Toad in the Hole - Vegetarian Style or Not

When it comes to British food, Toad in the Hole is as traditional as it gets. One of the earliest recipes for Toad in the Hole dates back to 1861 and doesn't mention sausages but pieces of meat.  Still, it's the same basic recipe, sausages baked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter.  

I am ashamed to say, I've never make Yorkshire Puddings or Toad in the Hole before today.  I thought it would be complicated or tricky but it's all very straight forward if you follow two simple rules:  

Make sure the oven and the oil in the pan are both very HOT and DO NOT open the oven door to look at the pudding!

If you follow these two simple rules and this TOAD IN THE HOLE RECIPE  you can make one of the best traditional British dishes ever! 

I used vegetarian sausages for our Toad in the Hole and served it with Mustard Mashed Potatoes , green garden peas and lots of onion gravy.  You can use any type of sausage you like, veggie or not.  Just remember, no peeking! 

Horrible Histories Song - The Plague

It's been a while since we've had a Horrible Histories Song so I think it's time for this toe tapping number all about the Plague! 

Click on this Link for THE PLAGUE SONG!  Pong! 

Sanding and Painting - DIY

This weekend is going to be a busy one, so there won't be any time to bake cookies or cakes for Sunday afternoon tea.  There probably won't be a Sunday afternoon tea. We are doing some DIY.  

So, until the sanding and painting are done and I have an opportunity to prepare the next post, I am leaving you with a few photos of the beautiful apple blossom in our garden.

The little espaliered apple trees are almost in full bloom.  

Did you know that apples are part of the rose family?  If you look closely you can see how similar the apple blossoms are to wild rose flowers.  

But this isn't getting the painting done.... so I must get busy.   

Hope to see you again SOON!  

Lost Family Recipe Found In Devon!

Regular readers will know that my childhood memories usually involve food; usually sweets, mostly chocolate.  My Mom did a lot of baking, most of it was from scratch but there were one or two things she used a mix to make.  Chocolate Pudding Cake was one of those things.  It was a sort of sponge cake that made it's own fudge sauce.  

It had been years since I'd had it...almost had forgotten about it.  One day I was looking at a little cookbook  Andy had bought me years ago.  It was a souvenir of our first day trip together.  And what did I see... a recipe for Chocolate Fudge Pudding!

I read the recipe carefully, the description matched the Chocolate Pudding Cake  Mom used to make exactly.  I had to bake it.  

It contains the most basic baking ingredients, I am sure you already have them in your store cupboard:

Please note:  1/2 UK pint = 1 1/4 cups US    I found that 375F was too hot in my oven so I turned the temperature down to 350F/180C and baked the pudding cake for about 30-35 minutes.  

Simply spread the cake batter into a baking dish and pour over the sauce mixture. DO NOT MIX the two together.  Baking will make the sauce for you.

Be sure to place the baking dish on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper to catch any sauce that may bubble over the side of the dish.  

I love to eat this while it's still warm, but you must let it cool a little before serving. The pudding is like lava when it comes out of the oven and letting it cool thickens the sauce.  Of course, folks in Devon will tell you to serve this pudding with clotted cream.  I think a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be good too..but I like it just as it is...just like Mom used to make, in Missouri!  

*Recipe from Favourite Devonshire Recipes  compiled by Amanda Persey, published by J. Salmon LTD.

Tiny Tigers in Our Gardens

I've heard it said that the only difference between Tigers and Tabby Cats are their size.  If that's true then I have a tiny black panther in my garden.

He stalks the bugs in the back garden and pretends the day lily leaves are a jungle.  

The thinks he roaring and snarling as he attacks the plants in the flowerbeds, but it just sounds like purring and squeaks to me.

It's so funny, but  you mustn't laugh.  You must never laugh at a jungle cat no matter what size he is, large or small.

Inside your cat is a majestic beast, regal as a lion, stealthy as a tiger...

And just the perfect size for a cuddle.  

Picnic Pudding

I love picnics, actually, I love picnic baskets.  The last time I  counted, I had six different picnic baskets.  You can't have that many baskets and not think about how to fill them.   

When I was a kid, I loved chocolate pudding*.   My mom made gallons of the stuff for us.  She loved it too.  So, I was thinking why not pack individual servings of chocolate pudding in jars for a picnic treat?  

This recipe will made four individual servings of Chocolate Picnic Pudding.  Here's what you will need:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 Tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
1 Tablespoon plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Place the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, flour, and salt into a large saucepan.  Using a wire whisk, stir the dry ingredients until they are well combined.  

Add the egg to the milk and lightly beat with a fork to combine. Gradually add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking all the time to make sure there are no lumps of cocoa powder.

Place the saucepan over a medium heat and gently bring the pudding mixture up to a boil, stirring constantly until the pudding thickens.  

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour the pudding into individual jars and let it cool before screwing on the lids.  

You can make this pudding the day before your picnic and refrigerate it overnight.  I love chocolate pudding, picnics and picnic baskets!  

*In the US, custard is called pudding.  In Britain, pudding is what Americans call dessert.  Fortunately, picnic means the same thing on both sides of the Pond!

Hippy Chick Soup - Peace, Love and Lentils

It's well known that I am a bit of a hippy at heart.  I am a self-confessed  tree hugger who listens to James Taylor and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young while making newspaper flower pots and throwing wonky bowls on a potter's wheel.

So I've named this next recipe Hippy Chick Soup*.  I must warn you it's not going to be for everybody.  You have to love lentils and sweet potatoes and not be afraid to embrace your inner hippy.  

Here's what you need:

1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried coriander 
1 onion - peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic - crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or you can use fresh ginger if you've got it
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 vegetable stock cube
1 sweet potato - peeled and chopped into chunks
50 grams red lentils - rinse them in cold water before using

In a large sauce pot, heat the oil and add the curry powder.  Stir together until the oil is infused with the curry powder, then add the chopped onion stirring to coat the onion in the oil.  Cook for a few minutes over a low heat.  You want the onions to become slightly translucent, not browned.  

Add the garlic, sweet potato, stock cube, and lentils to the pot.  Pour in enough  water to cover all of the vegetables and stir in the dried coriander.  Cover and let simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes.  You may have to add a splash or two of water as the lentils will absorb a lot of liquid in the cooking process.  

When the lentils have almost melted away and the sweet potato is very soft, remove the pot from the heat and blend the contents into a smooth, thick soup.   Serve in a bowl you've thrown on the potter's wheel with a hunk of crusty bread, preferably home made and stone ground, and freshly churned butter.  OK, I am kidding about that last part, you don't have to churn the butter.  It would be great if we could!  

*this recipe makes two lunch size servings for one medium size hippy chick.