Introduction - Feeding the Flock 23

 

I've recently come across this new obsession of cooking with sourdough starter.  My friend, Kathy gave me the starter back in December. At first I was keeping it on the counter, feeding it daily and using it every other day.  After the holidays, I started storing it in the fridge and using it on the weekends.  I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting and have come up with quite a few yummy recipes.  A lot of my posts  for the A-Z challenge , as I mentioned in the theme reveal will incorporate the dough starter. 

I’ve yet to try building my own sourdough starter; perhaps April 22^nd with the letter S.  Once you successfully create your own sourdough starter, you will want to keep it healthy with regular feedings.  If you bake a lot you may choose to keep it on the counter at room temperature and feed it twice a day.  If you don’t bake a lot, then you would want to keep it in the refrigerator and only will feed it once a week.

 

Instructions for keeping your sourdough starter healthy.

 

Keeping dough at room temperature

½ cup sourdough starter

1 scant cup

½ cup lukewarm water

 

Stir the starter.  Spoon ½ cup into a bowl, discard or use remaining starter. Add 1 scant cup flour and ½ cup warm water to the ½ cup starter dough, mix until smooth, return to the jar/crock and cover with cheesecloth.

Repeat this process every 12 hours, feeding twice a day.  Remove the starter to bake with as soon as it is expanded and bubbly, then feed the ½ cup and revert to the normal 12-hour schedule.

Keeping dough in the refrigerator

Keeping dough at room temperature

½ cup sourdough starter

1 scant cup

½ cup lukewarm water

 

Take the starter out of the fridge.  There may be a bit of liquid (it’s a byproduct from the yeast fermenting) on top. Stir it into the starter.  Spoon ½ cup into a bowl, discard or use remaining starter. Add 1 scant cup flour and ½ cup warm water to the ½ cup starter dough, mix until smooth, return to the jar/crock and cover with cheesecloth.

Let the starter rest at room temperature for about two hours, this gives the yeast a chance to warm up and get feeding.  Then return to fridge and repeat this process at least once a week.

Cheers

Sourdough Starter - Feeding the Flock 23

 

BEER SOURDOUGH STARTER

1 cup Sam Adams Alpine lager

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. rice flour 

1 tbsp. whole wheat flour

Open bottle of beer 24 hours in advance of making dough and let it go flat.

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add beer and stir well to combine.

Cover with cheesecloth and then plastic wrap.  Let stand 24-48 hours, stirring every 12 hours. After the 48 hours, either refrigerate or feed.

It will be bubbly and smell strongly fermented.

You can find out how to "feed" and maintain your sourdough starter here.

I do not have the recipe for the white sourdough starter because it was given to me.  The recipes that I have found use a commercial dry sourdough starter (there must be a better way)!

I'm going to use my beer starter for the first time today.

Enjoy.

Don't forget to check out what's going on over at the Step in Time.

Sourdough Pie Crust (with Turkey Pot Pie)

So I've been using this sourdough starter that my friend Kathy gave me for over a year now.  I've been able to keep it alive too. ☺ As always, I'm willing to try new things with the dough.  Kathy sent this to me and said "What do you think?"  Well, I've gotta tell ya, pie will never be the same again once you try it with sourdough pie crust.  It is so easy and easy to work with too.  

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 oz. butter, cut into cubes

4 oz. Crisco (or other lard)

1 cup sourdough starter (I was just a little bit short so added a little more water)

2 tbsp. ice water

Cut the butter and Crisco into the flour, sugar, and salt mixture until it resemble small peas.  Add sourdough and mix to combine.  Add water if necessary.  

Kathy's recipe said to wrap in plastic and refrigerate several hours until chilled.  I just used mine at the time I made it and it was fine.  It can be kept in fridge for several days or freeze for future use.  

Yield:  2 crusts (with enough leftover for amazing pinwheels).

©Crackerberries Kitchen 2023

 

Naughty Sourdough Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

The reason I called it naughty is because I fed it and it bubbled all over the counter and made a wicked mess.  Sometimes sourdough will do that.  In my theme reveal I said I was going to incorporate sourdough into my recipes.  I'm not coming up with as many as I hoped but it's fun when I create something new. This bread is so tasty and moist, I will definitely make it again.

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil

¼ cup agave nectar

¾ cup buttermilk (microwave about 20 seconds to about 70º)

8 oz. sourdough starter

3 tbsp. Nocino (I'm thinking any kind of liqueur would work)

4 cups bread flour

2 tsp. salt

2¼ tsp. yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in the order given. Select the dough cycle and let process.  Remove from bread machine and divide dough into two loaves.  Place on baking pan, lined with parchment paper.  Let rise for 45 minutes to an hour.  Preheat oven to 355º.  Before backing slit tops of bread with sharp paring knife.  Bake 25 minutes.  Remove from oven, pat with butter if desired, cover with towel and let cool. Makes 2 loaves

Enjoy,

Don't forget to check out the N devotional.

