Hi-Rise Bread and Eggnog French Toast

Miss Yunks enjoyed two fabulous brunches this New Year’s weekend.  She said good-bye to 2010 with a brunch at Hi-Rise Bread Company and welcomed 2011 with a homemade brunch from her kitchen.

I read about Katie’s Eggnog French Toast after spending the previous weekend overdosing on eggnog at home and thought, well a little more can’t hurt (much)! ’tis the season! On New Year’s Eve Day, the BF and I decided to buy a challah from Hi-Rise Bread to make eggnog french toast the next day and to have brunch while we were there.  I’d had challah and some pastries from Hi-Rise before but had never eaten there.

I ordered the Counter Choice: a three egg omelet with chopped green pepper, cheddar, red onion, avocado, tomato, spicy mustard on semolina, grilled

The bread was perfectly toasted and all of the fresh sandwich ingredients complimented each other so well.  The spicy mustard was a fun twist on a classic breakfast sandwich and avocado makes everything better!  Hi-Rise has two locations, one right in Harvard Square and one in Huron Village.  If you’re looking for a mighty breakfast sandwich that’s so delicious you force yourself to eat the second half just to taste the flavors longer,  knowing the leftover half won’t be as perfect later, and are okay with being so full you won’t need dinner, Hi-Rise is your spot.  This and all other breakfast sandwiches are expensive at $10, so I don’t plan to brunch here regularly, but would splurge for an occasional treat.

On New Year’s Day, I made the Eggnog French Toast.

I mixed 2 cups of eggnog with 2 eggs, a splash of vanilla, and some heaving sprinklings of cinnamon and nutmeg.  I sliced the challah in thick slices and soaked them in the eggnog mixture.  The eggnog is so thick that the french toast cooked much slower than regular french toast made with just eggs or eggs with milk.  But, after patiently waiting and checking the toasts,  they were ready to eat!

I topped the french toast with maple syrup and had BF’s mashed potato patty on the side.  He got this wonderful potato idea from Sound Bites.  To make the potatoes, he mashes 2-3 potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper, and then cooks the mash in a fry pan.  The top and bottom get crispy and the middle stays soft.  This is my favorite way to eat breakfast potatoes!

The eggnog flavor really came through in the french toast and the potatoes were delicious as usual!

I hope 2011 is off to a yummy start for you too!