Pumpkin French Toast

By the way… Have you met Shrek yet?

Fiona?

These two Beta fish live on my kitchen counter, (in separate bowls obviously.) They have such personalities! They talk to me every day while I am cooking in front of them. Shrek is so feisty that sometime when we are eating dinner, we will hear him rattling all of the rocks and jumping out of his bowl. He puts on a real show.

We have had these fish 10 months. I am told that is pretty long for a Beta? I will keep you posted.

In other news, it is officially Fall here in Seattle. We are still squeeking out the occasional cool sunny day, but we are getting a lot of this too: gray.

This weekend I woke up to dark and rainy and cold. This darkness will explain my tragic pictures. (It was truly SO dark! even in late morning.)

I was in the mood for comfort food for breakfast, and pumpkin French toast fit the bill.

I love my husband for running to the bakery at 7o’clock in the morning to buy a loaf of Brioche for our French toast.

This sweet buttery bread makes quite a difference- but absolutely any rustic style white bread or my very favorite challah would be delicious!

Are you tired of pumpkin yet? I hope not, because the sweet earthy flavor
is one of my very favorites, and I am not nearly done yet!

Pumpkin French Toast, makes 8 pieces
-8 slices brioche (or other rustic white bread) sliced about an inch thick.

-1 cup pumpkin
-3 eggs
-1 ½ cups whole milk
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/8 tsp nutmeg

-butter or vegetable oil for cooking
-butter and syrup for serving

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Add the pumpkin, eggs, milk and spices to a 9×13” baking dish.

3) Whisk them together to a smooth batter.

4) Soak the slices of bread, 4 at a time, and flip over to coat the other side too.

5) Heat a griddle or nonstick pan and add a bit if butter or vegetable oil

6) Cook the French toast in batches until golden, 2-3 minutes on each side.

7) Put the cooked slices on a silpat or foil lined sheet pan and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining French toast.

8) Serve hot with a pat of butter and hot maple syrup!