Unleavened Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

 

If you have been following a long,  you know I have been trying to come up with recipes for the sourdough starter that my friend gave me at Christmas time.  All of the recipes I could find have all included YEAST in the recipe.  Of course I've been working mine in the bread machine (because it's faster and easier). Any hoot, I did not use any yeast in these two loaves. 

SUNFLOWER SEED BREAD                                        BASIC UNLEAVENED

½ cup beer sourdough starter                                              ½ cup sourdough starter 

½ cup buttermilk                                                                 ½ cup buttermilk   

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil                                                            2 tbsp. melted butter

¼ cup brown sugar                                                              1½ tsp honey

2 cups all-purpose flour                                                       3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour                                                      1½ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. slivered almonds

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

1½ tsp. salt

Place ingredients in bread machine in order listed. (Note there are two different loaves of bread there).  Set for the dough cycle.  Once cycle stops, remove from bread machine, create loaf and let rise 45-60 minutes.  (It will not rise much...it's unleavened).  Bake in 375º oven for 30-35 minutes.  This is a very dense bread.  I thought it was going out to the offering corner (where the wild animals feed), but I tried it as toast, and it makes really good toast.   Not one of my best recipes, but I couldn't find the Unicorn Kibbles that I wanted to make.

Enjoy,

Are you user-friendly or uncomfortable?

Reflections on Feeding the Flock 23

Another A-Z challenge completed. This is something I’ve been doing since 2015. I actually dabbled in it in 2014 but was not very successful.  It disciplines me to actually take the time to write. I always have full intentions of continuing to write throughout the year, but life seems to get in the way.  We all have priorities and each one takes a different precedence over someone else’s concerns. What is important to me is probably not important to you. My cousin Eric writes a newsletter every month about rocks.  For the life of me I don’t know what is so special about rocks? click here if you really want to know., But he loves it. I applaud him for all the work he puts into that newsletter every month, even though I don't understand most of what I read.

I enjoy this challenge very much. Every year I get to reconnect with the fellow blogger’s I’ve met over the years.  Every once in awhile I'll make a few new friends.  It’s like a family reunion online.

This year I stretched myself too far. My theme this year had to do with The Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all the nations…” FEEDING THE FLOCK 23 was my theme. Check out W-WAKE UP.  That’s where my theme idea originated.

I took on more than I should have by opting in to do both blogs. I learned a lot throughout this challenge.  I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish. I lost my stepdad on Earth Day and I still had seven days (14 posts) to go.  How was I going to function and go to work and post a blog each day? Do you know what God said to me?”…O you of little faith.” If GOD leads you to it, He will see you through it. (praise Lord!)

I was successful at posting to both blogs for every letter. I did slack at visiting others and I apologize for that.  I do want to say thank you to those who visited me. Kristin was consistent at leaving a comment on every recipe I posted. ☺ Little comments mean a great deal in bloggy world.

At this time, I don’t have any suggestions about improving the challenge.  I liked the graphics and KUDOS to whoever took the time to do them this year.  If anyone who is reading this post is interested in volunteering to get your talent out there…click here

 

Here are the links for each of the posts this year… the food was supposed to go with the devotion but somehow I meandered and got lost along the way.  It happens.  Hope to see you all next year. And you never know, I might come up with a post here and there.  Stay tuned.

 

DEVOTION

Anxiety, Allergies and Arthritis

Blessing Blitz

Cat Kisses

Dazbar’s Run

Embrace the Smooch

Friendship

Ground Meat

Halfway

Interpretation

Jake’s Cake

KISS: Keep it Simple Stupid

Letter Writing

Mason Jars

No Darkness

Old Pine Tree

Paper Cuts = Perilous Days

Quite Life

Raccoons

Step in Time

Today is the Day

User Friendly vs. Uncomfortable  

Victory

Wake UP!

