If you’re looking for a quick and delicious appetizer, then pesto palmiers might just be the recipe you need. And, these snacks are also time savers since they can be prepared well in advance, then frozen until ready to bake.

I am a basil-phile so pesto is a welcomed ingredient in my household. I had seen these before in cookbooks and on the web, but never tried them until recently. Two weeks ago, we decided to have a few friends over after work for drinks and appetizers which seemed like the perfect time to test these savory palmiers out.

The recipe requires two ingredients: puff pastry dough and pesto. I used two sheets of puff pastry dough and about 1/3 cup pesto. The dough should be rolled into a rectangle roughly 8″ x 12″. Spread a thin layer of pesto evenly across the sheet (using one half of the 1/3 cup per sheet). Then, roll the longer sides inward until they meet in the middle.

The photo above shows what the coils will look like. I only used one coil for the party and froze the second one after I rolled into a coil, which is the one I baked and photographed. If anything, I found the frozen one easier to work with and it also baked the most evenly.

Slice the coil crosswise into half-inch pieces. If using a fully frozen coil, allow it to set on the counter for 15 minutes before cutting. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400F (200C) for 8-10 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

There is only one small warning. Use toothpicks to hold these badboys together. Maybe it was the puff pastry I used (which I later learned used lard as a primary ingredient), but these little suckers will suddenly uncoil about halfway through baking.

I quickly whipped the baking sheet out of the oven and started ramming toothpicks into them. Here is what may happen if you don’t use toothpicks:

Pesto palmiers are crispy and light with the deliciousness of basil and garlic running throughout. I find it hard to eat just one or even one *handful*.

Seriously, I could eat the entire tray.

Last week, a friend visiting from Singapore brought us a gift of pork jerky from one of the best jerky stores. I knew nothing of Singapore jerky and wasn’t expecting to be excited by it.

OH MY GOD. It was (i.e. it’s all long gone) so tender and flavorful. I’ve spent this week tracking down local businesses who specialize in making Singaporean-style jerky.

Unlike North American jerky, which is usually tough, salty, and made from beef, Singaporean jerky is tender, slightly sweet, not salty, and pork is one of the most popular types. It often goes by the name “bak kwa” (or bakwa, bak gua, bak kua).

I’ve discovered that the jerky is made two different ways, with some people preferring one type over another. It can be made from minced meat which is flattened into a thin layer then dried or it can be made from whole slices of meat. The photos in the post are of the latter type.

When held up to the light, it looks almost like stained glass. Mind you, it’s a meaty, delicious stained glass.

The one additional characteristic which makes this jerky unique is the grilling process. As a last step in the jerky making process, the sheets of dried meat are grilled which infuses the jerky with a robust flavor.

We’ve found four businesses in Vancouver BC which create Singaporean-style jerky. So far, I’ve tried two of the four. One isn’t worth mentioning as it was disgusting. The second one (in these photos) is amazing and comes from:

Bee Kim Heng
4194 Fraser St.
Vancouver, BC V5V 4E8

The shop is a bit of a dive but some of the best food comes from dives. To the left is a large drill covered in sheets of meat with a woman vigorously flipping them every few seconds. She wears a face mask to protect herself from the smoke rising from the grill.

Another woman takes our order at the counter, then disappears into the back to package our order. We opted for a half pound of regular pork and a half pound of spicy pork. She returns in a few minutes with freshly vacuum sealed jerky.

We rushed home and tore open the packages. Both are delicious. While the one from Singapore was more tender, the flavor from Bee Him Heng is spot-on.

I can’t stop eating it.

More bak kwa Singaporean pork jerky:
Bak Kua (Malaysian Jerky) – Rasa Malaysia
Bak Kua, Chinese Pig Candy – Serious Eats
Dried Pork – Bak Kwa (Recipe) – Lily’s Wai Sek Hong

I’m not sure if it’s the cool weather or approaching holidays, but I find myself making hearty meals from my childhood. Goulash was a staple in the Williams household, sometimes cooked on the stove top but best when baked in the oven.

