French Toast with a little Twist

As we grow up and move further away from our friends it is important to make time to see everyone when you're all in the same area. Some of my high school girlfriends and I have an annual brunch the day after Christmas to catch up and make sure there is time to see everyone. Plus no one ever turns down food! This year brunch was simple I made Overnight Orange French Toast, Cheese Grits, and set out some eclairs to enjoy. The Overnight French Toast was a new recipe for me from Southern Living and I'd say it was an absolute hit!
Ingredients for the toast
8 slices of French bread (3/4inch thick)
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons orange juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
Steps
1. Place bread in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish.
2. Combine eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla, salt, beat well.
3. Pour mixture over bread, turn slices over to coat evenly.
4. Cover and chill overnight.

Ingredients for Orange Sauce
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
½ cup orange juice

Steps for Orange Sauce
1. Combine all ingredients in saucepan, stirring well.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

Cook the toast on top of the stove before serving and drizzle the orange sauce and powdered sugar over the finished toast. I also added a slice of orange to each piece but that is certainly optional. No syrup is needed for this French toast. It has a natural flavor and just a hint of orange in every bite! The photo is a bit blurry but you can still get the idea.




Another dish that is always good for large (or small) groups is Cheese Grits. Being Southern I love cheese grits! My mom's recipe is my all time favorite so I am happy to share it with you.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups grits, uncooked
6 cups water
3 beaten eggs
1 stick margarine
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons salt
Dash of Tabasco

Steps
*Do not add salt to water when cooking grits.*
1. Bring water to a boil and add grits slowly and cook until done.
2. Add a little of the cooked grits to the beaten eggs. Adding a small amount at a time until eggs are heated. Then add the eggs to the pot of grits.
3. Stir in margarine and cheese until they melt.
4. Turn into a 9 x 13 baking dish, bake at 250 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad