Thursday, March 22, 2012

Forgotten Pets-Toad in the Hole

When I was a little girl I had no dogs or cats because my parents where not into the idea, but I did have a different kind of pet..........


http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/39/39C38690-9481-4B05-B534-A7155A6A5AFD/Presentation.Large/Female-common-toad.jpg


Toads, I had tons of them....Thadeous, Thomas, Mr. Toad, and many more.   I spent a lot of my free time as a kid making terrariums for my little pets.


http://www.remodelista.com/img/sub/paula-hayes-round-terrarium.jpg

I have no desire to have an amphibeous pet these days, but I do have fond memories of my former friends.     In their honor I am sharing the recipe for one of my favorite British dishes (don't worry it doesn't have an actual toad in it).

Toad in the Hole from Tea and Sympathy





8 pork or turkey sausages (pork is traditional, turkey is quasi-healthy)  
3 to 4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
4 eggs
a few rosemary leaves, optional

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a blender prepare the batter (it's the same batter as you would use to make Yorkshire Pudding).  Measure out the flour and salt and add the eggs and milk.   Mix everything up very well in the blender and fold in the rosemary leaves if you are using them.   Set the batter in the blender aside in the fridge (you want to chill it for about an hour) 

15 minutes before the batter is done chilling pour the vegetable oil into the baking dish, making sure to coat the dish well.   Add the sausages and turn them to coat in the oil.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and pour in the batter (using the blender makes this step easy as you can just pour it in using the blenders spout.)  Put the pan bake in the oven and cook 30 to 40 minutes until puffed and crispy.

13 comments:

  1. Hey, well done for reminding Gail of this delicious dish. An absolute classic. She says make sure you use a good non-stick pan!
    I wonder where the name Toad in the Hole came from?
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

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  2. Frogs and toads are awesome and we love when they show up at the pond...the recipe looks yummy too!

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  3. Wow looks delish!! Ive actually never touched a frog or toad... the dogs get them all the time after it rains... but they dont keep them long :)
    That sounds like it was the perfect pet for you as a child, thanks for sharing your memory.

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  4. Making your own terrariums as a kid would have been neat! I love "Toad In The Hole". My Mom used to make it. I always found the name so funny! Thanks for posting the recipe! :)

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  5. We weren't allowed to bring toads or frogs in the house, but we played with them in the yard. There were dogs before the schaunzers, but I only remember having schaunzers growing up. My Mom still has one today.

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  6. That sounds DELISH - thanks for sharing this recipe!
    Stewey

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  7. Looks like some buddy tasted your dish, BOL. Mom had a teeny toad once named Edward
    Benny & Lily

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  8. Lol, you could throw someone off, talking about your pet toads and then offering them a recipe for Toads in a Hole!

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  9. I don't see frogs or toads very often, but when I do, I'm not sure what to think of them. Especially when they hop!
    Love,
    Payton

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  10. We see lots of frogs but not many toads! That recipe sounds delish and we love the last pic!

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  11. I think the toad you showed us was beautiful! And the recipe sounds so yummu!
    love
    tweedles

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  12. We have a frog that lives by our mailbox but mama won't let us play with it. We should give it a name ...

    XOXOXOXO Zoe, Peyton, Webster & Liberty

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  13. Yum Yum yum! We blog a lot of our recipes (including toad in the hole), as well as features on British products and happenings back home! We'll be sure to keep up to date with all your fab posts!

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