And yes, I am still playing with sourdough starter even though active and rapid-rise yeast are both dependably back on grocery store shelves. There is just something about the tang of sourdough bread that leaves me almost giddy. I love it, that’s all there is to it! And you know, once you’ve fallen in love, it’s difficult to direct your heart (or as in this case – your taste buds) in another direction. So despite having several wonderful sourdough bread recipes in my hip pocket, I continue to mess around with other people’s perfectly wonderful recipes to come up with exactly the flavor and texture combination my spoiled taste buds are after. And then I can’t just keep my new recipe to myself. Oh hell no! I have to keep posting new bread recipes so you will know that I am spending my time wisely even though I really should just call it good and be happy with the great recipes I already have on hand. But that’s just not how this old gal functions. It’s ever onward striving for a bread that’s just a little bit better than the one I just baked. But I guess if I have to be obsessed with something, baking sourdough bread has to be a whole hell of a lot better than having a gambling addiction or wanting to write the definitive biography on Donald Trump! (Any obsession has got to make more sense than that!) So please bear with me.

So I made the predecessor of this bread last week. It was good, but it was too dense. (I had a lot in common with that loaf.) So I went back to the drawing board, and came up with this version. First of all, I love oat bread. Then if you add some seeds, I’m an even happier camper. So I am very happy with this version. You can toast this bread, spread it with peanut butter and jelly or slather it with room temperature unsalted butter, and it can hold its own even when plated with crispy bacon and over easy eggs. So, I have now completed my quest for my ideal sourdough oatmeal seed bread. Check that one off my list. (And yes, I do have a list. But then, I have a list for all kinds of things I know other people might find strange. For example. I am an avid reader. I now have to keep a list of the books I have read. (Should have starter this list about 50 years ago.)  And I have a menu for every dinner party, JazzVox concert, and special event we have hosted for the last 12 years. Should have started that list earlier too.)

Anyway, if you like sourdough bread with oats and seeds, give this recipe a try. It’s easy to prepare, and although there is a bit of waiting for the dough to rise, I’m sure you can find something to fill the time. You could make a list!

As always, be kind, be considerate, and be aware of what others around you are finding stressful. This is not an easy time for anyone. And if you can make it better for someone, make it happen. We are all on the same team. Team humanity.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. sourdough starter discard

2 tsp. quick-rise dry yeast (sometimes labeled as instant or rapid-rise also)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl

2 T. honey

½ c. + 2 T. lukewarm whole milk

¾ tsp. kosher salt

1 c. rolled oats 

1½ – 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ c. sunflower seeds

3 T. sesame seeds, plus more for top

Combine the sourdough starter, yeast, olive oil, honey, and milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt, oats, 1½ cups flour, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Using your bread hook, mix until a loose dough forms. Cover and let sit 30 minutes.

Still using your bread hook, knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. (The dough will still be quite wet when you start the kneading process, so you might need more flour. Just add as little as possible to keep the dough soft. When perfect, the dough will ball around the dough hook, but there will still be a bit of the dough stuck to the bottom of the mixing bowl. Resist the urge to add more flour.)

Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough, and using your hands and a stiff rubber spatula, roll the dough (even the recalcitrant dough from the bottom of the bowl) into a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 90 minutes. (It won’t quite double in bulk, but it should look larger and puffy.)

Roughly shape the dough into a loaf (or loaves), then place in a greased 9 × 5-inch or 2 – 7.5 x 3.5-inch loaf pan or pans. Pat the dough into the corners of the pan(s) and flatten the top(s) as much as possible.

Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray (greased side down). Let rise for 90 minutes or until the dough has just reached the top of the pan(s). At this point, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.   (This should give your oven plenty of time to pre-heat as your bread finishes rising.)

Sprinkle the loaf or loaves with a few sesame seeds and bake for 45-50 minutes (9 x 5-inch loaf) or about 30 minutes for the 7.5 x 3.5-inch loaves or until the bread is nicely browned and registers at least 200 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from oven and tip the loaf or loaves out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container. 

So, you might be thinking – what the heck is huntsman cheese? Well, first of all, it is a favorite of Mr. C. (Mine too, if you want full disclosure.) Huntsman cheese is a happy marriage of two wonderful cheeses – double Gloucester and blue stilton. Two layers of strong, richly veined blue stilton sandwiched between three layers of full fat, rich and creamy double Gloucester. And I must say, just like my own marriage, this combination of cheeses is a marriage made in heaven!