My mother’s recipe is not an authentic Hungarian goulash, so if that’s what you’re hoping for, you’ll be disappointed. My mother’s goulash is a bastardized version full of Midwestern touches like ground beef and elbow macaroni.

Since I didn’t have all the necessary ingredients, my version is even further removed from the goulash family tree. But, it tasted good and was exactly what I needed.

The weather is finally turning cold and rainy here in the northwest. The leaves are turning beautiful paprika-like colors and there is a constant chill in the air. This will be my first winter in Vancouver and I’m excited by the visible change in seasons (you don’t get this in California).

As with the change in seasons, I find myself changing how and what I cook. I’m now drawn to baking casseroles and stews more than ever.

I started preparing for dinner the other night by contemplating what to do with two pork chops. After a long walk in the park, I came home craving goulash. Sadly, I knew we were without the necessary ground beef and green peppers which made my mother’s recipe so good.

The pork chops had to be used and I figured I could bend them to my will and force them into my goulash. I improvised on most ingredients, even the paprika, so my recipe is quite different from my mother’s. It turned out delicious so it’s good to know I can whip it up again with ingredients I have on hand.

Baked Pork Chop Goulash Recipe

2 pork chops
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chives, chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons smoked paprika*
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 19-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used sriracha)
3/4 cup water
8-ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
Salt to taste

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and turn skillet to coat.
2. Place pork chops in skillet to brown for 1-2 minutes on each side. Season with salt as you flip the pork chops. Remove pork chops onto a plate and set aside.
3. To the skillet, add the onion and saute until softened – 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chives, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, brown sugar, tomatoes (with juice), hot sauce and water. Stir and bring to a boil.
5. Remove skillet from heat. Fold in the macaroni and top with the reserved pork chops.
6. Place skillet into a 350F oven and bake for 50 minutes or until pasta and pork are done. During the final 10 minutes, check to see if any additional water is needed. If so, drizzle 1/4 cup over the top and continue baking until done.

*Cooking Notes:
I didn’t have any smoked paprika so I substituted this also. In my spice drawer, I had a barbecue dry rub that was primarily composed of smoked paprika and brown sugar. I used 2 1/2 tablespoons of this mix in place of the paprika and brown sugar listed in the recipe.

The baked goulash turned out slightly spicy, a little sweet, and smoky from the paprika. The macaroni absorbs all of the liquid while it bakes, so in the end it’s not soupy at all. And, it makes the perfect dinner for two.

Kitchen Christmas gifts can be hard to think of while walking through crowded stores. I’ve compiled a kitchen Christmas gift list of ideas based on popular kitchen tools, cookware and small appliances. From steaming rice to roasting coffee beans, these kitchen tools offer a wide array of gift ideas.

Perfect for the cook or baker in your life, these kitchen gift ideas are also highly rated as being useful, durable, and of good quality. Although a splurge, these kitchen gift ideas are over $100. For more gift ideas, visit the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks

Calphalon Stainless Roaster – $129.95
Perfect for preparing a turkey or ham, this Calphalon 16 inch roasting pan provides superb conductivity and even heating throughout. The roaster is dishwasher-safe; oven/broiler-safe up to 700 degrees F; and includes a nonstick cooking rack.

Wilton 101-Piece Cake Decorating Set – $129.99
For anyone interested in cake decorating, this 101-piece tool caddy set organizes, carries, and stores the essentials. The set features a complete collection of tools, colors, and flavors for any cake-decorating enthusiast, as well as generous storage space for keeping books, spatulas, bags, and other large supplies neatly organized.

Henckels 8-Piece Block Set – $146.99
Henckels is my favorite knife brand – with durable construction, good balance, and excellent cutting ability.

Four Star knives are FRIODUR ice hardened , featuring high carbon, no-stain steel blades for a sharp long-lasting cutting edge. The full rat tail tang, which extends into the handle, provide proper balance.

