Toad in the Hole

So this year we had a much more subdued St. Patrick's Day than last year. We kept it very low key. I didn't even make anything Irish.

 What?!

 Nope. I made something English instead. (I'm not a speck of Irish so I can't get my shamrock card taken away.) I made Toad in the Hole.

Why is this dish called Toad in the Hole?  Donno.  Seriously.  Not even the internets could tell me.  Hey, if the internets don't know, then it must be a mystery.

I used the recipe for toad in the hole from Jammy Chicken.  As you can see, the toad in the hole just didn't poof up like it was supposed to.  I don't know if this was from the recipe or the fact that I needed to use a smaller cooking vessel.

Whatever the cause of the problem, the dish still tasted good.  Both Mrblocko and Blockette LOVED it.  They even enjoyed the leftovers.  Me?  Well I had a hard time getting over the fact that it didn't turn out how it was supposed to.  I think that was clouding my judgement.

Toad in the Hole is traditionally served with Brown or onion gravy.  I made Mo'niques Brown Gravy from GMA. 

Blockette never eats gravy. She makes a stinky crinkled up face when I even suggest she try some on her mashed potatoes.  For some reason she didn't hesitate to try this gravy.  And guess what?  She loved it!  Maybe this means she will eat some at Thanksgiving?  I won't hold my breath!

Toad-in-the-hole from Jammy Chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound thick sausage
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Find a heavy baking dish (ceramic, metal) that the sausages fit into with some clearance on all sides of every sausage. The more space the more crispy Yorkshire pudding you'll get. However, you don't want the sausages to be lost in a giant pan. Aim for cozy over crowded.

Pour the oil in a baking dish and tilt to coat bottom. Add sausage and toss well to coat. Bake in hot oven 10 min.

Prepare batter. Put remaining ingredients in a blender, and blend til smooth. Stop to scrape down  sides after a minute to make sure all flour is incorporated.

Take pan with sausage out of oven and pour batter over and around sausage. Return to oven and bake  30 min, til batter puffed and golden.  Serve with Brown or onion gravy.

M'onique's Brown Gravy from GMA
1 T olive oil
2 small Spanish onions, sliced or diced
5 T unsalted butter
3 Tall-purpose flour
1 t fresh rosemary, chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
1 t garlic, chopped
2 c chicken stock or water
Salt and pepper

Heat oil over med and sauté onions 10-15 min, til well browned. (For lighter gravy, cook 8 min.) Add butter. Once butter melted, whisk in flour.  Cook 3-5 min til toasted to a nice deep brown. Add herbs and garlic.  Slowly whisk in stock and simmer over medium til gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper.