July is Schnitza Month

It is pronounced: sch -NEET- za, also known as "french toast" or "eggy bread". Yup, all us mutts have a different name for the same food. Growing up I first knew it as Schnitza as that is what my grandmother called it. Hey...she was first generation Slovene-American and who am I to argue with grandma when she's cooking.

Every July when I was a kid we spent a few weeks in Ely MN visiting my grandparents and other family. Every year on the morning we left Ely for the drive home Grandma made a big breakfast for us. That breakfast for us kids ALWAYS included schnitza. It never deviated. (She did include these huge cinnamon carmel rolls that she made for the many years she worked at Vertin's Cafe, but that would be another post for another time).

When I was really little the hot schnitza was simply sprinkled with good old fashioned table sugar. Later years we started adding maple syrup which just takes it one step sweeter.

My grandmother was among many who taught me to cook and bake as a kid. My kids enjoy cooking and you can't start them too early. This morning my youngest decided he had to make "schnitza" for breakfast and we went at it. Enjoy the recipe and toss a salute schnitza makers everywhere!

Schnitza

2 slices bread, cut on diagonal
1 egg
1 T milk
1/4 t vanilla

sugar and maple syrup.

Preheat griddle over medium heat. Beat egg, milk and vanilla. Add bread one slice at time, turning to coat. Stack bread in the bowl and let it soak up all the egg mixture. Grease your griddle and add your slices. Cook until brown (1-2 minutes) then flip and cook the other side until it is brown. Serve hot. Sprinkle on sugar and add syrup if desired.

Coat each side of the bread well...

make sure the bread soaks up all the liquid...
fry up on a medium hot well greased griddle...

Sprinkle with sugar, only sugar for the authentic schnitza taste and look...