Ma's Sourdough starter. The Little House series is perhaps the best chronicle of early pioneer food on the prairie. In the By the shores of Silver Lake, which takes place in the Dakota Territory, Laura Ingalls Wilder tells how Ma made her own sour dough starter. Ma would put some flour and water in a jar and let it stand, uncovered, until it captured yeast from the air and it soured. from this, she would make a sponge that would become the basis for the breads and biscuits and pancake. every few days, she would feed the starter with flour and liquid. Before packaged yeast and factory milled fours were available, these sourdough breads made from a sponge starter were the norm. they required a long rising time and had a spongy chewy texture from the hand-milled grain and natural yeast. today such breads are making a come back as artisan breads. After a century or so the time and labor- intensive everyday breads of the great Plains are back in fashion..
AMISH FRIENDSHIP STARTER
MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS OF STARTER
4 C ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
2 C LUKEWARM WATER
1 PACKAGE ACTIVE YEATS
2 C MILK
2 C SUGAR
Day 1. With a whisk or a wooden spoon mix 2c. flour the luke warm water and yeast thoroughly in a glass or ceramic bowl Let it sit, uncovered, on the kitchen counter: do not refrigerate
Day5. stir the yeast and flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Stir in 1c flour,1 c milk, and 1 c sugar. Stir well. This is called Feeding the starter.
Let mixture sit on counter uncovered. Do not refrigerate
Day 9. Stir mixture and add remaining 1c flour,1 c milk,1 c sugar. Stir Well. Let mixture sit, Uncovered on kitchen counter, Dont refrigerate
Day 12. Ladle 1 cup starter into a container and freeze, freeze for safe keeping( incase you forget to feed your starter and it expires) Ladle the rest of the starter( you should have 7 cups) in a large container with a lid and refrigerate,covered until you wish to use it.
TEN DAYS LATER YOU NEED TO FEED YOUR REFRIGERATED STARTER!
Begin by removing 1 c starter: reserve this cup to use in a recipe or to give to a friend. Add 1/4 c sugar, 1 c flour, 1 c milk to the remaining starter in container. Stir well to blend and return container to refrigerator.(The starter will be ready to use again- as it will reach sourdough point in 4-5 days)
REPEAT STEPS 5 EVERY 10 DAYS
Note: If bacteria takes over the starter and and takes on a pink color and smell offensive ,, throw it out.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Listening to the Wind
Sitting here enjoying my coffee I am listening to the sounds around me. Have you ever just STOPPED and listen to your home? Ok I'll wait while you do. Listen to the noises around you. What do you hear?First right now the fan on my computer kicked on, then the wind is blowing alot, the crackle of the wood stove is a comforting sound. I can sleet bouncing off my window.
The scanner is going with emergency calls, once in awhile the dogs or a cat will run across the floor and i can hear their nails. The battery in the clock is getting low, I can hear the ticking noise. Those are the noises in my home this morning. With all that noise, we dont hear most of it most of the time, it is just there and we pay no attention to it. What about the things or people in your life you just automatically know their there and you pay no attention to? Do you have any of those. I think we all do. Not sure why I am having a mushy day. Just thinking of my family and whats around me I take for granted and shouldnt. There should be nothing in our lives we take for granted. Once you stop appreciating things you dont notice them any more.
Ok enough deep thoughts.
Today will be a inside working day. The sleet and rain out and wind blowing means wont be spending much time outside. Only long enough to do chores.
Good day for some sewing and crocheting my the fire something homey feeling. Started a new afghan the other night tried crocheting last night , I thin I got 2 rows before I was lights out.
This is going to be using just left over yarns up , I have a big bag my momma gave me, I love making scrap afghans with no pattern or suggested colors, I let God decided how it will look.
