Sourdough Starter Help

As I've mentioned, my daughter and I took a class to learn how to make sourdough bread. It's been over a year now and my daughter has gone absolutely crazy for sourdough! She has perfected her recipe and I've changed the ratio's on my sourdough recipe to reflect those changes. 

I haven't made sourdough in several months - 4 or 5 - all the while my starter sat in my fridge. I have heard a million times that you can't kill your starter so I wasn't worried about it - until yesterday when I pulled it out of the fridge.

I poured it all out except for 50 grams. Then I fed it with 100 grams bread flour and 100 grams water. I let it sit overnight and when I woke up - there was absolutely NO PROGRESS!! Yikes!

I googled and researched and I came up with this: pour it all out except 50 grams. Then feed it with 50 grams bread flour and 50 grams warm water. A 1:1:1 ratio. It will take a few days of feeding with that ratio for it to come around again. It needs to be kept at a temperature between 70 - 78 degrees, so I put it in my oven with the oven light on. 

Feed every 12 hours. Keep using the 1:1:1 ratio. Keep on counter - DO NOT PUT BACK IN THE FRIDGE.

SIGNS OF LIFE:
Bubbles throughout (not just on top)
A mild tangy or yeasty smell
Any rise at all, even 25 - 50%

WHEN IT'S READY TO BAKE AGAIN:

Your starter is ready when it DOUBLES in 4 to 6 hours at room temp

Has a domed top that eventually just starts to flatten

smells pleasantly yeasty

WHEN TO WORRY:

Toss if you see: pink/orange streaks, fuzzy mold (green, black, white fuzz) 

Cheesy Potatoes

Years ago, we went to my mom's house for dinner and she served us Utah's famous Funeral Potatoes. My kids had never had them and THEY HATED THEM!

Recently, I wanted to make a special dinner for my son and asked what he wanted. He requested steak, cheesy potatoes and salad. I said "Funeral Potatoes?" he gave me a face and said "no, cheesy potatoes." He described them and again, I said "Funeral Potatoes." He specified - no canned soup, no cereal on the top - all the good stuff. We found the recipe of the EXACT potatoes he wanted and I made them!

WE ALL LOVED THEM! We have steak, some kind of potato and salad almost every Sunday (that's the way my husband and kids like it) so we are potato aficionados - LOL. Sweet Potato Casserole - Pommes Anna - Roasted Potatoes - Mashed Potatoes - Baked Potatoes - Scalloped Potatoes - you get the picture!!

I had to break the original recipe down from a 10 pound batch - and the easiest way to do it was in ounces - so bear with me...

Cheesy Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs shredded hashbrowns
12 oz onions, diced
3 oz butter
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c flour
8 oz sour cream
2-3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c milk
1/2 c heavy cream

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saute pan, add onions, salt and pepper and cook until translucent. Add flour and incorporate - cook for 2 minutes to get rid of the floury taste. Add milk and cream, whisk until smooth. Cook until it starts to thicken.

Remove from heat, add sour cream, mix well. 

In a large bowl, add mixture to potatoes and cheese - stir until incorporated.

Put everything in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Winter Salad

Winter Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce
2-3 asian pears (or apples), diced

Avocado, diced
Pomegranate seeds

Mandarin oranges
Crumbled goat cheese
Candied pecans

Brianna's Blush Vinaigrette Dressing

We've been living on this salad all winter! We have a Spring/Summer version of this as well - we all love it. It's so versatile too - just use what you have on hand! We didn't have avocado today but we had everything else! SO SO GOOD!!

I doubled this recipe and took it to my daughters soon to be in laws for Christmas dinner - it's that good!