Harvest Toast

Photo: Blanche Yih

Ingredients

12 slices of Nature's Pride bread (works great with both the Hearty and Soft Breads)

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Juice and zest of 1 medium-sized orange, (about 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter - for searing toasts

1/2 cup whole pecans

Pumpkin-Spiced Butter

To serve:

Preparation

Whisk together eggs, milk, juice, vanilla, sugar, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl; set aside

Spread a thin layer of Pumpkin Spiced Butter between 2 slices of bread to form 6 sandwiches

Place sandwiches in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over sandwiches and allow them to marinate until they are soaked through

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry 2 sandwiches at a time until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a foiled baking sheet large enough to hold all sandwiches in a single layer. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter and sandwiches

Evenly spread the remaining Pumpkin Spiced Butter over the 6 sandwiches. Sprinkle with whole pecans and place it in the 400 degrees oven for 3-5 minutes or until the butter turns golden brown and crispy

Serve the toasts with a generous sprinkling of dried cranberries, drizzle with pure maple syrup and dust with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. This toast is also delightful with a scoop of ginger ice cream as an after dinner treat.