Sourdough Bread

This recipe was also from Cara Tobe.  I'm not sure where it originated maybe Weston A Price?  The original recipe was called Caraway Sourdough Bread, but I never use the caraway seeds.  Why sourdough?  Well, there's lots of information online, but basically speaking what makes the bread sour is the bacteria (Lactobacillus-which is the bacteria found in yogurt and Kefir for example) and naturally occuring yeast present in the wheat.  The bacteria works on the tougher nutrients present in the flour (including glucose, phytates, and gluten) to make other more useful nutrients in the bread more accessible for us.  It's because of this action that sourdough bread actually has very little impact on blood glucose levels.  The process is not hard, but takes time.  Because there is not any yeast, the dough takes a while to rise.  Typically, I'm making bread about every other day depending on how much the family is eating that week.  Once the dough is made, it can be frozen and used as pizza dough.

Makes 2- 8" loaves of bread

1 1/2 C Starter
1 1/2 C Water (around 110-120 degrees)
2 1/2 t Salt
4 2/3 T Oil
3 T Honey

Pour starter into mixing bowl.  Add water, salt, honey and oil.  Mix together.  If making "rye" bread add 2 tsp caraway seeds.

5 1/3 C Flour mixed in one cup at a time

(The original recipe uses a standing mixer, but mine is not big enough to use.  I simply knead by hand for as long as I can and apply the rests in between as the rest of the directions state)

Mix four 1 cup at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Rest dough for 15 minutes
Knead for 5 minutes
Rest for 5 minutes
Knead for 5 minutes

Let rise in bowl 12-14 hours (Until dough doubles in bowl).  Remove to greased loaf pans.  Let rise 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Bake (glass pans) at 300 for 50 minutes; (metal pans) at 350 for 30 minutes.  Bread keeps well in freezer or in a regular bread bag on the counter about 5 days or so.

For pizza crust, dough may be refrigerated after 1st rising then used immediately to make pizza.  1/2 bread recipe would make 2 small cookie sheets of pizza crust.  Mash on pans, cover with toppings and cheese.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes

Blender Soaked Oatmeal Pancakes

I LOVE these pancakes!  So much so that I could eat them everyday.  We don't but we definitely could.  These are good for you and yummy too!  Not sure where they originated from, but we were introduced to them during our Sunday Brunch club.  Thank you Cara Tobe for not only introducing us to these yummy pancakes, but also sharing the recipe for them!

1 3/4 C buttermilk (or use milk with 2 T or so of vinegar)
3 eggs
2 T fat (butter or coconut oil)
1 t vanilla
2 C rolled oats
2 T sucanat
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder

Soak buttermilk, butter and rolled oats overnight in your blender (pulse to incorporate).  Add the rest of the ingredients in the morning.  Fry pancakes in butter or coconut oil.  Serve with maple syrup and butter.  To make fluffier pancakes, separate the yolk from the eggs, add the eggs to the batter, whip the whites and gently fold into the batter.

Buns

Mix together:

1/4 C melted butter

1 C milk

1/2 C water

1 T honey

Let cool

Then add 1 egg and set bowl aside

In 2nd bowl put:

2 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 t salt

2 1/4 t yeast

Add wet mixture to flour mixture and stir slowly

Add 2 C flour until you get nice kneaded ball and let rise a bit

When ready- Punch out dough into large ball 

Divide into 10-12 palm size balls.  Shape with hands and place on cookie sheet to rise.

Bake at 400 for 10-11 min until slightly golden.

You can rub them with egg yolk half through baking.  Will give them glossy look.  You can also add sesame seeds.

French Bread

Another one from Jamie.  I haven't tried it yet, but I didn't want to lose the sheet of paper!

1 T salt
1 T yeast
4 C flour
1 C water (or more if needed)

Put yeast in bowl with warm water and set aside
Add flour in bowl
Add salt
Dump yeast in then add water as needed
Bake at 350 for 30-35 min

Sandwich Bread

Thank you Jamie Hazelton for sharing your yummy sandwich bread recipe with me!  For the times when I don't have time to wait for my sourdough or if we just need a change of pace, this has become my goto recipe.

1 1/2 C water (I use pretty hot like I would for my pizza dough)
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C oil
1 T salt
2 T vital wheat gluten
2 T yeast
about 4 1/2 C bread flour

Mix together water, sugar, oil and salt.
Add gluten
Add yeast
Then mix in flour 1 C at a time

Knead 3 minutes
Let rise in bowl
Punch out and separate into 2 loaf pans.  Let rise.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min