Finally...Homemade Bread!

Its the little things in life that make me happy.  Today I finally succeeded in making some bread.  What most of you don't see is all the times that I fail.  I usually just post about the perfection of something that I've made.  Well, now I'm going to be honest with you. 
I've been trying to make bread for a really long time and have never really quite succeeded.  Yes, I know, my husband and other taste-testers have said that they like the bread, but I know them well enough that I can read right through them.  I also know what good bread is supposed to taste like, and I can tell you that mine barely reached edible.  And when i mean edible, I mean that when it comes out of the oven I eat a slice and then can't handle the taste anymore that I give the rest to my chickens.  When i talk about bread making, I'm not talking about white bread that anyone could make in their sleep, I'm talking grinding the wheat berries and making bread. 
Finally, after much research, I did this (inspiration from here):
2 Cups-Whole Wheat Flour
8oz-Whey (from my homemade yogurt)
5oz-water
1/2 tsp. yeast
Warm up the water and whey so its slightly above room temp.  Mix flour, whey, water, and yeast while cleaning up dinner dishes (because it needs to sit around on your counter for about 12 hours)
The next morning, while you're drinking your coffee, add:
1 1/4 Cups-White Bread Flour (I know, I'm cheating a little...but it feels sooo good)
2 1/2 tsp.-Salt
Knead in your kitchen-aid for 5 minutes (I seriously set a timer because I was afraid of developing the gluten too much).  After the 5 minutes, I kneaded it by hand until I felt that the gluten was developed enough (try stretching it out and if it breaks before you can see light through the stretched out part, then you need to knead it some more).
Let it rise for 4-6 hours (I let mine only rise 4 hours).  At this point, I divided it into two.  Gently fold each piece into thirds (like a letter you are folding to put into an envelope).  You'll only need to do this twice (because you don't want to damage the precious gluten).  That's the shape I left it and let it rise for another hour.  At the end of the hour, I started pre-heating my oven with a stone and a pan of water under (to create steam).  So really the final rise was about 1 1/2 hours.  Just before I put it in the oven, I sprayed it with water and cut the top.  I let it cook about 3 minutes at 520F then dropped the temperature to 350F and let it finish for another 25 minutes.  I also transferred it so that the bread cooked on a piece of parchment which was on the stone.  Once it was cooked, I took it out and let it cook on a wire rack. 
This bread was incredible.  It had fluff, flavor, and a fresh taste. It also was amazing with a glass of Sauvignon Blac.

Homemade Wheat Bread and Wine fixes a long day!
(P.S. The wine was not from Wiens)

Things that I'm now learning:
-Its more about the technique than the recipe
-Watch YouTube videos on how to knead
-Don't over-knead your dough
-Cheat, no one will judge you (maybe one day I'll have wheat bread that tastes this good that is 100% wheat and no white flour)
-Use less yeast (yes, I know it takes longer, but its totally worth it)
-Use whey (I'm only saying this because I read on several websites that you can use whey to replace water in baking...I did it and it tasted good)
-Serve this bread with grilled basil shrimp (recipe to come)
-Drink wine!

Homemade Yogurt

                           

I'm coming to realize that I'm a slow learner.  My friend Katie has been making her own yogurt for years and has tried to convince me to give it a try.  Then I watched my sister-in-law, Joli, make yogurt and still wasn't convinced that I could do it.  Blog posts I've read seem complicated too.  Finally a friend from church told me how to make yogurt in 4 steps:
Step 1-Heat milk to 180F
Step 2-Cool to around 100F
Step 3-Add a couple of teaspoons of yogurt

Step 4-Keep at 100F until it turns to yogurt

That's all there is to it!

Now I'll explain how I actually accomplished those 4 steps.

Heat 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of whole milk to between 175-185F
Note: I've heard you can use low fat or non fat but I like
the creamy taste of the whole milk

Allow to cool to 100F (This takes about an hour, so go
water your plants and drink some coffee)

In the meantime, measure out a couple of tsp of
fresh, plain yogurt that has live cultures
(the ratio is 4 C. milk to 1 tsp. of yogurt).  After
you've made yogurt once, you can just start saving
a couple of tsp from one batch to make the next.

Once the milk has cooled, add the yogurt and mix well
(I used a whisk)

Put 100F milk into Crockpot and surround it with
100F water (this is my method for keeping it at 100F
for 8-12 hours, other methods include an oven that
can be set at 100F or a yogurt maker)

Cover with a thick towel to keep in the heat.  This
lasts about 3-4 hours.  When the thermometer says
that the water is below 100F, turn on Crockpot for
just a couple of minutes. SET A TIMER.  I almost
forgot about it and almost killed my yogurt.
Let the yogurt bugs do their thing until you wobble
the milk and it looks like jello (8-12 hours).
         You've just made Homemade Yogurt!

Now you can make your own Greek Yogurt!