So originally I conceived this recipe to use some blue cheese that was left over from preparing blue cheese salad dressing. But when I realized I really didn’t have enough to prepare this recipe, I went hunting for other types of cheese that might be complimentary. What I found was Mr. Cs stash of huntsman cheese. Ta-da. Problem solved.

So instead of using the last little bit of blue cheese, I happily chunked up a half cup of the huntsman cheese. (And yes, I asked permission first.) (And no the blue cheese did not go to waste. I sprinkled it on our salads the next evening.)

Anyway, the huntsman cheese made for some very tasty biscuits. And oh so easy to build. No rolling out dough, just an easy use of my #40 ice cream scoop* and Bob’ your uncle. Bake for a few minutes and all is well with the world. Crunchy and full of flavor. Just perfect, delicious, homemade biscuits.

Now another wonderful part of this recipe, is that you can use other types of crumbly or grated cheese. Gorgonzola, blue, Gruyère, Parmesan, Pecorino-Romano, to mention a few. Just don’t go all crazy and add more than a half cup. And don’t pack the cheese into the measuring cup. Just let it fall where it lies and call it good. (I say this, because I have a tendency to consider cheese the same way I do a beautiful warm summer day in the NW. The more the better! And I know I am not alone in this regard. Right Jim?!?! But fight the tendency. This is not like making mac and cheese or cheddar cheese soup. Consider following this recipe as carefully as you would a high school science experiment with your teacher watching every move you make! (I say this only to preserve the integrity of this recipe and to keep your oven pristine.) All kidding aside, I hope you make a batch of these biscuits, because they are really, really delicious.

As always, keep baking, keep laughing, and keep counting your blessings. Peace and love to all.

1 c. + 2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed) 

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

tiny pinch freshly ground black pepper

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

½ c. crumbled huntsman cheese (not packed)

4 tsp. thinly sliced fresh chives

½ c. buttermilk (Bavarian style if possible)

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter resembles small flakes. Don’t over mix. 

Add the cheese and chives, slowly mix until just combined. Pour in the buttermilk and again, mix just until combined.

Using an ice cream scoop* (about 2 tablespoons worth of dough), drop balls of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten gently with your fingers. (And of course, if you don’t have the right sized ice cream scoop, just a couple tablespoons of free form dough plunked onto the baking sheet will do nicely.)

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 14-16 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes before serving. If you can’t eat the biscuits while they are still warm, gently warm them in your microwave before serving. Butter is not necessary with these babies. Recipe is easily doubled.

*I round/heap the dough (make a ball) in a number 40 ice cream scoop to form these biscuits. This produces fairly small drop biscuits. But that’s just fine with me because what I like best about drop biscuits is all the crispy edges.

Learn more about ice cream scoops below.  

ICE CREAM SCOOPS

I use ice cream scoops for all kinds of cooking projects. But mainly I use them to make certain all the cookies from a batch are of similar size. Let’s face it, it’s much easier and more efficient to form cookies using a scoop. Takes about a third the time of dropping the dough by spoonfulls. Anyway, I have 4 scoop sizes that I mainly use. (OK, I only own these 4 sizes of scoops. But none-the-less, they work for me.)

#100 – 2 teaspoons (which means that if you are dishing up ice cream, you would get 100 scoops from 1 quart of ice cream) I use this any time I want tiny little cookies.

#60 – 1 tablespoon. I use this scoop for small cookies and meatballs

#40 – 1½ tablespoons. I use this scoop for larger cookies and for this recipe. (When I make cookies I flatten the dough to the same level as the rim of the ice cream scoop. For this recipe, I basically make a ball.

#10 – 3/8 cup. I use this scoop for muffins, cupcakes, and ice cream  

So, how come no one ever told me about cinnamon sugar bread? I’m a nice person and share all my favorite recipes with you all. The least you could have done was tell me about this treasure. But no, I had to discover this bread on my own. But I’ve got broad shoulders, so once again, I’m going to reveal my benevolent side, and tell you all about my recent discovery. OMG – this is the best and probably the easiest quick bread I have tasted in a long time. And the truly unique thing about this bread, is that it doesn’t contain any fancy ingredients or even a new flavor sensation. It’s just a simple vanilla flavored quick bread batter with swirls of cinnamon-sugar streusel. That’s it. Like I said – nothing fancy or new.

