"Holy" French Toast

Every year my Mom attends Thanksgiving morning mass at our church, where they have made a tradition of distributing loaves of blessed "holy" bread to parishioners at the end of mass. After the third time Mom suggested I have some holy bread on Thanksgiving morning, I offered to take the fate of the loaf in my hands; I couldn't risk getting too full before Thanksgiving dinner! What was to come - a new take on one of my favorite french toast recipes, originally courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa.

Considering holy bread is a little difficult to come by, sticking to the original recipe, which somewhat ironically calls for Challah Bread, works just as well.
The dipping mixture harnesses the flavors of orange zest and honey to create a mouth-watering breakfast favorite. I also love adding cinnamon for a little extra spice.
One of the steps that sets this french toast apart is soaking the bread in the egg mixture for several minutes. However, use your discretion depending on the type of bread you choose, otherwise the result could be a disappointing, soppy mess.There's really no need to make this french toast post seem more elaborate and complicated than necessary, so let's get to the good part:

The recipe:
(Adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon good honey
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 loaf bread

Serve with:
Maple syrup
Orange pieces
Sifted confectioners' sugar (optional)

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the bread in (3/4-inch) thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for about 2 minutes on each side.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick (butter is also great). Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a plate and fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding spray, until it's all cooked.

Serve hot with maple syrup, sliced orange pieces, and/or confectioners' sugar.