Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

My love affair with traveling began when I was fifteen years old. My mother took me clear across the country by train…from Los Angeles to New York. On the second day, the train was scheduled to make a stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After breakfast, Mom and I returned to our stateroom to prepare for the big adventure. We put on makeup, did our hair, and changed clothes a couple of times. When we were ready, we headed to the Club Car, found a seat, and waited…and waited. After an hour or so, a porter passed through the car.

“Excuse me,” Mom said. “What time do we get to Albuquerque?” The porter shook his head. “Sorry, ma’am. We stopped in Albuquerque over an hour ago.” We both burst out laughing. We’d gotten so wrapped up with our hair and makeup, we never noticed the train had stopped.

One of my fondest memories of that trip is the French Toast that was served in the dining car. I asked the waiter, and he was kind enough to give me the recipe. It’s a recipe from the past…nothing like the healthy, low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie food we all try to stick with today. But if you’re feeling decadent, try this recipe. Everyone should eat this delicious breakfast at least once in their lifetime. It’s amazing!

Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

5-6 slices day old white bread or egg bread, cut 3/4″ thick

6 eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt canola oil powdered sugar

Cut bread slices diagonally in half. Beat the eggs with cream, vanilla and salt. Dip bread into mixture and let soak 1 hour. Heat canola oil until very hot (about 450)̊ in pan, to a depth of 1″. Add 3 or 4 pieces of bread , or enough to fit the pan without crowding. Fry until edges turn golden brown. Turn and cook the other side just until the edges brown. Remove and place on oven rack over a pan.

Bake at 400̊ for 3 to 5 minutes until puffy and golden. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!