French toast has always been a favorite Saturday or Sunday morning brunch around our house. It is tasty, easy to make, and makes a good hearty breakfast. It is always fun to add some variety to this old favorite with new flavors and techniques. Here are two recipes that add a bit of a twist.

Sunny French Toast

2 eggs

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

8 slices bread

Mix together all of the above ingredients except for the bread. In a skillet pan, melt some butter. Put the bread in the mixture and cook them in the skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until they are slightly brown.

Stuffed French Toast

1 – 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 – 1 1/2 pound loaf of French bread

4 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 – 12 ounce jar apricot preserves

1/2 cup orange juice

Mix together the cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla until it is fluffy. Add the nuts and put to the side. Cut the bread into 1 1/2 inch slices and cut a pocket into each slice at the top. Put 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into that pocket. Mix together the eggs, cream, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Put the bread into the egg mixture and cook on a griddle until brown on both sides. Put the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. In a saucepan, mix together the preserves and the orange juice. Heat this mixture through and put it over the French toast.