Cuisinart 14-Piece Cookware Set – $147.00
A great cookware set for both new cooks and expert chefs. The set includes a 1-1/2- and 3-quart saucepan, 8- and 10-inch skillet, 4-quart saute, 9-quart stockpot, 7-3/4-inch steamer insert, and 9-1/2-inch pasta steamer insert – all with covers.

Zojirushi 5-1/2-Cup Rice Cooker – $164.99
Cooking rice of any type is simple with a rice cooker. Zojirushi is an industry leader in rice cooking technology, so it’s no wonder this model is a bestseller. The rice cooker features these multi-menu selections: automatic keep-warm, extended keep-warm, and reheat cycles

Cuisinart Food Processors – $167.70
This Cuisinart food processor features a white body with a stainless steel base,720-watt large-capacity with intuitive “on” and “off/pulse” buttons.

It includes a stainless-steel slicing disc, shredding disc, chopping/mixing blade, and dough blade with detachable disc stem. Perfect for all sorts of heavy-duty jobs.

KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixers – $350.70
I hope to someday upgrade my stand mixer to this all-metal 10-speed professional stand mixer with powerful 575-watt motor.

The mixer comes in a variety of colors and includes a wire whip, burnished flat beater, spiral dough hook, and pouring shield.

Gene Cafe Drum Coffee Roaster with 9 lbs. Organic Fair Trade Coffee – $495.00
Ever wish to have greater control over the roasting of your coffee beans? Now, you can roast your own coffee beans at home. This coffee roaster produces up to a half-pound of roasted beans ranging from light American style to Espresso roast.

Breville BES820XL Die-Cast 15-Bar Programmable Espresso Machine – $499.99
If you’re considering roasting your own coffee, then you need to have a top of the line espresso machine as well. This stainless-steel programmable espresso machine features a 15-bar Triple-Prime pump. A beautiful addition to any kitchen, the espresso machines includes 1- and 2-cup dual-wall stainless-steel filters, pod filter, tamping tool, and pitcher.

Le Creuset 6-Piece Classics Cookware Set – $549.99
I love the one Le Creuset pot that I own and wish to upgrade to this beautiful set. Cast iron distributes heat evenly and retains heat longer.

This set will performs on all heat sources – gas, electric, induction and ceramic top. Phenolic knobs and handles are oven safe to 400 degree’s.

Find kitchen gift ideas for under $25, $50, $100 (and a few over $100), in the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks.

Kitchen Christmas gifts can be hard to think of while walking through crowded stores. I’ve compiled a kitchen Christmas gift list of ideas based on popular kitchen tools, cookware and small appliances. From making ice cream to baking bread, these kitchen tools offer a wide array of gift ideas.

Perfect for the cook or baker in your life, these kitchen gift ideas are also highly rated as being useful, durable, and of good quality. The best part is that each kitchen gift idea is under $100! For more gift ideas, visit the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks

Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker – $62.59
A fully automatic ice cream maker, the Cuisinart features a large ingredient spout for adding mix-ins. Also, this model boasts a heavy duty motor and double-insulated 2-quart freezer bowl.

Perfect for making homemade frozen yogurt, sorbet, or ice cream! Although I love my little ice cream maker, I’ll admit that this one intrigues me – it must be that brushed stainless steel look.

Calphalon 12-Quart Stockpot with Lid – $69.99
For the big jobs, this 12-quart stockpot is ideal for making stocks, soups, or stews.

Made from Calphalon hard anodized aluminum, the stockpot is durable and conducts heat evenly. It’s recommended that metal utensils be used inside the pot.

J.A. Henckels 7″ Santoku – $69.99
If I could only have one knife, this would be it. I’ve used this Santoku knife for many years – it’s my go-to knife for every chopping and slicing task.

Henckels knives offer great balance and quality construction. As a bonus, this knife also comes with the wooden knife block to build your own knife collection.

KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment – $71.99
An easy way to make ice cream if you already own a KitchenAid mixer. This attachment and freezer bowl quickly convert the mixer into an ice cream maker.

The bowl makes 2-quarts of ice cream and is dishwasher safe.

Screwpull Lever Model Classic Lever Gift Set – $79.99
I always have a hard time opening wine and need to invest in a quality corkscrew. This one features a Teflon-coated screw to enter and grip even the toughest corks.

This item includes the screwpull wine opener, foil cutter, and wooden gift box. The screwpull is dishwasher safe.

Zojirushi Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker – $80.95
My former coffee pot featured a thermal stainless steel carafe and it is amazing at keeping coffee hot for several hours. It is convenient for taking to the table during leisurely breakfasts or brunches.

This stylish stainless steel coffee pot is made by Zojirushi and includes an automatic shut-off safety feature. No more worries about leaving the coffee pot on.

OXO Good Grips 15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Tool Set – $83.99
A stylish holder and 14 useful kitchen utensils.

The set includes flexible turner, 12-inch tongs, square turner, spoon, slotted spoon, grater, swivel peeler, ice cream scoop, potato masher, can opener, balloon whisk, spatula, meat tenderizer, pizza wheel, and holder.

KitchenAid 5-Speed Blender – $88.65
This durable blender comes in a wide range of colors to fit any kitchen decor. The heavy, die-cast metal base ensures stable, quiet operation when blending

Patented stainless steel blade tines are positioned on four different planes for fast, thorough and consistent blending. Margaritas, anyone?

Cuisinart Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor – $96.00
This food processor has been on my personal wish list for awhile and I haven’t yet received it. This set includes a steel blade, dough blade, slicing disc, and shredding disc. Whether pureeing soup or kneading dough, a good quality food processor can serve many functions.

Breadman TR875 2-Pound Breadmaker – $96.99
This bread maker can make loaves in 1, 1 1/2, and 2-pound sizes. The best part is that the loaves are horizontal!

The Breadman also features bread cycles for super-rapid, 100-percent whole wheat, gluten-free, and more.

Find kitchen gift ideas for under $25, $50, $100 (and a few over $100), in the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks.

Kitchen Christmas gifts can be hard to think of while walking through crowded stores. I’ve compiled a kitchen Christmas gift list of ideas based on popular kitchen gadgets, tools, and cookware. From canning to frying, these kitchen tools offer a wide array of gift ideas.

Perfect for the cook or baker in your life, these kitchen gift ideas are also highly rated as being useful, durable, and of good quality. The best part is that each kitchen gift idea is under $25! For more gift ideas, visit the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks

Pyrex 2-Cup Measuring Cup – $6.99
I don’t know what I would do with my 2-cup Pyrex measure. It’s easy to read the increments and it even includes metric measures (for when I don’t feel like converting measurements in my head). Since it’s glass, it doesn’t absorb odors and won’t stain. Mine is used every time I bake.

Oxo Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush – $6.99
This silicone-based pastry brush is a lifesaver. Previously, I would fine brush hairs in my baked goods (not a an appealing outcome) but not with this silicone brush. It’s also easy to clean and doesn’t absorb flavors and won’t stain. The brush is also heat resistant up to 600F.

Oxo Good Grips Serrated Peeler – $7.99
I threw out my old vegetable peeler after I received this one as a gift. It’s truly amazing how easily it peels even the hardest, roughest vegetables and tubers. Just last night it quickly cleaned my sweet potatoes.

Oxo Good Grips Pastry Scraper – $8.99
Ever try to clean bread dough or pie pastry off the counter? This slick little kitchen gadget makes cutting dough and scraping dough off kitchen counters a breeze.

Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop – $13.99
I used to pick on Martha Stewart for her fixation on cookie scoops, until I used one. It’s genius. No more cookie dough mess and my cookies are consistently uniform and round. I even use it to shape meatballs. This size yields a 3.5 inch cookie.

