French Toast and Onion Rings - A Love Story.

 In October, Roy and I celebrated 19 years of togetherness, and that anniversary day began in an interesting way.  In desperation, a coworker had texted him about not understanding some duties of the third shift.  After coming home, from helping his coworker, well the dogs had to make the huge announcement, and I was dragged, kicking and screaming, out of a lovely dream.  6am, on a Saturday morning, but it was our anniversary, and the Fates had a plan.

We suddenly began to reminisce about the third shift jobs we had back in Pennsylvania.  While we enjoyed working by ourselves, or we only another coworker present, it was a difficult life at times.  While the world outside was in full swing during the daylight hours, we were sleeping it all away.  Our next-door neighbor, retired, would wake us at 2pm daily, using a leaf blower to clean his driveway which was across from our bedroom. Oh yes, we spoke to him about it, but even though he, himself, had been a third shift worker, he was retired, and, “no one can tell me what to do anymore”. 

There was one thing though, that made our lives a bit special, every Saturday morning, between the hours of 2am-4am, a meal at Jennie’s Diner.  It was located on Highway 30, open 24/7, considered a dive by tourists, but loved by all locals.  The waitresses were sassy, yet sweet; the food was comforting and better than any a five-star restaurant could serve.  Some dinner items were still available, and the breakfast menu was full of the most delicious choices and combos.  Lancaster County was still farming country, at that time, so a full, hearty, yet heart stopping meal, was still looked forward to.

Saturday mornings, at these ungodly hours, were the time for the third shifters, long haul truckers, and Friday night (oh, so drunk party goers) to get together.  Each booth had a small jukebox, songs were a quarter each, or 5 for a buck; and the Saturday morning crowd had favorites.  Everyone, and I mean even the police that came in for their meal breaks, sang along!  “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” was a personal favorite, but when Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” came on, oh, the place erupted loudly in song.  It was not unusual to see someone get up, walk up and down the aisle, leading us like a symphony conductor.  Surprisingly, we were all in tune, and cheered when the song ended.  Talk about, “it was the best of times”! (Please, someone get the A Tale of Two Cities reference)

 

So, while reminiscing, Roy remembered that once, he had ordered French toast and onion rings; and a man sitting at another booth exclaimed, “Hey, just hearing that order is giving me a heart attack”.  Technically, it was our dinner time, but, again, only a few dinner items were available, the rest was from the breakfast menu.  Then it dawned on both of us, didn’t we have a bag of frozen onion rings in the freezer?  Oh yes, we did, and I had just purchased a loaf of Sara Lee’s Artesano Brioche bread, eggs and milk from the local market the day before.  It was our anniversary, and we were going to recreate that French toast and onion rings meal.  I guess this is where, those previous references to French toast, were all leading towards.

After cooking, eating and cleanup, and yes, we sang “Sweet Caroline” in tune, we both agreed that this was the start of the best anniversary day ever!  Later on, we took the drive up, the only paved road, up into the mountains, down Harts Draw Road, along Route 211.  Of course, many stops were made for photography, or to just take in the most beautiful scenery.  That night, pizza, chips and onion dip were enjoyed during our usual Saturday night anime marathon.  Yeppers, best anniversary day ever!

 

Being together, for 19 years now, we have realized that memories, making wonderful memories together, is what keeps our togetherness alive.  Of course, there have been bad times, no relationship is 100% perfect; well, maybe except for Barbie and Ken’s, but they’re an inanimate couple anyway.  We are grateful for each other; we cherish each day we were given, to be together; and now we wake up each day, and wonder what year number 20 will throw at us.

French Toast

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract (not needed if brioche or challah bread is being used)

6 slices thick style bread

Cinnamon

Butter

Syrup

Preparation:

In a wide, one-inch deep, bowl, whisk together milk and eggs (and vanilla if needed).  Place two slices of bread into bowl.  At this time, place stove top griddle pan on medium-high heat; or turn on electric flat top griddle to 350F.

Flip over bread in bowl, sprinkle cinnamon on top; place bread on griddle, cinnamon side down, and sprinkle more cinnamon on top side.  Griddles are usually non-stick, but if not, melt two teaspoons of butter, and spread across griddle before placing bread on top.  Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 5 minutes.  While doing the 2^nd-5 minutes, I usually place a half teaspoon, of butter, on top, and just let it melt into the browned side of the French toast.

Also, begin prepping the next two slices of bread; remove finished slices, add more butter to griddle, if needed, and begin cooking the new slices.  Repeat instructions for first two slices till done with all. Pour syrup over, and enjoy!

Makes 2 or 3 servings, depending on how many slices you consider a serving to be.

