Perspective: Applesauce and French Toast

When I was growing up, my family always
had French Toast with applesauce and
cinnamon and sugar.

If you are anything like most anyone I
have ever told that to, you're probably
like, "really?!" or maybe even "yuck!"

Funny thing is that was my reaction as
a child to putting syrup on French Toast.
I couldn't imagine it, and yet no one I
knew outside of my family had ever heard
of such a thing.

(It was my understanding that it is a
German way to make it).

Now I have even had French Toast with
strawberries on it, and used a different
type of bread, and even baked it. I have
learned, too, that refrigerating the bread
and egg over night can help to puff the
bread up.

Mmmm. I'd be making some now, if it
wasn't for the fact that I just had some
for breakfast.

It occurs to me that the way we interact
with food and recipes is a lot like life.

Different recipes have different ingredients,
and different amounts of ingredients, and
prepared different ways.

How many times can life be handled in
different ways, some more preferable than
others, some better for others.

Interestingly, though, we don't often judge
other's recipes as much as we judge their
choices. And, often we are more accepting
of ingredient choices in a recipe than we
are with the ingredients that make up others'
lives.

We have our favorites, but there are other
options. If I never was willing to have
anything different than what I grew up with,
it certainly would have limited what I have
had to eat, and the fact is, that I never
choose traditional French Toast if all I
can have on it is syrup. For me, syrup is
for pancakes. However, I never stop anyone
else from making that choice.

In the same way, I can limit my options in
life. I can choose to refrain from certain
things and people. At the same time, I may
not always agree with the choices others make,
and it many not be for me, but I choose to
respect what others choose for themselves.

Having said that, one of my favorite recipes
for French Toast that I haven't made is years
is very sweet, and almost like a dessert
rather than a meal.

It melts in your mouth.

Decadent French Toast

Mix and cook until bubbly:
5T butter
1C brown sugar
2T corn syrup (*see note below)

Pour into 13x9 baking dish.

Arrange 2" thick slices of French
Bread over mixture.

Beat together:
1 1/2C skim milk
5 eggs
1t vanilla

Pour over bread.

Cover and refrigerate over night.

When ready to bake, bake at
350 for 45 minutes, then invert
and bake additional 5-10 minutes.

Serve with Cool Whip and
strawberries.

*I am not a big fan of High
Fructose Corn Syrup. My
understanding is that the kind
of corn syrup you buy is different
than the manufactured version in
our foods. If, however, you'd
like alternative options, please
see High Fructose Corn Syrup
Substitutions.