I probably will move my rocking chair over next to the wood stove and just sit and relax and crochet today, do a little laundry and hang that up over the stove and put on Sunday dinner, roast in the roasting pan and that can cook on the stove also. I am thinking before all this i am going to make some starter. Starter is Amish friendship bread starter i use for alot of things. I will post the recipe as one of todays recipes. I have been trying to sit and figure what I am going to grow this yr in the garden that will yield the most of what we use alot of and ole fashion down home cooking stuff we can gain from it. I know we go thru alot of beans , whether I bake them or in chili which is one of Robbies favorites, so Vt cranberry beans or dried beans will be a big thing, we use alot of corn,and string beans, onions and potatoes. I want to make all our own spaghetti sauce this yr also, tomatoes will be a top ten also. Being able to see my lawn this week has gotten me into the planting mood. Ok I know it will be several more months before I can plant but I am going to start seeds this week.
What does your family use alot of, what do you plant? I know one of my daughters has asked this yr for some ole fashion piccalilli and home made pickles. I have alot of work to do to get gardens built and ready for planting. I want to get berries planted also. We are suppose to bury the basement this yr, one to make it warmer in the house and basement and two it will give me more space to have raised beds for gardens. I want so much to grow what we need. Every yr I get a little closer to the home shopping (pantry) and further away from the store shopping. Looking in to canning more an drying more instead of freezing, to be able to cut out the freezer electric bill. I want to be off the grid in 5 yrs. that is my goal. i am tired of paying the light bill and seeing most of my bill be line charges and strand charges and taxes, and see i use very little but and taxes for just having the line to my house. When over half my bill is a tax of some sort, its time for a change.
Well I guess I have ramble here long enough. I will dig up the friendship starter recipe and post that. You all have the most Blessed day possible, stay warm and safe and Never take life or any one in it for granted.
The scanner is going with emergency calls, once in awhile the dogs or a cat will run across the floor and i can hear their nails. The battery in the clock is getting low, I can hear the ticking noise. Those are the noises in my home this morning. With all that noise, we dont hear most of it most of the time, it is just there and we pay no attention to it. What about the things or people in your life you just automatically know their there and you pay no attention to? Do you have any of those. I think we all do. Not sure why I am having a mushy day. Just thinking of my family and whats around me I take for granted and shouldnt. There should be nothing in our lives we take for granted. Once you stop appreciating things you dont notice them any more.
Ok enough deep thoughts.
Today will be a inside working day. The sleet and rain out and wind blowing means wont be spending much time outside. Only long enough to do chores.
Good day for some sewing and crocheting my the fire something homey feeling. Started a new afghan the other night tried crocheting last night , I thin I got 2 rows before I was lights out.
This is going to be using just left over yarns up , I have a big bag my momma gave me, I love making scrap afghans with no pattern or suggested colors, I let God decided how it will look.
I probably will move my rocking chair over next to the wood stove and just sit and relax and crochet today, do a little laundry and hang that up over the stove and put on Sunday dinner, roast in the roasting pan and that can cook on the stove also. I am thinking before all this i am going to make some starter. Starter is Amish friendship bread starter i use for alot of things. I will post the recipe as one of todays recipes. I have been trying to sit and figure what I am going to grow this yr in the garden that will yield the most of what we use alot of and ole fashion down home cooking stuff we can gain from it. I know we go thru alot of beans , whether I bake them or in chili which is one of Robbies favorites, so Vt cranberry beans or dried beans will be a big thing, we use alot of corn,and string beans, onions and potatoes. I want to make all our own spaghetti sauce this yr also, tomatoes will be a top ten also. Being able to see my lawn this week has gotten me into the planting mood. Ok I know it will be several more months before I can plant but I am going to start seeds this week.
What does your family use alot of, what do you plant? I know one of my daughters has asked this yr for some ole fashion piccalilli and home made pickles. I have alot of work to do to get gardens built and ready for planting. I want to get berries planted also. We are suppose to bury the basement this yr, one to make it warmer in the house and basement and two it will give me more space to have raised beds for gardens. I want so much to grow what we need. Every yr I get a little closer to the home shopping (pantry) and further away from the store shopping. Looking in to canning more an drying more instead of freezing, to be able to cut out the freezer electric bill. I want to be off the grid in 5 yrs. that is my goal. i am tired of paying the light bill and seeing most of my bill be line charges and strand charges and taxes, and see i use very little but and taxes for just having the line to my house. When over half my bill is a tax of some sort, its time for a change.
