Sourdough - Waffles - Yum!!

The Pioneers used to carry their Sourdough starter in their flour sack --- they would make a light dough, and push in into the sack to be protected.  And, in order to activate it - just adding enough water.  Before making their bread - pinching off a small amount, mixing into a starter again.   This was used 3 times a day - therefore, no need to place in the fridge.  

Yes, cowboys used to sleep with their starter.  It was guarded and kept safe.  This was their prime source of food. 

My grandfather always had to make sure the door to his trailer was shut --- because the horses would break in - and eat the starter, and they weren't always careful, and broke his crock.  Yes, they did get chewed out, by my grandpa.  It is a lot like sour mash for horses.  

Back to sourdough - there are some more warnings about Sourdough --- It does tend to cause loosing of bowels, if you eat to much of it -- and you aren't use to it.  

If you have continued with feeding and then using all-  but a 1/2 cup starter - then re-feed this 1/2 cup so you have a starter in your fridge - You have learned all the essences of this wonderful skill.

If I was to have only Sourdough recipes it would be for ---- Waffles.  Because there aren't many of us here anymore --- I cut this recipe in half. 

Sour Dough Waffles

Overnight sponge:

2 cups  All-Purpose Flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup sourdough starter, straight from the refrigerator (not fed)

Waffle or pancake batter:

all of the overnight sponge

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

3/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda

1) To make the overnight sponge, stir down your refrigerated starter, and remove 1 cup. 

The leftover amount, from the fridge, you can re-feed and then return to the fridge after it has spent sometime in the warmth.  

Do not place any milk products into the starter, unless you are cooking it --- Sourdough starter is only flour and water, and sometimes yeast.  To add milk would cause it to be polluted. This is very important.

2) In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup starter, flour, sugar, and buttermilk.

3) Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight.

4) In a small bowl or mixing cup, beat together the eggs, and oil or butter. Add to the overnight sponge.

5) Add the salt and baking soda, stirring to combine. The batter will bubble.

6) Pour batter onto your preheated, greased waffle iron, and bake according to the manufacturer's instructions.

7) Serve waffles immediately, to ensure crispness. Or hold in a warm oven till ready to serve.

Sourdough - tutorial - Grandpa Rasmussen

As I have spoken of my Grandpa, who was a sheepherder. He started my long love affair with all things sourdough.  No this isn't a picture of my Grandfather - but an example of the trailer he lived in, and we visited. 

Grandpa was the shepherd of a flock of sheep, that were located near the Strawberry Reservior. We would go up to his trailer on Sundays. We brought fresh fruits and vegetables and he always made us sourdough biscuits.

His cabin was very small. Upon entering you were in the kitchen, which had a wood burning stove, then a place to sit, that a table would pull out, to make a place to eat. Above that was his bed. He had storage under the bed.

Every time we went, he had doubled his sourdough so he could make us biscuits. How he ever knew when we would come --- I never knew.  But, he was always prepared for us.  

As 4 rather starving teenagers, we would lie on the bed and watch him make the biscuits.

I remember watching and taking notes - He would start with the sponge or starter then he would add  3 fingers of sugar, one of salt. Enough flour to make a dough. Then, he would dip the biscuits into warm butter, and then let them sit for a while, and then bake in this really warm oven. The price we paid to learn this, was to be overcome with heat. As the trailer became so warm up on the bed.

We then ate Fried mutton, sourdough biscuits with Strawberry jam.

Now, if you are a purist at heart-  Please don't read any further.  

I start my own sourdough, every winter.  I don't buy a starter, and occasionally I have gotten one from a friend.  But, it is just easier, when I get homesick, to start my own.  

I have a clay crock that I add: 1 cup of water,  1 cup of flour and 1 tsp. of yeast.  I let this sit for at least overnight.  I mix with a wooden spoon, and cover with a dishtowel, until needed.  

All it takes to keep it alive - is a little flour and water - in equal parts. 

If you are not going to use it for a few days,  place the starter into a jar, with a plastic lid or piece of plastic and store  in the fridge.  To revitalize it,  just place the starter back in your crock or bowl, add equal amounts of flour and water, and let sit, (if you do this in the morning - you will be able to use it in the evening). 

I make bread, waffles, biscuits - etc.  If you want some really good recipes - check out King Arthur Flour - this site is excellent.  

*Remember when making sourdough - you can not use metal utensils to mix or store - as they poison the sourdough - and possibly you.  

*You will want to keep your cooking and prep area clean -- exceptionally clean, and you are growing a live organism, and it will take whatever you feed it.  Also -- clean all your kitchen supplies and wipe up spills - or you will have concrete on your items - until soaked off.  A bowl of hot sudsy water makes this easy.  

Back to grandpa --- I have found a recipe for his biscuits --- under the name of Angel Biscuits - 

Sourdough Angel Biscuits - this is one of my favorite ---

12 -14 biscuits 

1 cup sourdough starter (active and bubbly)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dry yeast

2 tablespoons lukewarm water

4 tablespoons shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1  Measure sourdough starter into mixing bowl.

2  Add sugar.

3  Dissolve yeast in warm water.

4  Add to starter.

5  Cut shortening into mixture of salt, baking powder, and flour until it    resembles coarse cornmeal.

6  Add to starter mixture, stirring well with a fork.

7  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour if necessary.

8  Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut with biscuit cutter.

9  Dip in melted butter and place in a greased cake pan with edges touching.

10  Cover with a cloth or plastic and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

11  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Thanks Grandpa --- I do love you still- cj

Dutch Oven Bread - Cheryl Style

Have you ever had a day - where you need to clean, but will do anything to avoid it. Well, today is that day. So why not blog about it.