I found this wonderful recipe on the beyondfrosting.com site. I halved the recipe again and then doubled the streusel part, because I could. (The real reason is that I wanted a 2^nd bread to share with our neighbors Mark and Vicki. They just moved into their new home and they are still feeling a bit discombobulated (I always wanted to use that word) from the move. And what could be more calming than a nice quick bread made with lots of sugar? Am I right?)

Anyway, I made the bread and we all agreed that this was a recipe to keep. So thank you Julianne. This is truly a wonderful recipe.

Now before I go any further, I want to reiterate: this is a simple bread to build, and the flavors are not going to be new to your taste buds. When I take a bite I am reminded of eating cinnamon toast as a kid, or biting into one of my grandmother’s soft cinnamon-sugar cake donuts. This is comfort bread, not a dazzling new flavor sensation for your taste buds. It’s a bread this grandmother plans to build for her grandchildren when it’s once again safe to be in their presence. (Or they in our presence.) (I really pray this pandemic ends soon!)

So as always, keep staying safe. The numbers of new covid-19 cases is increasing as many of us are unconsciously semi letting our guard down. (Guilty as charged.) So be vigilant. Take more precautions than even the medical community advises. Even after all these months, no one truly understands all of the ramifications of contracting this disease.

And please vote in the upcoming presidential election. Vote as if your life and your children’s lives depended on it. Vote with your brain and heart. Ask yourself these questions: Which candidate cares about the environment? Which candidate cares about people? Not just rich powerful people. But everyone – people of color, different religions, differing beliefs, sexual persuasion, etc. Which candidate can speak intelligently about world conditions? Which candidate would represent the United States with poise and dignity and class?

You know, class is something not often mentioned in reference to adults who are not wealthy or influential. But I feel it is an attribute to which all adults should aspire. It should be as intrinsic to our natures as saying “hello”, or “thank you”, or “have a good day”. And I feel it is especially imperative for our political leaders to be the very embodiment of this quality. They should be our examples of how class manifests itself when difficult situations arise. They should reflect kindness and concern. When verbally attacked, they should be able to take the high ground. And of utmost importance, they should be genuine people who care about all of the citizens they took office to protect and defend.

And one final question for you to consider: Which candidate would you unhesitatingly welcome into your home?

And for those of you who are confused whether my blog is a cooking blog or a political site, you aren’t alone. I don’t have that answer either. I just know that this coming election will influence what direction our country takes for generations to come. And I wish all of my progeny to have a chance at as nice a life as I’ve experienced. As is my wish for you and yours. Peace and love to all.  

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c. + 2 T. granulated sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. kosher salt

3 lg. eggs

¾ c. vegetable oil

¾ c. sour cream

3 T. whole milk

4½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the Streusel:

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

6 T. light brown sugar, packed

3 T. granulated sugar

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 T. (¾ stick) unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

Lightly spray 2 – 9 x 5-inch loaf pans or 2 – 7.5 x 3.5 x 2.75 inch loaf pans* with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper**. Then give the parchment paper a quick spray. Set aside.         

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, veggie oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract together. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Set aside.

For the streusel: Whisk the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Add the cold butter, and mush the butter into the flour mixture with a fork. Or use your fingers to press the butter together with the dry ingredients until well combined. The mixture should be crumbly but stick together when pressed between your fingers.

Layer a fourth of the batter in each pan. Then add a fourth of the streusel to each pan. Add the remaining batter on top and finally, the remaining streusel. Gently swirl the streusel into the batter. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the edges of the bread begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If you use an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature should be at least 190 degrees. 

Remove the pans from oven and quickly, but carefully remove the loaves from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. You can peel the parchment paper off the bottom either when the bread is hot or after the bread has cooled completely.

BTW – if you would like to make this as a coffee cake, use a 9-inch square pan.

*I use Stellar James Martin 1lb. (7.5 x 3.5 x 2.75 inch) Non-Stick Loaf Tin Pans. They are not inexpensive, but they are wonderful pans.

