OK, I’ve baked a lot of bread in the last 50 some years. But I have never, ever baked a loaf of sourdough sandwich bread that compares with this simple recipe I found on the tastesoflizzyt.com site. Easy? OMG! It could not be easier to prepare. Delicious? Truly, could not be better tasting. (I did make a couple of changes, but nothing significant.)

Even the crumb on this bread is perfect. If there hadn’t been a Papa Murphy’s thin crust pizza already in the oven baking away to perfection, we probably would have devoured the whole flaming loaf last evening. (I just had to cut off a piece, spread it with soft butter, and give the bread a taste test. And yes, I cut the piece in half and Mr. C. got to pick which half he wanted.) (And yes, we do buy a “to be baked at home” pizza every once in a while, especially since fear of contracting the coronavirus is preventing us from frequenting fine dining establishments in our area.)

We also do takeout most Friday evenings when our dear friends Mark and Vicki come over to check the progress on their new home that’s being built right next to ours. We remain very adamant about social distancing during their visits however. But truly look forward to our Friday evenings enjoying an adult beverage and eating take out with our good buddies. The fun will really begin when they can actually move into their new digs. (And yes, one of the reasons we do take out is to support the businesses in our community. It might sound corny, but it’s never-the-less a fact.) But back to this bread.

I couldn’t believe how quickly this bread dough came together. And what a beautiful dough this recipe produced. Smooth and silky to the touch and very easy to shape. And I know that sounds strange. But some bread dough just looks and feels better than others. (Perhaps I’ve been making too much bread lately. Or maybe my lack of awareness of how being house bound has actually affected me, and its resulting in my exhibiting undue attention to bread dough pageantry. Regardless, I’m sticking to my original pronouncement. This bread dough is beautiful! And yes I will seek professional help if I become concerned that I’m approaching a bend which I should refrain from going around!)

So if you too find yourself with a sourdough starter that needs to be fed, but don’t relish the idea of discarding the discard, I truly recommend that you bake a loaf of this bread. This luscious loaf is really a thing of beauty and a joy forever. OK, maybe not forever. Maybe not even for a day. But while it lasts, this bread is truly a culinary delight.

As always, peace, love, and understanding to all.

¾ c. slightly warm milk 

1¼ tsp. active dry yeast

1½ tsp. granulated sugar

½ c. sourdough starter discard, room temperature

2 T. vegetable oil, plus more to grease the bowl  

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

2½ – 2¾ c. bread flour, or more as needed (depends on the thickness of your sourdough starter)

cooking spray

Pour the warmed milk into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the sourdough starter, 2 tablespoons veggie oil, salt, baking soda, and 2 cups of the flour.

Using the dough hook, mix the ingredients on medium speed until they are combined. Then set the mixer to medium speed and knead for 4-5 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky to the touch. If you feel the dough is too wet, add additional flour, being careful not to add too much. 

Pour a wee bit of vegetable oil in the bowl, and using your hands, form the dough into a ball lightly coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Form the dough into a loaf shape and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Pat the dough into the corners of the pan and flat on top. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray, (spray side down over the pan), and allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes or so. (Dough should just barely be higher than the rim of the pan.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the internal temperature should read at least 200 degrees.

Remove from oven and turn bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. (Do not be tempted to slice the bread when it is still warm. It will turn to mush.) Store in an airtight container.