X-Ray Vision

Yankees are Allowed

Zombie Apocalypse

THE FOOD

Asian Broccoli Salad

Banana Bread

Cookies

Diet Soup

Enchilada Chicken Dip

Fig Coffee Cake

Grits Casserole

Hushpuppy Griddle Cakes

Irish Sourdough Soda Bread

Jerking the Chicken

Jalapeño Muffins

Jalapeño Artichoke Spread

Kartoffelkloesse

Lemon Cake

Meal Magnificient

Naughty Sourdough Bread

Open-Faced Omelet

Penguins

Potato Sausage Casserole

Quick & Easy Pork Loin

Rosemary Lemon Cookies

Sourdough Starter

Tangerine Salad

Unleavened Bread

Veggie Pork Stir-Fry

Waffles

Xtreme Chicken

Yuppy Brownies

Zymurgy Biscuits 

Irish Sourdough Soda Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

 

3 Cups flour

1¾ tsp. Kosher salt

1-1/8 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sourdough starter

1¼ cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450º

Line cast iron Dutch oven (with cover) with parchment paper. 

Whisk flour, salt and baking soda together for one minute to combine well.

Add the sourdough batter and the buttermilk together and shake well.

Pour buttermilk mixture into flour combination and using a wooden spoon stir until fully moistened.

Scrape sticky dough mixture into the prepared Dutch oven.  

Smooth with rubber spatula to make a rough boule shape.  

Score deeply with sharp knife, cutting into quarters.  

Cover and bake 45 minutes.

Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy.  This is great bread for brushetta. 

Cheers,

Don't forget to check out my Interpretation.

Cookies - Feeding the Flock 23

 

Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sourdough starter discard

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

Preheat oven 375º

Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  

In mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars until well mixed and light in color.  

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  

Add sourdough discard and peanut butter and mix until well combined.  

Carefully add in the flour a little at a time until well combined.

Let dough rest in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Use a small ice cream scoop (or tablespoon) to place on cookie sheet two inches apart.  Press a fork to cross hatch with sugar  if desired.

Bake for 12 minutes, remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack to cool. 

This recipe makes about three dozen.

Cheers,

Don't forget to check out devotional.

Banana Bread - Feeding the Flock 23

 

Banana Bread with Sourdough Starter

1½ cups mashed bananas

½ cup sourdough starter

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1¾ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º  Spray 2 8x4 bread pans with cooking spray.

In 2 quart measuring cup or bowl, add bananas, sourdough starter, melted coconut oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Once combined add to the banana mixture. Stir until combined but don't over stir. 

Fold in walnuts.  Divide batter into the two bread pans. Bake 350º for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove bread from pans and place on wire rack to cool.  Serve and enjoy.

This recipe will make two medium 8x4 bread loaves or one large 9x5 loaf.

Cheers,

Don't forget to check out Crackerberries devotional.

 

Zymurgy Biscuits - Feeding the Flock 23

 

Zymurgy is technically referred to in beer making and wine fermentation.  But since I decided to use my beer sourdough starter, I figured it could work for the name of my new biscuit creation.

½ cup beer sourdough starter

¾ cup almond milk (only because I was out of regular)

½ cup jalapeño pimento cheese (I cheated and used store bought —didn't make my own)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

1 stick butter

¼ cup Crisco

Place dry ingredients in a bowl, mix to combine and then cut in the butter and the Crisco to make small round pea shaped crumbs.

Combine sourdough starter, milk and pimento cheese in another bowl and mix until well combined.  Pour into the dry bowl and mix.  Dough will be sticky.

Use an ice cream scoop and drop in globs onto ungreased cookie sheet.  I made 20 but you could make them bigger if you wanted to.

Bake in 450º oven for 11-14 minutes. 

Enjoy

Find out about the ZOMBIES in the writing studio.

Sourdough Dinner Rolls

 

1½ cup sourdough starter

½ cup warm water

2 tbsp. butter

1 egg

¼ cup sugar

3½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. yeast

Combine the sourdough starter with the warm water and mix to combine.  (If you don’t have 1½ cups of starter, just add enough water to equal 2 cups of liquid).  Place ingredients in the bread machine in the following order: butter, starter mixture, egg, sugar, flour, salt, (optional herbs or spices) and finally the yeast. 

Select dough setting.  Once the bread machine has stopped, remove dough and let rest about 5 minutes.  Cut into 12-16 equal portions and roll in balls.  Place on parchment paper line cookie sheet and press to flatten just slightly.  Cover with towel to rise for about 45-60 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375º.  If desired, brush tops of rolls with beaten egg or milk and cut little crosses in the tops.  Bake 12-15 minutes.  Remove, cool, serve.

Other options.

Herb Garlic Rolls: add ½ tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. basil, and ½ tsp. oregano.

Sweet Spice Rolls: increase sugar to ½ cup and add ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. allspice, ½ tsp. nutmeg. 

 © Crackerberries 2023

PS if you want to read more about Christmas and newsletters check out the post over on Crackerberries writings.

Hush Puppy Griddle Cakes - Feeding the Flock 23

 

 

Apple Honey Butter
3 tbsp. butter
½ cup apple jelly
½ cup honey

 

Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan and cook until butter is melted and mixture is thick and bubbly.

