When my mom graduated from college, she was gifted The Joy of Cooking .  For as long as I can remember, it sat on our bookshelf of cookbooks in the kitchen.  The first time I decided I wanted to bake potatoes, like really bake them in the oven, The Joy of Cooking taught me how.  And when I wanted to make French toast for the first time, I trustedThe Joy of Cooking.

When I graduated from college, I also received The Joy of Cooking, making me all kinds of giddy.  It's been sitting on my own kitchen counter ever since, serving up inspiration and making classics approachable.

Last weekend, I returned to their tried and true French toast recipe.  It's simple, with basic ingredients that you probably already have and no unnecessary fluff, but that's what makes it so great.  It's exactly what French toast should be — yummy, egg-y, and the perfect vehicle for things like syrup and whipped cream.  If you're in need of some French toast, look no further.

Joy of Cooking French Toast
Whisk together in a shallow bowl:
2/3 cup milk or half-and-half
4 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon rum
1/4 teaspoon salt

One at a time, soak both sides of 8 white bread slices in the egg mixture.
Brown the bread on each side in a hot well-buttered skillet.  Serve hot.

A few notes: I used unsweetened almond milk, because that's what I keep on hand.  I also used store-bought bakery challah bread, instead of basic white bread slices, because I wanted something big and fluffy that would soak up the egg mixture.  And I used a whole tablespoon of vanilla, because I like it that way.