Mothers Day is Here Why Not Treat Mom to a Great Breakfast

Sweet and Savory Mother's Day Breakfast By Kirk Leins   This Mother's Day, don't make your mom choose between sweet or savory—spoil her with both! Skip the long lines (and pricey) restaurant brunches with these delicious home recipes for French Toast and Maple Glazed Bacon. Whether you serve her breakfast in bed or at the table, it's the perfect way to tell her you love her. She deserves it! French Toast (Serves 4) 8 slices of artisanal or bakery bread (recommended: challah, brioche or egg bread) cut into 1 1/4-inch thick slices 3 large eggs, beaten 1 cup half-and-half 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter Powdered sugar The night before: Place bread slices onto a baking sheet and loosely cover with clean towels. Keep out on the countertop overnight. By doing this, you're prepping the bread to be slightly stale by morning. In a bowl combine eggs, half-and-half, honey, orange liqueur, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk well and transfer to a sealable container. Seal and refrigerate overnight. The morning of: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove egg mixture from the refrigerator and transfer into a shallow dish. Soak both sides of each bread slice in the egg mixture, for at least 15 to 20 seconds per side. Transfer the soaked bread slices to a baking sheet and allow to sit for two minutes. Meanwhile, melt one tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet placed over a medium flame. Place two slices of bread in the skillet and fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for 5 minutes before serving. Repeat this process with the remaining slices of bread. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup, jam or whipped cream. Maple Glazed Bacon (Serves 4) 12 slices of quality, thick-cut bacon Maple syrup Crushed red pepper (optional) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange bacon slices on the sheet and place in oven. Once bacon is 3/4 of the way cooked (about 7 minutes), remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a pastry brush, apply a light coating of maple syrup to the top of each slice of bacon. Variation: For an extra kick, sprinkle a desired amount of crushed red pepper to each slice and return the sheet pan to the oven. Continue cooking bacon to the desired degree of crispiness. Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer cooked bacon to a clean plate. Allow the bacon to rest for a few minutes before serving. Download these recipes below and treat your mom to a sweet and savory Mother's Day brunch!   Kirk Leins has been cooking his entire life. No stranger to professional kitchens, he currently devotes most of his time to cooking instruction, food writing and producing television. Kirk also provides his services as a personal chef in and around the Los Angeles area. He has made several TV appearances on both the national and local level, and is the Executive Chef for YOU Magazine. Sign up for Kirk's free newsletter and cooking blog at www.NoTimeToCook.com.