** I don’t use parchment paper along the sides of the pans because parchment paper is recalcitrant. It simply will not form or attach itself to the sides of baking pans. So I always make a bloody mess. The batter ends up going between the sides of the pan and the paper, under the paper, and everywhere else it shouldn’t be! Plus I like the kind of sugary crust that forms along the sides of the bread when it’s just batter against the lightly greased sides of a pan. The bottom is a different story. Sugary batter just adores sticking to the bottom of any kind of pan. So parchment paper on the bottom only makes good sense. But if you are proficient with parchment paper, by all means use it to line your loaf pans. Just don’t tell me. I feel inept enough as it is. Sigh….       

Yah, yah, yah! I know. Another darn bread recipe. But first and foremost, this is my blog. So I get to choose which preparations I plan to develop and then if they work out, which recipes I want to share with all of you. So for those of you who are bread lovers and bakers, please keep reading. Those of you who follow my blog just to keep track of any new trouble I’ve gotten myself into, you may be excused. (I’ve been terribly boring lately, so you will have missed nothing exciting if you read no further.)

But for those of you for whom bread truly is the staff of life, start getting excited. This sourdough ciabatta bread really is easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious. And you get to use more of your sourdough discard. Yea team!

So a couple days ago, I wanted to bake a nice versatile bread to serve with dinner that really didn’t need to be buttered, but most definitely could be dunked into a hearty bowl of soup. And be substantial enough in both flavor and texture to hold its own against all the other flavorful ingredients in the soup. And a bread that was flavorful enough to be enjoyed all by itself. (Not asking too much, right?!) Plus, the shape of the bread was also a consideration. I wanted to be able to dunk the bread, and then be able to get the entire dunked end in my mouth without having to go through multiple napkins to stay presentable throughout the meal. (I tend to be kind of messy, so I have to plan ahead.) So I thought about the lovely flat shape, and nice thin pieces you can cut from a loaf of ciabatta bread.

So when I decided ciabatta was the right bread for the occasion, I knew just what additives I wanted to use. And yes, I have other bread recipes (Rustic Sourdough Bread with Garlic, Rosemary, Black Pepper, and Kalamata Olives and Rosemary Olive Bread) on this site that include rosemary and Kalamata olives. And they too are wonderful. But remember the dunked bread to mouth requirement I mentioned above, well the other two recipes just didn’t quite fill the bill in that regard. Plus I absolutely adore the texture of ciabatta bread.

So having bored you almost senseless with the reasons I chose to prepare this ciabatta bread, let me switch to some scintillating repartee to describe how delicious it is. It is YUM! Enough said.

As always, start thinking about cold weather food (soup, stew, chowder, chili, pot roast, etc.), keep remembering how wonderful home baked bread smells as it’s baking, and how comforting it is to your family members to know that someone who loves them is in the kitchen building food for their sustenance and enjoyment. And as the cook, how good it feels to provide that comfort. Peace and love to all.

¾ c. sourdough starter discard

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

¾ c. lukewarm water

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl and the unbaked dough   

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. granulated garlic

1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 c. Kalamata olives cut in thirds

2½ – 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

flaky or coarse salt

Mix the sourdough starter, yeast, and water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. (However long it takes you to chop the fresh rosemary and cut the Kalamata olives in thirds.)

Add the olive oil, salt, granulated garlic, 2 cups of the flour, chopped rosemary, and sliced olives. Using your dough hook, knead the dough, adding enough more of the flour to make a slightly tacky, smooth, and elastic dough. 

Pour a bit of olive oil along the edge of the mixing bowl. And using a stiff rubber spatula and your hands, form the dough into a ball lightly covered with oil. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Lightly punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured parchment paper lined baking sheet. The baking sheet needs to be large enough to accommodate an approximately 8 x 14-inch rectangle. I use my 13 x 18-inch half sheet cookie pan (also referred to as a jelly roll pan) for this purpose. Pat the dough into a rounded rectangle about 8 x 14-inches. Use additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to both your hands and the parchment paper.     

Cover the formed dough with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise for 60-70  minutes or until slightly puffy.

Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Just before placing in the oven, brush the ciabatta dough liberally with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake the bread for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Then lower the oven temperature to 375 and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the bread is a very light brown and the internal temperature has reached at least 200 degrees. 

Turn off the oven, open the door, and allow bread to stay in the cooling oven for about 30 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container or bag in your refrigerator. This recipe can easily be doubled. Lovely lightly toasted just before serving.   

Yes, I know. Everyone who bakes bread has their favorite recipe for whole wheat bread. But we thought this recipe gave us the whole wheat flavor we love, along with the perfect crumb (chewy but not gummy) that we insist upon. And bottom line. This bread was drop dead easy to build.

The only ingredient you may not be familiar with, is Vital Wheat Gluten.* And I must confess, I have not been using vital wheat gluten as much as I should have been even though I have had a bag of it in my pantry for years. So dear reader, if you plan on baking bread using a variety of flour types, this should be a product you use with regularity. I know I am going to begin using it in any of my bread recipes that I feel could use a protein or gluten boost. Maybe only a tablespoon. But I don’t feel it could hurt in any case.

So about this bread. I’ve already stated that it’s very easy to build. But I also need to let you know that it’s quick too. Two rises of course, but they are both short amounts of time. Especially for a bread that contains all whole wheat flour. Sometimes you can wait hours for whole wheat dough to do its thing. Not this baby. Just a couple short rises and your loaf is in the oven.

So I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. I plan to bake this bread often. Not only is it delicious, I feel less guilty eating a piece of toast made with this high protein content bread than in some of the other breads I produce. (Gotta get me my protein wherever possible.)

So as always, keep eating healthy, keep finding joy in whatever you do, and stay positive. Not always easy in this day and age. But it makes you a much nicer person to be around. (Note to myself. TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE!) Peace and love to all.

1½ c. warm water

1 pkg. or 1 T. active dry yeast 

¼ c. honey

3 T. unsalted butter, softened

3¾ c. whole wheat flour (or more as needed)

2 T. vital wheat gluten* (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

1 tsp. kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil

Place the warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle on the yeast, then add the honey and soft butter. Allow to rest for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.   

Add 2 cups of the flour, the vital wheat gluten, and the salt. Using your dough hook, mix until the ingredients are well combined. Then knead in the rest of the flour (a small amount at a time) until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. (You may need more or less flour than listed.) The dough should be smooth and elastic when it has been sufficiently kneaded. (This takes several minutes.) 

Pour a bit of olive oil along the side of the mixing bowl, and using a stiff spatula and your hands, form the dough into a ball. The dough ball should be lightly but entirely covered in oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. Punch down the dough and shape into a loaf. Place in the prepared pan, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. (Start pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees after 20 minutes.) Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 190 degrees.

Remove from oven, carefully slip the hot bread out of the loaf pan, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Store in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.  

*Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG) is a natural (75-80%) wheat protein. It’s a wonderful additive in bread dough because it’s almost pure gluten. A small amount of VWG goes a long way to improving the elasticity and rise of raw dough and helps create a lovely crumb and chewiness in the final product. Most baking sources recommend about one tablespoon for every 2-3 cups of flour. You can add vital wheat gluten to any bread recipe, but it’s especially effective when baking with flours like whole wheat and rye.  

I love biscuits with my eggs in the morning. There’s just something heavenly about biting into a warm biscuit that has been liberally spread with honey or jam. And because of the sourdough and the bit of whole wheat flour, these biscuits are particularly delicious.

Now sourdough biscuits are never going to be as light as buttermilk biscuits. At least my sourdough biscuits aren’t as light and fluffy. But the flavor is well worth the difference. For me, my favorite biscuit is the one I happen to be eating at the time. And since I happen to have enjoyed one of these biscuits this morning spread with a lovely clover honey and wild huckleberry spread, why would these biscuits not be my favorite? (Well for as long as they last, that is! Or until the next batch of biscuits comes out of the oven.) Anyway, what I am trying to convey, is that these biscuits are really tasty. And ever so easy to make.

Now if you are not as crazy as I am for all things sourdough, I still have you covered. There are two really yummy buttermilk biscuit recipes on this site. So knock yourself out. But if you do love sourdough, give this simple recipe a try.

 I found this recipe on the venisonfordinner.com site. And yes I love venison. But there isn’t a way in hell I could actually shoot a deer. First of all, I would have to own a gun. Which I do not. Then how could I look a deer in the eyes and pull the trigger. I leave that to people who are braver than I am. Or for those, like in New Zealand, who raise deer for the meat. I can enjoy venison then. Or if it’s on a menu. I can do that too. As long as the meat comes wrapped in plastic wrap and is sold at a grocery store, or is presented to me in a restaurant and I don’t have to witness the slaughter, I can conveniently forget that a beautiful animal lost its life so that I could continue to indulge my carnivorous side. (I better stop writing like this or I will have all of us vowing to become vegetarians!) La, la, la – back to biscuits. (BTW – No animals were harmed in the preparation of these biscuits!)

