Christmas Breakfast
On Christmas morning, there’s nothing more delicious than a French toast or pancake breakfast. (Or, if you’re too excited to eat Christmas morning, French toast or pancakes are excellent for Christmas Eve dinner!) Give these a try.
Scrumptious Citrus French Toast
In a large mixing bowl, beat 6 eggs, the zest of 2 oranges, 1/3 cup of orange juice (fresh is preferable), and 1 cup of milk. Mix in 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Lightly grease a skillet. (Hint: A cast iron frying pan works exceptionally well.) Heat until a flick of water from the fingers makes the skillet hiss. For bread, use thick sourdough slices; or if you want something more healthy, ordinary whole wheat bread will do. In fact, this recipe does an excellent job of masking the sometimes slightly bitter flavor of whole wheat bread. Working with one piece of bread at a time, dip a slice in the egg mixture, covering both sides completely. Place the bread slice in the skillet and fry each side until it’s golden. Repeat with each slice of bread. Serve with syrup. For a decadent touch, sprinkle a little powdered sugar sprinkled on top of the French toast.
Pumpkin Pancakes
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of buttermilk pancake mix (store bought or home made), 2 packed tablespoons of light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of ground allspice. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups (one 12 oz. can) of evaporated milk. Slowly add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. When the mixture is smooth, lightly grease and heat a skillet or frying pan. When a small amount of water flicked from the fingers makes the skillet hiss, pour batter on the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on top of the pancake and the side facing the skillet is golden. Flip and cook until golden. Serve with syrup.
