The 1940s and 1950s
were the golden age of train travel and also the pinnacle of
railroad dining car operations. For many passengers, the ambiance of
the dining car was the reason they rode the train. The following
recipe is one from that golden age.
French Toast a la Santa Fe
You'll need: small mixing bowl, whisk, 12-inch cast iron skillet,
paper towels, baking sheet
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
2 slices white bread, cut 3/4-inch thick
1/2 cup light cream
2 eggs
pinch, salt (optional)
1/2 cup cooking oil
Place cooking oil in skillet, heat to hot. Meanwhile, cut each bread
slice diagonally to form four triangles, and set aside. In a small
bowl, combine eggs, cream and salt and beat well. Soak bread
thoroughly in egg/cream mixture. Fry soaked bread in hot oil to a
golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Lift from
skillet to clean paper towel and allow to absorb excess cooking oil.
Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven. Bake 4-6 minutes, until
bread slices have puffed up. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and
cinnamon and apple sauce, currant jelly, maple syrup, honey or
preserves, and bacon, ham, or sausage if desired
If you are a lover of French toast this recipe was fantastic, but I
have to say my helper change the recipe just a little. Rylie added
teaspoons of vanilla to the recipe, and when I ask why she did that,
her answer was, Dad always uses vanilla, and when he does, I get to
lick the spoon. We also use half and half for the light cream. The
other thing we did was the bread we used was homemade, and the kids
love this bread just toasted. By us using the homemade bread, we
slice it about an inch thick. I think the homemade bread we used
also helps make this a fantastic breakfast. I severed bacon with it
and as Robbie said, any breakfast that has bacon is great. I’m
going to include my recipe for Old fashioned Amish white bread too.
I got this recipe from an Amish cook book that I have, and it very
good, This Amish bread is high in sugar and sweet tasting. Until
next month.
OLD FASHIONED AMISH
WHITE BREAD
2 CUPS WARM WATER
(110 DEGREES F.)
2/3 CUP WHITE SUGAR
1 ½ TABLESPOONS
ACTIVE DRY YEAST
1 ½ TEASPOONS SALT
¼ CUP VEGETABLE OIL
6 CUPS BREAD FLOUR
PREPARATION:
1.
IN A LARGE BOWL, DISSOLVE THE SUGAR IN WARM WATER, AND THEN
STIR IN YEAST. ALLOW TO PROOF UNTIL YEAST RESEMBLES CREAMY FOAM.
2.
MIX SALT AND OIL INTO THE YEAST. MIX IN FLOUR ONE CUP AT A
TIME. KNEAD DOUGH ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE UNTIL SMOOTH. PLACE
IN A WELL OILED BOWL, AND TURN DOUGH TO COAT. COVER WITH A DAMP
CLOTH. ALLOW TO RISE UNTIL DOUBLED IN BULK, ABOUT 1 HOUR.
3.
PUNCH DOUGH DOWN, KNEAD FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND DIVIDE IN
HALF. SHAPE INTO LOAVES, AND PLACE INTO TWO WELL OILED 9X5 INCH LOAF
PANS. ALLOW TO RISE FOR 30 MINUTES, OR UNTIL DOUGH HAS RISEN 1 INCH
ABOVE PANS.
4.
BAKE AT 350 DEGREES F. FOR 30 MINUTES.
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