Back to Basics 5-Piece Home Canning Kit – $14.65
I enjoy canning seasonal fruits and veggies. This kit includes the basic tools that make canning simple – jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, canning funnel, tongs, and jar wrench. All with cool-touch handles, so no burns!

Lodge Logic Skillet – $15.97
I have a set of 3 cast iron skillets ranging in size from 6″ to 13″ and I find myself using one more often than my high-priced, fancy-pants pans. Once the cast iron skillet is well-seasoned, it offers an excellent non-stick, easy to clean pan. Durable? I also inherited my great-great-grandmother’s skillet last year.

Pyrex Storage 6-Piece Rectangular Set – $17.55
I prefer glass containers since they don’t absorb flavors and won’t stain. Also, the glass dishes (not the lids) are oven safe and can be used to roast meats or veggies.

Polder Original Cooking All in One Timer – $18.45
I can’t cook or bake without using this handy kitchen timer. Not only does it stop me from burning cookies, it includes a meat thermometer to let you know when the pot roast or Christmas ham are ready to take out of the oven. Dual timer and thermometer make it a must!

Bodum Assam Double-Wall Glasses, Set of 2 – $19.99
Double-wall glasses can hold both hot and cold beverages, keeping drinks insulated. The thermal glasses remain cool to the touch and won’t sweat when it’s hot outside. Fill with your favorite beer or hot cappuccino, and enjoy. Love them!

Find kitchen gift ideas for under $25, $50, $100 (and a few over $100), in the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks.

Kitchen Christmas gifts can be hard to think of while walking through crowded stores. I’ve compiled a kitchen Christmas gift list of ideas based on popular kitchen tools, bakeware and small appliances. From boiling water to making waffles, these kitchen tools offer a wide array of gift ideas.

Perfect for the cook or baker in your life, these kitchen gift ideas are also highly rated as being useful, durable, and of good quality. The best part is that each kitchen gift idea is under $50! For more gift ideas, visit the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks

Escali Primo Digital Multifunction Scale – $22.29
Properly measuring ingredients is an essential part of successful baking or cooking. A digital scale is easy to use and ensures accuracy.

Aroma 1-1/2-Liter Hot X-PressWater Kettle – $27.44
With Winter fast approaching, this pot boils water quickly for making a cup of tea or other hot beverage. Simply fill with water and plug it in.

This model features an easy-grip handle and easy-clean spout. And, it automatically shuts off once water reaches a boil!

OXO Salad Spinner – $27.50
I’ve been known to mock salad spinners, but I will admit it makes drying greens quick and easy. Add the wet greens, attach the lid, and push down on the knob to begin spinning. This salad spinner is dishwasher safe, making it a breeze to clean when you’re done.

Cuisinart Stick Hand Blender – $29.95
I love my immersion stick blender and find myself using it on a regular basis. The blender purees soups and blends smoothies in little time.

This stick blender offers a powerful 200-watt motor. The blender’s parts are dishwasher safe for quick clean-up.

Simply Calphalon 6 Piece Bakeware Set – $29.95
A six-piece bakeware set in heavy-gauge carbon-steel construction. The pans feature reinforced rolled edges to prevent warping during baking.

Set includes 2-8 inch round cake pans, 10″ x 15″ cookie sheet, 9″ x 13″ cake pan, 12 cup muffin pan and medium loaf pan.

Old Stone Oven Baking Stone – $37.99
Create crispy pizza crust at home with this 14″ x 16″ oven baking stone. The stone is placed into the oven to preheat. Then, place your pizza directly on the stone to achieve one of the crispiest pizza crusts you’ve ever had!

Swissmar Borner V-Slicer Plus Mandoline – $39.85
Slicing vegetables and fruits in uniform thickness is easy with this mandoline. It features a holder grip to ensure fingertips are not accidentally nipped by the sharp blade.

