French toast sticks made by chef's family for your family: Try the recipe

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Chef shares 'easy and approachable' recipes from family cookbook

Andrew Gruel, a California chef and founder of American Gravy, tells Fox News Digital that many of the recipes in his new cookbook came together with the help of his family.

For Andrew Gruel, cooking is a family affair. 

So much so that it's even in the name of his debut cookbook.

"Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook" is a true collaborative effort. Gruel, who lives in California with his wife and four children, created many of the recipes from dishes that came about "organically" in the kitchen with his family. 

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"We do a crunchy granola pancake," Gruel told Fox News Digital. (See the video at the top of this article.)

"And that was because one day my son wanted granola – and so we wanted to make fresh granola – and then my other son wanted pancakes. So, we put the granola in the pancakes, and it just worked out."

Andrew Gruel's granola pancakes recipe came about because one of his sons wanted granola and the other wanted pancakes for breakfast. (Lauren Gruel/Brave Books)

One of Gruel's sons also inspired the French toast sticks recipe, which calls for thick-cut Texas toast.

"The idea behind all of them, though, is they're approachable dishes that we know," Gruel said. 

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"And there [are] just a couple of ingredients in there that are spins or twists, if you will, to make them a bit more unique." 

The recipes only take about 15 to 20 minutes to make. 

The cookbook contains 50 full recipes spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks. All use simple, whole-food ingredients.

Gruel said the recipes only take about 15 to 20 minutes to make, calling them "easy and approachable."

This portrait of Andrew Gruel and his family appears on the cover of his new cookbook. "Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook" is published by Brave Books. (Brave Books)

His wife, who is a professional photographer, took all the pictures. 

His 14-year-old daughter tested all the recipes. 

And his youngest kids took part as well.

"When they cook something, or they help prepare something, they eat it," Gruel said of his kids. 

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"If you give them broccoli or spinach or fish and you say, 'Here, eat this,' they're like, 'That's disgusting. That smells bad.' My kids prepare all their food — and, because they take ownership in doing that, they eat it."

Gruel said the book helps families better understand "how to cook, how heat works, how the kitchen works."

He said, "This book gives you a way into the kitchen. It's kind of a gateway."

French toast sticks from 'Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook'

Serves 3-5 

Preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or use a stovetop)

These French toast sticks are featured in "Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook." (Lauren Gruel/Brave Books)

Ingredients

1 loaf of thick-cut Texas toast – ideally unsliced

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon cinnamon

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1 teaspoon honey

2 cups crushed cornflakes

3 tablespoons butter (more as needed)

Directions

1. Cut the bread into large sticks or logs (whatever size you prefer).

2. Whisk the eggs, milk, honey and cinnamon in a bowl.

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3. Soak the bread in the egg mixture (you can do this in batches if needed), then roll it in the crusted cornflakes.

4. Heat a non-stick skillet or electric countertop griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and melt the butter. Do not burn, just brown the butter.

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5. Cook the toast sticks in the butter on all sides until they are light brown.

6. Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.

This recipe is owned by Andrew Gruel and was shared with Fox News Digital. It appears in "Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook" (Brave Books, Dec. 2024).