April 27, 2014

Lovin’ Cap’n Crunch French Toast

Enjoying The Blue Moon Café’s Cap’n Crunch French Toast, April 9, 2014

 Good ‘ol Captain Crunch, it/he stirs up all kinds of memories to this baby boomer (…on the young side of the baby boomer scale, of course.). Premiering in 1963, I remember the commercials for this cereal, encouraging me to (have my parents) purchase this new breakfast delicacy that was “fun to munch ‘cause it keeps its crunch”.

Enjoy viewing the very first Cap’n Crunch commercial, click on the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZSjFtdKcCU – t=38

 To view a fun website about Cap’n Crunch, click on the link below.
http://ripjaggerdojo.blogspot.com/2011/03/cereal-sellers.html

 As the years went by and I became a college student, and took a job as a part-time grocery cashier; Cap’n Crunch took on a different significance. I began to notice that four young men (all good-looking college room mates) had the habit of shopping each Sunday evening. With the encouragement of the older married full-time cashiers (they made themselves scarce when the guys came up to the register), the foursome soon began to choose my check out line exclusively, often with a bright red box of Cap’n Crunch among the purchases in their grocery basket. (This particular purchase always made me smile.) Needless to say, as a young college co-ed, I began to look forward to seeing this fab four each Sunday evening! It was not long, before we struck up a comfortable acquaintanceship and the guys began calling me “Grocery Lady” on their weekly shopping excursions. AND to make a long story, short, a year and a half after this quartet first showed up in my shopping lane, I married one of them! Yes, Dale! :o)

Dale and me on July 4, 1977. We had been dating about one month.

 Fast Forward from the late 1970’s to April 2014. Dale and I are jubilant over the birth of our first grand child and visiting our two-day old bundle of cuteness at the hospital in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. After a fun visit with lots of baby snuggles, we ventured a couple of miles away to the nearby Fells Point area. My intention was to sample The Blue Moon Café’s Cap’n Crunch French Toast, made famous having been featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives in 2008 (Season 3, Episode 10-Comfort Food).

Holding our beautiful two-day old grand daughter at the hospital

 I have actually been preparing Cap’n Crunch French Toast for years, thanks to the recipe provided in Guy Feiri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives first cookbook (I own all three.). Being Annette, I have revised the recipe a bit, but have basically remained true to the original recipe. It was now time for me to compare my Cap’n Crunch French Toast with the original. (When I taught Parent-Child pre-school cooking classes for a county program, this French Toast recipe was one of the most popular recipes that I did.)

My Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Cookbook

 To view The Blue Moon Café on a second visit featured on Guy Fieri’s show, click the link below.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/back-at-the-blue-moon-cafe-0188530.html

Cap’n Crunch French Toast at The Blue Moon Café. Isn’t it cute, and it was yummy!

 The “comfort food” that arrived at our table did not disappoint. It was delicious! (There is one improvement that I could suggest. That is to serve this with authentic maple syrup. Using “the good stuff” takes this yummy recipe to a whole new level. :o)) In chowing down this uniquely original dish, I am happy to say that mine is a yummy replacement, if you can’t make it to The Blue Moon Café. :o)

 
Captain Crunch is honored on the tabletop at The Blue Moon Café, Baltimore, Maryland

Outside The Blue Moon Café in Baltimore, Maryland, Home of the delicious Cap’n Crunch French Toast

To read more information about Cap’n Crunch, click on these links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap’n_Crunch
http://www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_detail.asp?id=53

Cap’n Crunch French Toast

Inspired by The Blue Moon Café’s recipe via “Diner’s, Drive-ins and Dives”

 For a tutorial from The Blue Moon Café on how to make their classic, Click the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqIejXUTT7M

 My recipe version for this delicious treat is below.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup skim evaporated milk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tea. real pure vanilla extract

3 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal

8-10 slices Texas Toast (thick-sliced white bread)

Butter for cooking

Real Maple syrup (Real stuff only, as it is best)

Optional garnish-prepared whipping cream and

fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries,

and sliced bananas

.

Directions:

Preheat, if using electric skillet,

or griddle, on medium heat.

Mix evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, whisking until combined.

Put cereal in large Ziploc bag, and use hand, or rolling pin,

until it resembles the texture of cracker meal, or a little larger.

Transfer to a shallow dish, like a pie plate.

Dip Texas Toast into milk mixture just until soft, not soaked.

Let excess liquid drip from the bread.

Press bread into cereal crumbs to coat evenly.

Add butter to warmed skillet. Cook cereal covered Texas Toast until caramelized. Flip and cook other side of toast, about 6-8 minutes total.

Remove from heat and top with warmed, real maple syrup.

If desired, garnish with strawberries, and/ or blueberries, and/or bananas and whipping cream.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!  :o)

Annette

Our Daughter, Martese Ehm, is a Magic Maker® for Off to Neverland Travel, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner for any of the Disney Destinations, and other vacation locations. Martese’s vacation planning services are Free!

 Website: marteseehm.offtoneverland.com

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Martese-Ehm-Off-to-Neverland/258249034343274

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One last peek at our gorgeous grand daughter.  Dale and I are proud grand parents!