The mandoline will also shred and dice in addition to slicing. Slicing onions has never been easier!

Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker – $39.99
A fresh, crisp Belgian waffle is easy to do with this 1100-watt waffle maker. The appliance features a digital display with a countdown timer.

The waffle maker makes a 7″ waffle with deep indentations to hold plenty of syrup and butter. The waffles are sectioned into four pieces for easy cutting.

Cuisinart 1-1/2-Quart Automatic Ice Cream Makers – $45.25
I’ve had this ice cream maker for several years and love it. It’s easy to use and quick to clean. In about 20 minutes, you can make a batch of ice cream or other frozen dessert. I’ve made lemon frozen yogurt, fig sorbet, and strawberry ice cream.

Lodge Logic Cast-Iron Grill/Griddle – $47.21
I had to give my cast iron stovetop griddle away when we switched to our induction cooktop, and I miss using this griddle! One side features a flat surface for pancakes or sandwiches and the other side features a grate for grilling meats or veggies.

Find kitchen gift ideas for under $25, $50, $100 (and a few over $100), in the Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks.

Jerk is an interesting, robust seasoning applied to meat before grilling or roasting. It’s of Caribbean origin and most often attributed to Jamaica. It’s something I’ve played around with over the years and find I like using it best with chicken.

Jerk is simply a spicy marinade usually containing a large amount of allspice, garlic, and HOT scotch-bonnet peppers. The mix is blended into a dark brown paste which is then use to marinate meat.

You can marinate overnight for the best flavor or as quickly as 30 minutes (especially for people like me who forget to marinate overnight). As you can imagine, the longer it marinates, the more flavor you’ll get in the finished product.

Recently, I decided to use my jerk recipe on oven-roasted chicken. It wasn’t until I had started mixing the jerk ingredients that I found myself without any allspice, one of the primary spices used. I ran to the nearby market to discover the allspice priced at near $10 CDN a bottle and to the horror of those around me, I exclaimed, “F*ck that!”

I returned home empty-handed and opted to substitute Chinese five-spice in place of the allspice. I figured the mix contained enough of the warm spice and other similar flavors that it would work just fine. Although five-spice gives a milder flavor overall, it worked rather nicely (and it saved me $10).

Since I’ve been addicted to one-pot/one-dish meals lately, I added a chopped sweet potato and cup of fresh pineapple to the baking dish first. I tossed the sweet potato and pineapple in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt/pepper, then topped with chicken pieces marinated in the jerk marinade.

After baking in a hot oven for an hour, the one-dish meal satisfied my craving for spicy jerk chicken:

The jerk marinade should be tailored to fit your level of spiciness. Using a milder jalapeno pepper is one consideration (and the peppers are commonly found in stores, while scotch-bonnets may be harder to find). You can also de-seed and remove the white pith of the pepper to reduce its spiciness, as the heat resides in the pith and seeds.

I enjoyed the jerk dinner, especially the sweet potatoes and pineapple which baked in their own juices under the chicken. I served everything over steamed rice (yes, we consume a lot of rice in our household).

More jerks from around the web:

Jamaican Jerk Burgers – Simply Recipes
Jerk Chicken and Mandarin Orange Salsa – Rasa Malaysia
Jerk Chicken and Jerk Corn Chowder – Habeas Brulee

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’m already craving pumpkin desserts. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated during the first week of October while my family in the states will celebrate it in November. With two Thanksgiving approaching, I am in Thanksgiving (and pumpkin) bliss.

I have a stack of pumpkin recipes from family and friends which I usually try to make each year. I somehow never get through all of the recipes. There’s one in particular that I’ve never made and it’s been sitting around for many, many years. The recipe has a pumpkin pie type of base but is then topped with a prepared cake mix, butter and pecans. The result is an easy pumpkin nut bar recipe.

