I have an epic french toast for you today!
A few weeks ago, Allison and I enjoyed a late breakfast at The Original Pancake House, if you are ever near one, I HIGHLY recommend stopping in! Just note, they are closed on Mondays. We are right by one every month on a Monday when we take Cullen to the groomer, so last month I switched our grooming day to Tuesday, just so we could have breakfast at the Pancake House.
Oddly enough, neither of us had pancakes that day. I had the most incredible Peaches and Cream Waffles made with fresh, locally grown peaches. To. Die. For. Allison had a heavenly french toast sprinkled with bananas and topped with a creamy caramel syrup. She talked about that french toast for weeks!
so much so, that we finally decided we needed to re-create something similar at home.
and here’s where I’m going to let you in on a little secret of mine ………. BACON GREASE!
That is my secret to mind blowing french toast. When I was little, my grandma and my mom always kept a jar of bacon grease in the refrigerator. They used it to fry everything. The true meaning to , everything is better with a little bacon! Now that I no longer fry much, I rarely use it, but I still keep a small jar in the fridge for french toast………and the occasional fried potatoes that I rarely let my husband indulge in any more. Promise me, you’ll try it, at least once.
How do you like to eat french toast? My dad always ate his with out syrup, he would just sprinkle a slices with a little powdered sugar and fold it in half and eat it with his hands, like a sandwich.
More Recipes you may enjoy:
Eggnog French Toast at Dine and Dish
Upside Down Caramelized Banana Bread Skillet Cake at How Sweet
Nutella Filled “Frenched” Tortillas at Bake at 350
Creme Brulee French Toast at Recipe Girl
Stuffed French Toast with Gingerbread Praline Sauce at Food For My Family
Peaches and Cream Stuffed French Toast at Two Peas and Their Pod
Bananas Foster at The Pioneer Woman
Apple Bourbon French Toast at She Wears Many Hats
Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole at Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Banana Stuffed French Toast at Panini Happy
Banana Caramel Sea Salt Milkshake at Heather Christo Cooks
Decadent french toast with home made caramel sauce and bananas, an easy to make gourmet breakfast you can make at home.
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices of bread (i used Texas toast)
- 4 eggs
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk or cream
- 1-2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp bacon grease (or butter)
- 2 ripe but firm bananas, sliced thick
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Instructions
- To make the French toast, preheat an oven to 350°F.
- In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, orange juice,sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add bread to the egg mixture and turn gently to coat evenly. Let stand until the bread has soaked up some of the egg mixture, about 1 minute.
- Place electric skillet on medium-high heat until hot. add bacon grease to melt. Remove the bread from the egg mixture, letting the excess liquid drip back into the bowl, and place on the hot skillet. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Place the bread on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven and bake until the center of the bread is heated through but still moist, about 10 minutes.
- While french toast is in the oven, peel and slice bananas. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and add the butter and brown sugar on medium high, use a wooden spoon to combine and let melt then add bananas in a thin layer. Allow to bubble a bit then flip the banana slices over one at a time. Cook until bananas are lightly brown (2-3 minuets)
- Serve the French Toast piping hot, topped with spoonfuls of the caramelized bananas.
- Garnish with whipped cream, optional, but highly recommended!
Notes
you can use butter in place of bacon grease for frying the french toast, but I recommend the bacon grease.
I didn't photograph with the whipped cream, because it melts really fast, but was a delicious addition that I suggest serving with this french toast.
© TidyMom. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.
http://tidymom.net/2012/caramel-banana-french-toast/
what I used:
About TidyMom
Bacon Grease makes everything better!
I TOTALLY agree! lol I’m embarrassed to say how much I used to cook with it, in the early years of our marriage!
I am seriously all over these! Yum!
come over and I”ll make you some Katrina!! *wink*
This looks SO yummy!!! And the pictures are beautiful
thanks so much Ashton!
Bacon grease – I love it! Bananas and caramel on French toast is my kind of breakfast
Thanks for sharing!
me too!…..the bananas make it healthy right? lol
This sounds fabulous! Love this idea!
I adore french toast. I am always torn between getting french toast or pancakes and don’t want to miss out on either. I, too, keep bacon fat in the freezer…but I never think to use it…shame! I’ll have to see what states have The Pancake House. We’re heading out on a road trip and the pancakes at The Cracker Barrel were so heavy and oily that last trip.
oh yes!! I hope there’s one you can stop at on your trip!! let me know if you find one and what you think!
Cheryl, these make my breakfast this morning feel inadequate!
I highly doubt that Sommer!…….I’m guessing you’re may have been WAY healthier! lol But these are worth every calorie!
Such a tasty treat for breakfast Cheryl!
oh that sounds good
I’m drooling!
everything is better with bacon grease. looks delish, Cheryl.
This is outstanding Cheryl! Some of my very favorite flavors!!
I’m adding your banana caramel milkshake to the list here Heather!
Looks amazing Cheryl!
That Banana Caramel Sauce looks to die for Cheryl! What a treat. Thanks for including my French toast casserole recipe.
mmm bananas and caramel, yes I can see why you’d call this epic french toast!
Wow, these look amazing! Those bananas look unreal!
Mmmm, this looks wonderful, my son would be ecstatic if I made this for him! I think I would be ecstatic if I made this for MYSELF.
I always mean to save my bacon grease, but I always forget, I really need to stop that so I can use it for yummy dishes like this!
Yum x 10!! I want these oh so much!
Gawd! Looks sinful and right up my alley. I wish I was the ‘Allison’ you speak of because I would love to gobble that all up! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
HAHA……. did I ever tell you my youngest daughter’s name is Allison? but you are welcome any time too!!
I am craving French toast now! YUM!!! Thanks for the link love:)
Oh goodness this looks awesome! I usually eat my French toast plain but I think I’m gonna have to change it up with these or the ones you linked to! Love Pioneer Woman’s bananas foster
I love french toast but this takes it to a whole new level. This looks delicious!
you had me at “Caramel” oh fabulous!
Oh. My. Yumminess!! This looks just too tasty:) I will be pinning this for later!!!
Now I want breakfast for dinner! Gorgeous photos, Cheryl.
thanks Lisa
This looks fantastic, Cheryl! And cooked in bacon grease? Yes, please!!
I love pancakes, but this french toast would win over my heart any day! I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I love the inspiration I get from your food…
I always cook eggs in bacon grease, but instead of storing it I simply cook the bacon in a pan, drain most of the grease and then fry up the eggs in what is left.
These look amazing!
This looks amazing and with some crumbled bacon pieces sprinkled over could be heaven on Earth. Appreciate you sharing!
So making these, but will make a granny smith apple carmel sauce as I REALLY dislike bananas!! Thanks for the great recipe:)
What a lovely way to enjoy french toast. I adore your photos!
They look and taste amazing!
Sounds soooo good! What a treat for any time of day. Love, love it!
This looks amazing and your pictures are gorgeous. I would love for you to come and share your pictures with us over at foodepix.com. Thanks.
OMG!! It’s almost 10:00pm and I so want to make these right now! No worries, morning is a few hours away, i’m going to treat my 6th grader to these mouthwatering lovelies in the morning, thanks so much for sharing.
That looks so good. I will be having breakfast for dinner tonight
We have a local bakery in Olympia, WA that make the BEST cinnamon bread you have ever had. We used the amazing bread and the rest is your recipe….. WOW! What an awesome treat- Cant wait to make it again over Christmas break <3
Thanks for another great recipie!