Honey Baked French Toast

What you eat is more important than when you eat it. Breakfast is the most delicious meal of the day, but it doesn't matter so much when in the day it comes. At least one night a month, we have Breakfast for Dinner — the kind of hearty breakfast you imagine reading about in old Bobbsey Twins books — waffles and bacon, or scrambled eggs with sausages, or French toast with, well, bacon or sausages.

I don't usually like honey, but my daughter forced me to try this recipe once, and I saw that she was right. The honey bakes up into a wonderful caramelized glaze that removes the need for syrup.

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 40 minutes
Yield: 3-6 servings

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup orange juice
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of nutmeg
6 (1/2- to 3/4-inch) thick slices of French bread, Italian bread, or Challah

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Put butter and honey into a 9-by-13-inch nonreactive baking dish. Heat in oven until butter melts and honey is bubbling, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well.
3. In another baking dish, whisk together juice, eggs, spices, and salt. Dip bread in, turning it once to coat it well, let it soak about 2 minutes per side, then carefully set each piece of bread into the honey-buttered pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until well-browned. Before serving, flip over each piece so the honey-butter side is up.