Breakfast, for Dinner?

Well whatever invading virus that has been striking households across Southern IN got us--which is why I haven't posted recently.  But, we finally beat it and banished it from our house!  Now enough about germ-y ickyness.

How many times have you gone to start dinner and realized that you had not put anything in the fridge to thaw overnight and it is going on six p.m.?  Sure the microwave has a thaw option, but the meat never gets unfrozen enough to work with, or else it starts to cook causing tough spots in the finished product.  If you're frying up ground beef for something like tacos or chili, it's really not too big of a deal.  Chicken is another story.

So my dilemma tonight - wait around for the micro to thaw some beef, or serve up cold cereal?  Neither one strikes my fancy this particular evening, but the cereal begins to lead me in a new direction.  Breakfast for dinner.  


Call it crazy, but I can remember that some of the best meals I had sitting around the dinner table were actually breakfast foods.  Because let's face it; on the average weekday morning no one in my house was forgoing precious sleep to fry up bacon and eggs before school, and usually on the weekend sports practices, Sunday School, and other activities started pretty early as well.  So in order to have a family breakfast, we had to do it at supper time.  Pancakes, scrambled eggs and cheese, and bacon found their way to the table those evening hours - and as young children we thought it was amazing that you could even do that!

So tonight I took a lesson from Mom and Dad, and I served breakfast for dinner!  Our menu was a little different though.  Instead of pancakes, I decided to spice it up with French Toast.  NOT egg-dipped bread.  There is a difference...and please don't serve me fried bread that's been dipped in an egg and tell me I'm eating French Toast.  That's just wrong.

This is a simple recipe and can even be a small indulgence to those wishing to cut calories...what?!?!  Instead of white bread use whole wheat.  Instead of eggs use egg substitute, instead of butter use Pam cooking spray, instead of Buttery Maple Syrup use a light syrup, and just leave out the powdered sugar.  Ta-da!  

Now the first thing you want to do is make your coating for the bread which is what makes French Toast, French Toast, and not soggy, unappetizing, egg-dipped pan-fried bread.  In a small bowl crack 2 eggs, add 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, and a splash of milk and whisk it all together (see - that is so easy, it makes you wonder why people go through the effort to dip bread into the egg and try to pass it off as edible instead of taking five extra seconds to add some spice!).  Grab a skillet and melt some butter over medium heat.  Dip your bread into the mixture, making sure to coat both sides very well.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.  Place your French Toast on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle some syrup on top - voila!  Breakfast for dinner!

I have to say, Peyton ate almost three whole pieces (and we used wheat bread) so even the finicky eaters will love this simple entree!

Happy Cooking!