Mary Cokenour

Alexandre Dumas’ Count Becomes a Sandwich.

Ah, reading; a combination of eye stimulation leading upwards to the synapses of the brain, and creating, not just pleasure, but knowledge.  In my humble opinion, cellphones, tablets and computers should no longer be allowed for school usage.  Instead, let the children go back to using paper, pencils, notebooks and books, and do actual manual homework.  Let us bring back stimulation to the senses, and development of the synapses and nerve network of the brain.  Lecture over.

A classic in literature is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas (he also wrote The Three Musketeers).  Basic synopsis, Dantes (main character) is imprisoned on the island of Chateau d'If for 13 years, where he plots revenge against those who betrayed him. With help from another prisoner, he escapes the island and proceeds to transform himself into the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo as part of his plan to exact revenge.  There are elements of betrayal, mystery, suspense, vengeance, love, relief and justice; a constant barrage hitting the reader throughout the story.

There has been remake after remake of this novel in film; the best depends upon style, adherence to the story, actors/actresses, musical score and many other features.  Like The Three Musketeers, this novel is a popular classic.

So, how did it become a sandwich?  Around 1910, a popular sandwich, served in Parisian cafes, was called Croque Monsieur, a grilled cheese sandwich containing Gruyere cheese and lean ham, between two slices of crust-less bread, and fried in clarified butter.  In 1912, the first silent film of The Count of Monte Cristo came out.  What better way to honor a French classic (the novel), then to rename another French classic (the sandwich) after it? 

Of course, after the film came to the United States, cookbooks began featuring the sandwich, and chefs played with the ingredient content.  In the 1950s, the inclusion of sliced turkey made an appearance.  It was in 1966 that the Monte Cristo sandwich made its appearance, on the menus, at the Blue Bayou and Tahitian Terrace restaurants, in the New Orleans’s Square, of California’s Disneyland.

When explaining what the sandwich is, I usually say, “Think of it as a grilled cheese sandwich, loaded with meat, and cooked up like French toast.”  It is often served with a dusting of powdered sugar, plus a side of a berry jam, or maple syrup.  The bread often used is brioche or challah which are rich in butter, and have a sweet flavor.  Personally, I opt out of powdered sugar, jam and syrup, as the sandwich is buttery sweet as is; that does not mean you should not adventure with it yourself!

Make the sandwich, curl up with a copy of the novel, and give your senses, and brain, pure enjoyment.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Ingredients:

(brand names in parentheses are simply personal favorites)

2 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk or half n ’half

1/8 tsp. salt (optional – really don’t notice if it’s not added)

4 slices bread (brioche or challah are best, but Sara Lee Butter Bread is a good option)

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

4 slices Swiss cheese (Sargento Ultra-Thin)

4 slices deli turkey (Hillshire Farms Oven Roasted Turkey Breast)

4 slices deli ham (Hillshire Farms Black Forest Ham)

2 Tbsp. butter

Powdered sugar (optional)

Berry jam such as strawberry, raspberry or currant (optional)

Maple syrup (optional)

 

Preparation:

In a wide bowl, 1-2 inches depth, whisk eggs, milk, and salt together.

Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread.  Place one slice of Swiss Cheese on each slice of bread.  Layer two slice of bread with 2 slices ham and 2 slices turkey; place other two slices of bread (Swiss cheese side down) on top to form two complete sandwiches.  Press down slightly to make sandwiches more compact.

 

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat.  Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture; turning to coat both sides.  Add the sandwiches to the hot skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides.  Place lid on skillet, for one minute, to ensure cheese melts and any egg mixture cooks thoroughly.

 

Optional: sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with a side of berry jam, or maple syrup.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

Snow Equals French Toast.

Now why in the world would someone believe that when it snows, French Toast should be made?  While living in Lancaster, PA, whenever the weather forecaster predicted snow, the supermarkets would be crowded with women buying milk, bread and eggs.  Personally, I thought this was strange, so asked several of them, “Why do you Pennsylvania people make French Toast when it snows?”  Of course I got a few odd looks, but finally it was explained that it was a “rural living thing” and the habit has simply stuck.  There was that time, long ago, where going to the supermarket was very inconvenient during inclement weather, so stocking up was a must.

City living spoils one into believing that anything and everything is within reach at any time.  Suburbs were created outside of the cities to give residents more room to move into, more breathing space.  As suburbs grew, strip malls and malls developed, so what the residents ran away from (crowded city living) was the new normal.  Once again, everything within reach with hardly any inconvenience due to the weather.

Welcome to San Juan County, Utah; designation is “rural wilderness” and while I have met many a city dweller that intensely dislikes the openness of the landscape, I love it!  That’s correct, a city born and raised who loves the great outdoors, and to live in it too.  However, here is where the “long ago” of those women back in Pennsylvania comes into play; not everything is within reach at all moments in time.  Take the recent snowstorms of February 18^th to the 22^nd; over three feet dumped onto the City of Monticello alone.  Shoveling building muscles, but damaging joints; snow blowers roaring; the constant question of, “Where are we supposed to put all this snow!?!”  At a few points, Highways 191 and 491 were forced to close down and there were accidents a plenty; going to the store was definitely a hardship. 

All the hardships though are being overshadowed by one huge important factor, all this moisture will alleviate the drought.  Can I get a Hallelujah!?!  

Back to the French Toast thing which basically can be made with any type of bread, but I have two favorites: Challah and Brioche.  In New York, making French Toast with Challah is so popular, even the local IHops would use it.  My focus for now will be on Challah which is a loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally Jewish cuisine and eaten on Shabbat, ceremonial occasions and during festival holidays (except Passover). The word "challah" is also used to refer to the portion of dough that is traditionally separated from the loaf before baking. This is looked upon as an offering or tithe, and the family would receive a blessing; similar to the offering made to the Greek Goddess, Hestia, at every meal. The plural of "challah" is "challot."; there is no dairy in the bread, and most recipes use honey instead of sugar.

Now that I have you in the mood for, what else, French Toast, here’s my recipe for the perfect bread to make it with.

Challah Bread

Ingredients:

1 packet yeast

1 and ½ cups warm water (between 105-110F)

½ cup sugar or honey

6 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

½ cup canola oil

3 large eggs, beaten; plus 1 egg for glazing

Preparation of the Dough:

In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, water and sugar or honey; set aside to proof (mixture will become bubbly).

Once yeast mixture is proofed, sift into a large mixing bowl, 4 cups of flour and salt.  Add the yeast mixture, oil and 3 eggs.  Add one cup of flour little by little until dough becomes soft and elastic. 

Knead dough for 5 minutes; adding last one cup of flour to board and hands as need; remove to greased bowl for first rising; cover with clean, linen towel.

After two hours, dough will have doubled in size; punch down the dough, re-cover and let rise for another hour.

Preparation of the Loaf:

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half.  Take one half and divide into thirds; roll out each of the three between your hands to make thick ropes; lay out these onto a floured surface. Join them at one end and make them into a loose braid.  Repeat with second half of dough. Cover the loaves loosely and let them rise at room temperature for a ½ hour.

Preheat oven to 350F; line baking pan with parchment paper; transfer braids to paper.  Brush with the remaining egg to glaze.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes; till loaves are a medium-dark brown. (High altitude: add 5-10 minutes to baking time)

Makes 2 loaves.

Note: while many recipes include topping the bread with sesame or poppy seeds, I do not, but that’s a personal taste choice.

Mary Cokenour 

Today would have been a good day for French toast.

During the week, the weather here had been in the 50's, the sky clear and bright blue; not an inkling of bad weather.  Oh, wait, there was that little snow flurry that lasted for about 5 minutes the other day.  While in the post office, I heard the post mistress say to an older gentleman, "it's just a minor disturbance in the atmostphere."

Was it no wonder, that as I left, I said under my breath, "Luke, I sense a disturbance in the force."

Anyway, upon awakening this morning, the wind was cold and bitter; the sky to the west was dark and ominous.  Weather reports were saying snow for Monday and Tuesday...oh joy....not.  For breakfast, I decided that today would be a perfect day for French toast.  I've always made it using Challah bread.

Challah is a loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally eaten by Jews on Shabbat, on ceremonial occasions and during festival holidays. The word "challah" is also used to refer to the portion of dough that is traditionally separated from the rest of the dough before baking. The plural of "challah" is "challot."  There is no dairy in the bread, and most recipes use honey instead of sugar.

Can't find Challah, a wide loaf of French bread (it is French toast), or Texas toast will work just as well.  When hubby went out yesterday, I did ask him to buy a loaf of Texas toast, since the local stores don't carry the other types of bread.  What I didn't realize is, he went to the store, purchased items he felt the need for (cigarettes and Mountain Dew), but forgot the bread.

So, no French toast for breakfast this morning.  I did go shopping in Cortez this afternoon, and got a loaf of French bread....I'm getting my French toast eventually.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 loaf Challah bread, or a wide French bread loaf (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Preparation:

Slice bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each.  Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended, but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

I made this for the members of my gaming (Dungeons and Dragons) group who had stayed overnight once........no leftovers.

Mary Cokenour

January 30, 2011