Use 4 layers of cheesecloth and cover a colander.  Put a bowl under the colander to catch the whey.  This takes several hours so put it in the fridge during this time.  When the yogurt is the consistency to your liking, save whey and put yogurt in an airtight container. Store both in the fridge.   Rinse out the cheesecloth well and save for your next batch of yogurt.

I like my yogurt really thick so I strain it a lot.  For a half gallon of milk, I usually get about 32oz of thick Greek yogurt and almost 32oz of whey.  Save your whey! I'll post ways you can use it.
Waste not, want not!

Robbie's Crocheted Blanket

Hey Everyone!

I'm back.  I know I've been gone longer than what's acceptable but I know you'll forgive me.  I've been busy cooking up a storm, making drapes for my living room, crocheting a blanket for my nephew who will make his appearance into this world on June 4th.  I've also been working in my garden and hope to post some recipes of what I'm going to do or am doing with my bounty, so stay tuned.

For now, I'll just show you the blanket I crocheted.  I've been working on it for several months now and finished it the day before my sister's shower. 

I did a tiramisu stitch (or what I think is a tiramisu stitch).  It looks fancy and sounds fancy, but is soooo simple.  Then I bordered it with a bobble stitch and threw on a name.  I made my pretty big for a blanket so I used 5 skeins of yarn (but bought 6 since I was alternating colors).  Next time I'll try to make it a little smaller and only use 4.

Basic instructions:
Chain an even number to the length you want it.
For the first row: Skip the first loop, then SC in the next, DC in the next and repeat until the first row is done (you should be ending on a SC)
For the rest of the blanket: Chain one. Skip the first loop (the SC loop from the previous row), then SC and then DC in the next loop (the DC loop of the previous row).  Skip the next loop and then SC and DC in the next one.

If you give yourself enough time, I bet you could do something like this too!

Thai Coconut Soup

I hosted a Girl's Night at my house the other day.  It was a lot of fun.  There was food, movies, nail polish, games, and drinks all ready (ok, mostly ready) when the ladies arrived.  However, the only thing we did was eat the food, drink water (most of the ladies were pregnant) and talk until midnight.  Next time, I won't have anything else planned but just good food as we all ate a lot.
Here is what my sister made for the evening (as I was busy making Cheesy Potato Soup and Dinner Rolls):

Thai Coconut Soup (also known as Tom Ka Gai)
Warning: I've never measured anything in this recipe and my sister and I make it slightly differently.  Use the recipe as a guideline only.
1/2 onion-chopped
1 garlic clove-chopped
1-2 carrots (depending on the size)  
1/2 cup-red bell pepper-chopped
1/2 of an anaheim chili-chopped  
1 chicken breast
some tofu if you'd like extra protein (don't worry, it won't taste like tofu, it will taste like soup)
2-3 cups chicken stock (or just 2-3 cups of water and 3 t. chicken Better than Bouillon )
1 can coconut milk
dime size bunch of rice noodles
some: salt, pepper, lime juice, white sugar or palm sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes if you want it spicier
1/4 bunch of cilantro-chopped


Saute the onions, then add the garlic and chicken (maybe with some salt and pepper).  Cook until the chicken is cooked and then remove the chicken breast and chop it .  Add the carrots, red bell pepper, anaheim chili, and chicken stock. Cooked covered until carrots are semi soft (they'll continue cooking as you finish up the soup so be careful not to overcook them).  In the meantime, use another pot to cook the rice noodles according to package directions (you could also use rice if you didn't have rice noodles).  When the carrots are soft, add the tofu, chopped chicken, coconut milk, and noodles.  Now comes the fun part.  Get a tasting spoon ready and taste often during the seasoning of the soup.  Squeeze some lime, 1 T. sugar, 1 t. soy sauce, 1/8 t. ginger, and red pepper flakes if you dare...taste it.  Oh, and don't forget to throw in the cilantro.  Now, maybe it needs some more lime, maybe some sugar, try a little more soy sauce.  Maybe you need some salt or for a richer taste, throw in a little more chicken better than bouillon.  Taste again! Be creative! Throw some more of whatever is your go-to seasoning for fixing soup.  Taste again.  Eventually it will be just the way you like it and you'll eat the whole pot of soup. That's ok; this soup is pretty healthy.
P.S. This is a gluten free recipe and can easily be made into a vegetarian dish as well.

Kombucha Troubleshooting

Its exciting to see other people have fun with microorganisms.  It makes them change their opinion on how weird I might be sometimes with my own bug fun.  However, whenever starting a new hobby there are always questions that need answering.  There is by no mean quantifiable evidence to support these answers but they work for me and hopefully they will work for you too!

Does Kombucha tea have alcohol in it?
-Sorta.  It usually has under 0.5% so it can be considered "non-alcoholic."  If you brew your kombucha tea at home and cover it with a cloth verses an air tight seal, you should have less than 0.5% of alcohol in your tea.  The SCOBY does produce alcohol, but it then changes that alcohol to a healthy acid.  A while ago, there an issue with some commercial bottles exceeding 0.5% and had to be taken off the shelf. 

