Nobody's going to peach on ya!

We're still working on some live-action Disney favorites, and today's film is Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  So many good things about this movie - the credits are done in the style of the Bayeux Tapestry! Magical suits of armor beating up Nazis! Wiggly rabbit noses! Smart-assed British children! Spells!  Motorcycles with sidecars! Witches! yeah!

Charlie, Carrie and Paul go to live with Miss Price in the countryside to escape WWII in London.  Turns out Miss Price is a witch!  And she needs the final spell in the course she's taking to help Britain win the war.  The group flies off to London to find Mr. Brown, the course director.  Of course it turns out that he doesn't have the final spell, so the group is forced to fly into an children's book to look for the words to the spell.  Mr. Brown is forced to referee a crazy football game between two teams of animals.  Hilarity ensues!  Paul finally tells everyone that the words to the spell have been in the book all the time.  Miss Price learns the spell, and saves England from invading Nazis by animating suits of armor and her nightgown to fight them off.  Ta da!

This movie actually has some really great songs in it.  I had a 45 when I was kid with a couple of the songs on it, and we'd play it over and over, singing along and marching around the basement. Good times.

Cheeky dancing nightgowns!

My favorite character is Charlie - he's such an obnoxious smartass.  He reminds me of my kids.  Ha!  When the kids first arrive at Miss Price's, she asks them what they like to eat, and Charlie goes through his list - "Oh, you know... bangers and mash, toad in the hole... the usual."  This is the primary reference that made me always want to try Toad in the Hole. 

No fried foods?  How do you keep your health?

Toad in the Hole

Okay, so this is another "not really a recipe" and more of a method.  First, either make a batch of your favorite vegan sausages or buy some from the store.  I made a batch of Isa's Steamy Beany Sausages from Isa Does It!

Now, I prefer to slice them up and lightly pan fry them in a little vegetable oil til just browned.  Then dump the fried sausage slices in a lightly oiled casserole dish.  Traditionalists will want to keep their sausages whole.  You can throw them in an oiled casserole dish into the oven while you mix up the batter.  Heat your oven to 375 degrees F.

For the batter, I perused a bunch of vegan Toad in the Hole recipes online and made-do with what I had.  Here's one.  I did not have any self-rising flour, and I think next time I would make an effort to obtain some.  I thought my dough turned out to be a little too dense.  I used a little baking powder and baking soda, add some turmeric for color (and used too much!), and a pinch of black salt for egginess.  Not bad overall!

Pour the batter over your sausages and bake for about 20-25 minutes until puffed and lightly browned.  Serve with gravy, mash, and possibly a green vegetable.  Or not!  Then go save England, for goodness sake!