Hot and Ready

• Set the oven to broil before you begin to prepare your French toast for cooking. You want the temperature ready to go when you place your breakfast treat in the broiler. The heat should start working on the French toast right away so you get crispy edges before the bread darkens or dries out too much. Spray the broiler pan with cooking oil or, if you choose to throw caution to the wind for French toast, cover the pan bottom with melted butter.

Mix It Plain or Fancy

• Prepare your egg mixture the usual way. Combine the ingredients for the mixture in a bowl. You might choose to use only the 2 or 3 eggs and a little milk, gently beaten and ready for duty. For a fancier and more flavorful French toast, add something special to the egg mixture, such as a dash of vanilla or almond extract and a little pinch of salt. If you like French toast with sugar and cinnamon, decide if you want to add it to the egg mixture or sprinkle it on after cooking. Pour the mixture in a flat pan or dish.

Dip, Broil and Flip

• Place the bread, which doesn't have to be white or wheat, in the egg mixture and turn it over to coat both sides. Lay the egg-coated bread in a single layer in the broiler pan. Place the broiler plan a few inches away from the broiler flame or coil. Broil the French toast on one side for 1 to 2 minutes until browned, then flip it to cook and brown the other side. Remove the broiling pan from the oven when your preparation is toasty brown and crisp.

Serve Hot and Crisp

• Place the French toast on a platter and cut the toast in halves. Powdered sugar is not just for Belgian waffles; sprinkle a little on your French toast to add some flourish. Add fresh fruit -- such as strawberries, pineapple chunks and grapes -- along the sides of the platter and set out a small dish of syrup or honey. Serve and eat broiled French toast quickly after cooking while the bread is still crispy and the edges display a little crunch.