Spicing Up a Classic English Recipe

…or, When “Toad in the Hole” Becomes “Great Horny Toads Pie” 

A twist on "Toad in the Hole," Michelle's "Great Horny Toads Pie" uses spicy sausages and is served with gravy, sweet red yam, and an artichoke.

I came across this “Toad in the Hole” recipe when I was reading photographer Julia Segura’s food photography blog. This sounded like a great and different way to use up the last few sausages I had in the fridge. I had used the sausages with eggs and potatoes but I was getting tired of that and I had unfortunately succumbed to a sale price on a huge box of these super spicy, large links (and I gave half to my mom and her husband; lesson learned). It’s because of the spicy twist on this English standard that I borrow Yosemite Sam’s catchphrase to rename this recipe, “Great Horny Toads Pie!” It’s got quite a kick to it, which I hope will kick-start my metabolism as much as it did my taste buds. The pudding batter–called Yorkshire pudding–which produces a consistency slightly similar to quiche–serves as a nice balance for the hot sausage flavor. To further compliment that balance, I served the main dish with an artichoke and a slice of red yam on the side. Both of these vegetables have subtle, mild, but distinct flavors that offer a sweet relief to the spiciness. (And artichokes are in season–and on sale–right now!)

Great Horny Toads Pie

Total prep time: about 15-20 minutes

Total cook time: about one hour

Ingredients:

– Yorkshire Pudding: 1 cup flour, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon salt

– 5 large hot and spicy sausage links, sliced

– 1 roma tomato, chopped

– 1/4 onion, chopped

– artichokes (one per person)

– red yams (1/2 yam per person)

– two tablespoons canola oil

– two tablespoons butter

– 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, thyme, and cumin

Family Eating Habits That Shape Us

There’s no denying that our environment and social behavior affects how and what we eat. Social eating as a separate issue will be a future post on this blog. But let’s start with a look at how we were raised to eat. Below, we both share descriptions of how our families approached meal options when we were growing up and how our perceptions of those choices affect our own approach to food now. We look forward to sharing how our meal-creating skills evolve as we continue to pursue our weight loss goals. [By the way, does chasing weight loss goals burn calories? ;) ]

Michelle’s Family:

I was fortunate, in a way, that I grew up with a few picky eaters in my family because they never forced me to eat anything I didn’t like or made me clean my plate if I was already full. My mom, for example, is lactose intolerant and has trouble eating many types of vegetables, so she has to get creative to keep up a balanced, nutritious diet. However, she is a wonderful mother, so when I was very little she wanted me to try lots of different foods to learn what I liked.