So if you have a sourdough starter that is getting a little long in the tooth, use the discard to build yourself and your family a special breakfast treat. I promise you that you will be happy you did.

So as always, stay healthy, stay happy, and don’t let anyone ever tell you that you are not worthy, important, or necessary, and that your voice has no value. We are all part of the same overall picture regardless of our color, beliefs, etc. And as such, we need to stand up for our rights. We also need to stand up for the rights of the millions who are disenfranchised.  So be bold. Defend yourself, your family, and every other living human being. And the best way I know of to do that is to use your voice. Your voice that speaks kindness, that resonates with love, and that challenges hate, racism, bullying, or any other attribute that is demeaning and cruel.

And luckily for all of us, we have the perfect opportunity coming up to let our voices be heard. November 3^rd will be a historic day. 100 years from now, the annals will record either a positive change for the better, or the further decline of what was previously a working democracy. Not a perfect democracy, or a country with no inherent problems. But still a country where most of its citizens truly espouse equality, and liberty and justice for all.

So before November 3rd rolls around, please VOTE! Give wings to your voice. (But please don’t vote twice. Winning by cheating is just wrong! On so many levels. Plus voting twice is illegal!)

Peace and love to all from Chez Carr

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ c. whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. + 2 T. (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter

¾ c. sourdough starter discard

2 T. plain Greek yogurt

¼ c. whole milk

Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Using your cheese grater, grate butter into the flour. Mix well. (I use a regular table knife to mix the ingredients.)

In a small bowl, whisk the sourdough starter discard, yogurt, and milk together. Add to the flour mixture and let sit for about 20 minutes to “autolyze”. This little bit of time allows the whole wheat flour to properly soak up the liquid “autolyze”  and is particularly useful when working with whole-grain flour because the bran softens as it hydrates, reducing its negative effect on gluten development.

Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured counter, form the dough into a ball, and using your fingers, press the dough into a square or rectangle 1-inch thick.  Cut square biscuits to size of your choice. (I like about 2- inch squares.)

Transfer biscuits to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re nice and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm. Store in an airtight container on your counter.

Note: After the first day, the biscuits are not at their best, but still have a lovely crunch to their crust and fabulous flavor when I toast them whole. I tried splitting them before placing them in my toaster, but that was not one of my better plans. So I don’t recommend that method. Made for a crumbly mess in my toaster. 

I know, another darned sourdough discard bread recipe. But can you really have too many sourdough bread recipes? I don’t think so. But I might be getting close to topping out on ideas for using sourdough discard. Well, except for the delicious Sourdough Discard Whole Wheat Biscuits recipe I’m going to publish in the next couple of days. (I just can’t seem to help myself. I am totally addicted to sourdough.) But about this recipe.

As we were eating breakfast the other morning, Mr. C. commented that this bread made absolutely delicious toast. And at the same time, I was thinking the same thing. No jam or peanut butter required. Just a thin spread of room temperature butter was all that was needed to make a perfect accompaniment to eggs and bacon. And then later that day, I used some of the bread to make croutons. OMG – those were some fine croutons!

But how I had originally planned to serve this bread never happened. I had wanted to make a hearty stew or soup and serve the bread as a way to mop up the gravy or broth. The bread never made it that far. It was gone before I got my act together enough to produce either a soup or a stew. The good part however, is that I have yet another wonderful sourdough discard recipe to share with you. And I have sourdough discard in my refrigerator just living to be used. Life is good. This bread is good.

So as always, feel grateful for the simple things in life. Take pleasure from a lovely sunset, or a beautiful moon rise, or the way seeing a friend, even from a distance can totally lift your spirits. It’s the little things that matter. Not how rich you are, or how powerful you are, or how attractive you are. If you can smell bread baking, you’re lucky. If you have clean water to drink and bathe in, you’re fortunate. If you have the capacity to love others as yourself, then you are truly blessed. Peace and love to all.  

1 c. sourdough starter discard

2/3 c. slightly warm water

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. granulated garlic

⅓ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese

2½ c. bread flour, or more as needed

extra virgin olive oil

Combine the sourdough starter, water, yeast, sugar, salt, rosemary, basil, oregano, granulated garlic, and Parmesan cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and using your dough hook, knead dough until relatively smooth, about 6 minutes. (Most of the dough will form an irregular shaped ball around the bread hook. But there should still be a small amount of dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl.) 