 

Hush Puppy Griddle Cake

¾ cup sourdough starter
1 cup hushpuppy mix
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. candied jalapeños
1 cup scrambled cooked sausage
¼ cup corn relish

 

 

Whisk sourdough starter, eggs, corn relish, jalapeños, sausage, and melted butter together in medium sized bowl. Set aside.
 
Combine baking soda, cayenne pepper and hushpuppy mix in larger bowl. Create a well in the center. 
 
Pour the starter ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.  Spoon onto greased hot griddle, or cast iron fry pan.  Cook over medium-high heat about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
 
Serve with apple honey butter.

Enjoy.

Don't forget to check out the devotional.

Jalapeño Cheddar Muffins - Feeding the Flock 23

 

½ cup sourdough

1¾ cup all purpose flour

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup buttermilk

1 egg

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup diced candied jalapeños

Preheat oven to 400º.

Grease 12 cup muffin pan (or spray with cooking oil).

Combine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Create well in center.

Beat egg and combine with buttermilk, sourdough, canola oil, cheddar cheese and jalapeños.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Scoop into prepared muffin tin and bake 18-20 minutes at 400º or until lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out the J-devotional.

Fig Coffee Cake - Feeding the Flock 23

 

 

¾ cup sourdough

2 eggs

1-1/3 cup buttermilk

2½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup slivered toasted almonds

¼ cup candied ginger

½ cup fig preserves

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp, baking soda

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

 

Preheat oven to 350º

 

In large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Make a well in the center and set aside.

 

Mix together candied ginger, toasted almonds and fig preserves in a small bowl.

 

In another bowl combine sourdough starter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Add mixture to well in flour mixture all at once.  Stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

Spoon half of the mixture into a greased Bundt pan.  Spoon mounds of fig mixture over the batter, then cover with remaining batter.  Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from Bundt pan and let cool completely.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy,

Don't forget to check out the devotional.

Cowboy Steak on Texas Toast

Tall Cool One and I went back and forth on what to call this recipe. I wanted it to be the Dallas Cowboy's Steak, but he said that would be "City Slicker Steak". Anyways, this is the name we came up with... okay, I decided to call it. He's a meat and (potatoes? —no thank you, please) kinda guy. So whenever we have steak we have it with salad or salad or salad. How do you make steak and salad different? Here's how. This was a definite keeper and you can just buy any old cheap steak to make it with ... no need for an expensive Porterhouse or Sirloin. Serve with a side of salad if you like. =o)





½ cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, half sliced and half chopped
1½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
Fresh ground black pepper or peppercorn medley
1½ lb. tough steak, like rump roast or flank steak
Texas Toast, or thickly sliced French or sourdough bread
1 cup salsa
1 cup guacamole

Combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chopped onion, chili powder, pepper and cumin. Mix well. With a meat mallet, beat the living crap out of the steak (or ¼ inch thickness). Stab several times with a fork and place steak in marinade. Turn several times to coat well. Lay sliced onions on top and cover and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is okay too). Discard marinade, keeping onion slices. Grill steak over medium-hot heat for 4-8 minutes per side, depending on how well or how rare you like your steak. Place bread on grill to toast; heat salsa in small pan. Reserve onions and slice steak into ¾ inch diagonal strips and arrange on bread. Top with onions, hot salsa and guacamole.

© Crackerberries 2009

Waffles - Feeding the Flock 23

 

WAFFLE BATTER

1 cup beer sourdough starter

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/3 cup melted butter

2½ cups all-purpose flour

FILLING

4 oz. Jimmy Dean sausage cooked according to package instructions

2 eggs

2 tbsp. roasted red pepper cream cheese

Prepare the waffle batter.  Cook the sausage and then scramble in the eggs and cream cheese.  Place ½ cup batter in waffle maker, top with ¼ cup of egg mixture, then cover with ¼ cup more batter.  Close waffle maker and cook 8 minutes.

Using a PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer

Makes 4 waffles.

Don't forget to find out about WAKING UP to smell the COFFEE!

Jalapeño Artichoke Spread

 

1 12 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup chopped banana peppers

2-3 roasted garlic cloves

Parmesan cheese

Candied jalapeño peppers

Combine first five ingredients (artichoke hearts, mayo, cheddar, banana peppers and garlic cloves) and mix well.  

Spoon into 1½ quart baking dish. 

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  

Bake in 400º uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until golden.  

Top with jalapeño slices.  

Serve with pita chips or Irish Sourdough Soda bread.

Enjoy,

Don't forget to check out the J-devotional