A couple weeks ago, I broke down and bought a pre-holiday can of pumpkin (i.e. at a much higher price than it will soon be selling for) in order to try out this recipe. I made it late at night using a butter substitute to cut out calories. I was tired and cranky when it came from the oven, so I didn’t photograph it.

I refrigerated the dessert overnight and cracked into it with my fork the next day. The pumpkin had set up and the topping firm, but sweet. I ate a few bites, then a few more. I loved the taste but still wasn’t impressed with the look of the topping. I wanted it to look more streusel-like when in reality it became more homogeneous looking. Once again, I opted not to photograph it.

By the second day, I had nibbled quite a few bites. I found myself unable to stop eating the dessert and decided that I must share it with everyone, regardless of how hacked up it was at this point.

In showing the photo, I must also admit that I ate most of it right from the pan. I’m sure you’ve noticed the fork marks in the baking dish and that the dessert isn’t cut into bars as it should be. Consider it a case of recipe testing, it’s meant to be enjoyed by the creator and not by guests.

Regardless of my issues with the topping, I will make it again. It’s easy. It’s delicious. And most importantly, it’s really good for breakfast ;-)

Toad in the hole is a well-known British food dating back to the 18th century. Although there is much debate about the origin and naming, it’s thought to have originated as a way to stretch prime cuts of meat. The meat is surrounded by a batter which absorbs all of the meats juices and fat, making for a rich and delicious one-pot meal.

Although toads never entered the baking dish, it seems the baking sausages popping up from the batter look as though toads popping out of a hole. But then again, I read a discussion thread where one Brit said his family passed down the recipe as ‘turd’ in a hole for many generations. The use of ‘toad’ was actually a play on words and intended as an inside joke. Hmm, how delightful.

You will not confuse this flavorful dish with anything feces-related, I guarantee.

In my version, I’ve boosted the flavor by adding fresh chives and loads of parmesan which gives it more of an adult vibe (stronger flavors). The cheese and chives meld nicely with the fresh Italian sausages I used for my toads. It’s surprising just how much extra flavor the pungent cheese adds to the dish.

I’ve been a lazy cook in the past few weeks, hence the lack of blog posts. We’re eating mostly one-pot meals which are rarely sexy nor particularly exciting to share. I enjoyed the toad in a hole so much though that I felt compelled to photograph it.

Toad in a Hole Recipe
4 fresh Italian sausages (uncooked)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (plus extra for greasing the dish)
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan

1. Before making this recipe, set out the eggs and milk for at least 30 minutes to reach room temperature. If made using cold ingredients, the batter make crack the baking dish.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F (220C)
3. In a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, add the sausages and olive oil. Toss to coat the sausages. Place the dish in the oven for 10 minutes.
4. While the sausages are baking, blend together the eggs, flour, milk and salt. A blender works best and will make a perfectly smooth batter. I used a stick blender.
5. Remove the baking dish after 10 minutes and add the butter, returning the dish to the oven.
6. Once the butter is melted, remove the dish and pour the batter over the sausages. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan and chives, then return to the oven.
7. Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 450F, then reduce heat and bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
8. Remove from oven and eat while hot. Serve with vegetables.

Baking Notes:
The sausages I bought were quite big and I wanted smaller ones (which the store didn’t have). If you pinch the middle of the sausage between your thumb and forefinger, then twist each half in opposite directions, you’ll end up with two small sausages. Allow them to bake before cutting the small sausages apart.

Toad in a hole is easy to make and economical. Although most recipes call for a basic version, using different types of sausages and seasonings will yield all sorts of wonderful results.

You may notice the toad in a hole sounds similar to my Dutch Baby Pancakes from a few months ago. The batter is the same as used for the pancakes although I make more of it for the toads. Both of these dishes are based on Yorkshire pudding, a thin British batter which when poured into hot meat drippings puffs up to form a rich pastry.

In re-reading this post, I’m sure some of you will be shaking your heads. It’s not often that food bloggers reference feces while showcasing a delicious recipe. Ah, well. This recipe isn’t crap. I promise.