Kathy
Bottom Row: Dave, Stephanie, Sister Rita

The nice part about French Toast and pancakes is that they can go on a plate and then be heated up in the microwave - if needed. But by doing this, they lose they crustiness of the batter. So it is best to serve immediately!

Make sure you have the confectioner's sugar and syrup ready when the French Toast is served. Other compliments are fruit, bacon, sausage, and fruit syrups instead of maple syrup.