What do I do if my Kombucha grows mold?
-THROW IT OUT! I'm sorry. I know that is not what you wanted to hear; the truth hurts.

How do I prevent mold?
-Clean everything with distilled white vinegar (not the dishwasher).  Ferment kombucha tea between 70-85 degrees F.  Add a little extra distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your batch (I do about a 1/2 cup for 4 gallon batch).

Stay tuned on how to flavor your Kombucha tea!

Its Time for SEEDS!!!!

 Its about 2 months until the frost season finishes at my house and I'm determined to start all my own plants from seeds this year for my garden.  The last several attempts have not been quite so successful.  Apparently even if it is really warm outside (like the middle of summer), small seeds don't like it.  They either get too cold at night or get too hot during the day or get too dried out.  Seeds also like the best soil that you have to ofter them (I'm talking top of the line stuff, not the dirt that's out in your yard).  They are fragile little things and get stubborn when they don't get enough nutrients.  This year I will succeed (and I did)!
Note: Seeds have absolutely no problem sown directly in my garden.  However, by the time the frost season ends and I plant the seeds it is two late.

First of all, I actually bought some organic potting soil.  Potting soil is good for when you actually have potted plants since it has more nutrients than garden soil and will keep your plants nice and happy.
Secondly, I've allowed my seeds to take up residence in the house (along with the beer, kombucha, sour dough, and water kefir).  I found the perfect spot for them by a window that gets sun for at least 6 hours every day.
Thirdly, I have a spray bottle of water right next to the tray of plants, which makes it very convenient to keep the seeds well hydrated.

Things you'll need to start your own plants:
-organic potting soil
-spray bottle (for water)
-plastic cups (the cheapest is the best)
-tray
-seeds
-plastic wrap

Fill a tray with plastic cups, cut a couple of slits in the bottom, and label with a permanent marker.

Organic potting soil ready for use

Fill cups with potting soil and lightly pat down the soil

Follow the directions on the seed packets for how deep to plant the seeds

Spray with water (morning and evening) and keep covered with plastic until the seeds sprout

Yay! Nice and moist. 

The seeds are just starting to sprout, so remove the plastic

Continue giving your plants water, a nice warm place to stay, and love and this is what you'll get after about 3 weeks

Currently I have red winter kale, spinach, sage, romaine lettuce, oregano, and butterhead lettuce ready to go in the ground.  I just planted the seeds for parsley, thyme, dill, lavender, basil, roma tomato, mortgage lifter tomato, cherokee purple tomato, orange sun sweet pepper, and greek pepperoncini.  I have rosemary, lemon verbena, thyme, sage, and mint still alive and beautiful in the garden.  This is a good start but I still have many plants to go, such as: more tomato plants, cucumber, more kinds of bell pepper, serrano chili, and anaheim chili (all of which I'll start as seeds), and zucchini, peas, green beans, sugar pie pumpkins, butternut squash, and maybe some strawberries (which I'll plant directly into the ground).

Whoa! I'll be busy this summer with planting and gardening.  Stay tuned for more tips on Liz's bits about plants!

Cheddar Cheese Sour Dough Bread

Forgive me for not having posted anything about sour dough before.  You probably already know that I'm obsessed with it.  I feed it every day and experiment with it often.  I'm still working on it though.  However, I have to share this recipe because it was soooo delicious.

I followed this recipe:
Night before (or 12 hours prior to the next step):
1 1/4 C. unbleached white flour
1 tsp salt (I like kosher salt)
1/2 C. cool water
1 C. sour dough starter (that has been well fed 8-12 hours prior to making bread)
Mix everything together until it is a stiff glob.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area for 12 hours.

In the morning (or after 12 hours), add:
1 1/4 C. warm water
3 1/2 C. unbleached white flour
Knead the dough until it become a nice ball.  If it needs a little more flour to prevent it from sticking to your hands, do so.  Be careful not to use too much flour as your dough will become stiff.  I tend to add a little bit of flour and the switch to oiling my hands so I can work the dough with ease.  Once the dough is kneaded and in a nice ball, place in oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.

After it has risen, flatten dough ball and add:
8oz grated sharp cheddar cheese (the sharpness of the cheese is the perfect match for the sourdough)
a little garlic oil (optional)-I just used a little bit of my favorite garlic garni seasoning 
Roll up dough and shape the way you'd like.  Place on parchment paper or silpat and allow to rise another 1-2 hours.

Here is my loaf ready to bake with a little garlic garni sprinkled on top.

Bake bread in a 425 degree F oven (preheated) for 30-45 min. or until it is golden in color and sounds hollow when thumped.  Recipe yields: 2 loaves (I halved the recipe and made only one).
Enjoy sliced with butter or like I did with jalapeno jelly, muenster cheese, and sliced turkey! YUM!

Time Snapshot:
12 hours
+2 hours for first rise
+2 hours for second rise 
+30-40min bake time
=approx 17 hours (but only about 5 min to prepare each step)

Note: This bread was really good right out of the oven.  However, it became more dense the more it cooled so I'll have to make this again to try and fix that glitch.