Well I guess I have ramble here long enough. I will dig up the friendship starter recipe and post that. You all have the most Blessed day possible, stay warm and safe and Never take life or any one in it for granted.
Missing Anthony and all my grandchildren,today is my grammas Birthday
Good morning my dear friends. I am sorry for neglecting my writings. Life has kept me busy for the past few days. My precious grandson has gone back to his moms so I sit here writing with out the wonderful distraction of trying to help me type, or pull things off my desk, chewing on the wrist pad. Simple things that makes up my mornings. I miss them very much. Funny how something so little impacts your life so much. A little tiny bundle that started out at 4 lbs has grown to a wonderful little boy whom every one who meets him adores him. He adds such life and laughter and joy to my house, when he isnt here it seems very empty. I sit and look around at all the toys and clothes, jumpy swing,his play pen and they are empty also. Yup I miss Anthony this morning. He was gone for 3 days and I only got to have him here for 1 before he went back so I didnt get my gramma fix. I thought I was over the need to have a baby around but Anthony has changed that again, My other grandsons the 2 oldest dont come over alot grammas house isnt fun, we dont have alot of the electronic games and dont live close enough to town to walk to a store or hang out with friends. I miss Damion and Derek alot they may not think so but their gramma worries about them and says a prayer daily for them. My Andrew is a cutie, he goes to school, I am hoping this summer maybe he can come over for a few days so him and gramma can spend some time together, I am proud of Andrew and how far he has come in going to school and growing up to be a really good boy. Those are my grandsons I have 4. My granddaughters, First there is Deanna, my special birthday gift 12 yrs ago. She looks so much like her mom, she is beautiful, she is my sewing buddy. Then Miss Audrey and beautiful little girl who is growing up before my eyes, a perfect image her mom and dad. Sweet little lady, gramma makes her prairie dresses, and she loves crafty things.Miss Hailey is a wonderful big girl I should say, she'll tell ya she can do anything and will try. She talks older than her yrs, for a almost 8yr old you can sit and have a conversation with her and she knows what she is talking about, a beautiful young lady, who like to come with me, I need to spend time with Miss Hailey so we can do baking. Then we have Miss Emma who almost made me a another birthday present, she was born 3 days before my birthday almost 5 yrs ago. Tiny and beautiful, she has the most gorgeous long hair and loves all things girlie, she will come to grammas pretty soon since she doesnt go to school yet she can come up any time, we will do crafty stuff. Then comes my Abby, spit fire and full of energy. A tiny little thing with more energy than 6 kids. She can make you laugh so hard you sides hurt, loves to snuggle, Abby will come to grammas also but Emma has to come with her,Abby says so.,Then we have Our Easter surprise almost 2 yrs ago, Miss Faith decided she wanted to share Easter with us, A tiny little bundle when she was born has grown into quite the little girl, she is just starting to come to gramma now and not be scared, she is learning to talk and be independent, she has a beautiful smile and the cutest hair , her mom puts it in pig tails and they stand up, her smile is adorable ,she also missed my birthday by 2 days, I have 3 grand daughter on each side of my birthday and on one it.
I miss and love all my grand children the same. I guess today has gotten to me because I miss my gramma, today is her birthday and thinking about her made me miss my grand children and I just needed to talk about them all and tell them how much I love each and every one of them.
so Damion,Derek,Deanna,Audrey,Andrew,Hailey,Emma,Abby,Faith and last but not least Mr. Anthony, always remember how much gramma loves you. Never doubt i will always be here to listen if you have problems, help you when you need a hand, hug you when your down and love you unconditionally.
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