I don't mind cleaning - I love to move furniture around. But, unpacking boxes, and finding places for all of the other stuff is just discouraging. I think --- can't I just get one of those closet make-overs, and put everything in it's place., and, throw away the junk?

Then I remind myself, I need some of this stuff.

What item or pan can't I live without?

That would be my cast iron pan, the medium one, maybe the dutch oven, which is wonderful, or the small egg pan. If I only had a few pans, It would be my large stock pot, medium and small cast iron. Then if allowed another pan - my cast iron Dutch Oven.

My Grandfather was a sheepherder and he had cast iron only. They, of course, wear like iron. (Duh)

Everyone is so afraid of treating them. The new cast iron are already seasoned and all you need to do spray with oil and use. You can use them on the Stove, in the oven, or over a fire while camping. Great Items to have.

To clean all you need to do is wash with soapy water and a brush. With any stuck on mess boil it off (with water), and wash with soapy water and a brush.

Making sure you rinse well. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

Then, put back onto the stove, and burn all the moisture off -- yes if you just hand dry it, it will rust. DO NOT PUT IN THE DISHWASHER !!!!

Then spray with Pam. You can then wipe the Pam off, if the pan isn't used within a few days.

What do I cook in my cast iron? Everything. Meats, eggs, vegetables, breads, desserts, etc.

Oh- if you have lack of iron issues, using a cast iron will increase your intake, and help resolve that issue.

My favorite recipe to cook in my cast iron --- Cheryl Cardon's Bread. Yes, it is in the Dutch oven cast iron. But, it is wonderful

CHERYL'S BREAD - Cheryl Cardon

3 cups very hot tap water 1/2-cup butter
1/2 cup sugar 2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. Yeast 9 1/2 cup Flour


In large bowl combine hot water, butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter is melted. Stir in yeast, let set 15 min. until bubbly.

Beat in abt. 5 cups of flour to make a thick batter.

Stir in the rest of the flour. Mix until completly kneaded. (I do this with my mixer) Place in greased bowl.

Turn over to grease top.

Cover and let rise until double, abt. 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down.

Grease the inside of the Dutch Oven, place a sheet of foil, cut to fit inside the bottom of the Dutch Oven and grease it also. (If I am in a hurry, I heat the dutch oven up a little bit to aid in the rising process)

Grease the lid. Let rise until the dough pushes up the lid by abt. 1/2 inch.

Bake covered in 375 Degree for 12 min.

Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is golden brown. 30-35 min.

Remove bread from oven and turn out to a rack. Slice.

This is truly wonderful --- Happy Finding new places for good stuff.

Favorite Muffins -- Even when it is snowing

It's snowing again - time for more comfort food.

I love Breads of all kinds, but muffins are especially wonderful, because they are so quick and easy to make.

When I was growing up, my mom worked full time and so she would cook the same items. The menu didn't vary very much.

I decided when I was married I would try all sorts of new recipes. I did. I also became a cookbook collector. Making items from this and that book.

It got so bad that I couldn't remember which recipes I had tried and which ones I hadn't. My children would ask me to make something, and I couldn't remember making it or worst yet, which book it was in.

So, I started collecting my recipes on the computer. And, it helped me keep the ones I had selected that were special and my family loved. And, I could hand them out easily when someone requested a copy. It also was easier to find keep them apart from the general cookbooks. This is one of the recipes I tried and liked.

This recipe is really good, because the muffins are moist and delicious, and with the cinnamon-sugar topping (dipped first in melted butter-it adds a wonderful touch).

I have made these for years, but ask my kids, they will tell you, they never have tasted themse.

I guess making so many different recipes did have it's drawbacks.

French Muffins – Carol Jean Brown

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4-teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/8-teaspoon salt
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/2-cup milk
* 1/3-cup butter, melted
*
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/3-cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

In a medium-mixing bowl, stir together flour, 1/2-cup sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together egg, milk and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until just moistened (batter may be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1/4-cup sugar, cinnamon when muffins are finished baking, dip tops of muffins in the melted butter, and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Serve warm, if possible.

A Long Bratten Winter

Winter always seems so very long. I know it is because we end up taking parts of spring and fall, but winter is just to long.

My heart and head start looking to comfort foods. Things to eat that are truly good and hearty, and warm, but mostly satisfying.

In Salt Lake City, there was a incredible fish restaurant, by the Name of Brattens. This restaurant opened my eyes to really good fish, Haddock, Halibut, clams . . . etc. (I loved the Haddock, served with drawn butter)

The entire menu was fish. But, you really went there for the Chowder.

I was able to get this recipe from Fred Wix - I have several recipes from Brattens, and I treasure them all. The building is still there, and every time we are in SLC, we drive by, you never know. It might start up again.


Bratten’s Clam Chowder - Fred Wix

1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
2 cups potatoes, finely diced, but not as “finely” as above
2 can clams (minced), 6 1/2 oz size
3/4-cup butter (the real stuff)
3/4-cup flour
1 qt. half and half cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs. Red wine vinegar
Pepper to taste

Drain the juice from the cans of clams and pour over vegetables, adding water to barely cover. Simmer over medium heat until barely tender.

Meantime in a heavy saucepan melt the butter, add flour, make a roux and blend until smooth. Stirring constantly, slowly add cream. Cook and stir with a wire ship until thick and smooth.

Add the vegetables, juice.

When it is thick enough add clams. Heat through. Add salt, pepper. Makes 8 servings.

Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Yes, the Husband puts in Red Wine Vinegar in his Chowder. I do forgive him for this.