Pour a bit of olive oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a sturdy rubber spatula, roll the dough into a ball totally covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. (Mine took an hour and 15 minutes.)

Lightly flour a surface. Divide dough in half. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. 

Shape each piece of dough into a round ball. Place on baking sheet and cover with greased plastic wrap. (Greased side down.)  Allow to rise 1 hour at room temperature.  

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a light golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. (I used the convection option on my oven for the first 10 minutes.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.

There are just times when you want to build a quick and easy bread that tastes like it came from a bakery. Actually, for me, those times happen almost daily. I always want to not only eat great bread; I want to be able to serve it to my family and friends as well. And this my dear readers is a recipe for truly great bread. And ever so quick and easy to build.

The other evening I decided to fix a soup and bread dinner for our friends Mark and Vicki who are in the final stages of moving out of their old house and into a good friend’s cabin for about 3 weeks before their new home is ready for occupancy. So frazzled, tired, weary, distraught, disgusted, elated, stressed out, and every other universal emotion related to moving, I decided that what our dear friends really (insert your favorite expletive here) needed was some comfort food. And what is more comforting than a big old bowl of soup and freshly baked bread with tons of flavored butter to slather all over each piece. Drastic times call for drastic measures. And comfort food always helps. Well that and one (or two) of Mr. C’s adult beverages. They definitely help smooth out the road. (Wherever that road may lead!)

So along with this delicious bread, I served Italian Meatball Soup with Vegetables and Macaroni.

It’s really a stressful time right now. For everyone. Not just for people making huge changes in their life, like building and moving during the coronavirus! But also for those trying to make ends meet, make certain their family members stay healthy, and keep themselves available and approachable when maybe not always “feeling the love”. But we are cooks. And as cooks, we can prepare food that not only fuels the body, but feeds the soul as well. So this is the perfect time to prepare your family’s favorite dishes. Make popcorn every chance you get. Dunk apple slices in caramel sauce. Serve nachos for dinner. Whatever it takes to help your family feel connected to each other, appreciated, and loved.

And another great way to make sure this happens is to eat together. Sit around your dining room table and converse. Yes converse. (No electric gadgets allowed. This is sacred time!) It’s truly the best way I know of, to take the mental temperature of the people you hold most dear.

So bravo to each and every one of you for all the effort you expend for the benefit of all. As always, peace and love from our home to yours.

1 c. sourdough starter discard

2/3 c. slightly warm water

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. kosher salt

2½ c. bread flour, or more as needed

extra virgin olive oil

Combine the sourdough starter, water, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and using your dough hook, knead dough until relatively smooth, about 6 minutes. (Most of the dough will form an irregular shaped ball around the bread hook. There should still be a bit that clings to the bottom of the bowl.)  

Pour a bit of olive oil in the bowl, and using your hands and a sturdy rubber spatula, roll the dough into a ball totally covered with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature 1-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. (Mine took one hour.)

Lightly flour a surface. Divide dough in thirds.  Shape into rough logs and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Prepare flat baking sheet by spraying with cooking spray and dusting with cornmeal. Or lightly spray a 15 x 13-inch 4 gutter baguette loaf pan and set it on a large baking sheet. (See picture of baguette pan under Thin Sourdough French Baguettes.)

Shape baguettes into long loaves.  Make shallow slashes with a lame or sharp knife.  Place on baking sheet or baguette pan and cover with greased plastic wrap. (Greased side down.)  Allow to rise 1 hour at room temperature.  

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a light golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees. (I used the convection option on my oven for the first 10 minutes.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing. Great served with Herb and Garlic Butter. (See recipe below.)

HERB AND GARLIC BUTTER

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. granulated onion

½ tsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch paprika

Moosh all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with baguette slices.

Can also be used to make garlic bread.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and spread liberally with the butter mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 4-6 minutes or until the bread is crusty around the edges and the butter topping is very hot. Serve either piping hot or at room temperature.

The seasoned butter is also wonderful melted on a grilled steak or slathered on corn on the cob.

BTW – Speaking of corn on the cob. Perfectly cooked corn on the cob. Grilled is wonderful. But for quick, easy, and perfectly cooked corn – bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the ear(s) of corn, bring the water back to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Not less time, not more time. Three minutes. Remove from water and enjoy.