So far, so good! Plus a soup recipe!

I just want to give a quick update on my first attempt at sourdough bread from scratch!  I have never made a sourdough bread before, so I am really hoping this works!  Last Friday I mixed up the flour and milk for a milk sour starter.  It needs to sit for a total of 7 - 9 days, with a few mixings in between.  To give you an idea of what has happened in the last few days, here is a picture of the starter.  When I first mixed it, it was very runny and rather like thin pancake batter.  Now, though, it is much thicker, and you can see the bubbles pushing up to the surface.

Yesterday, I needed bread so I decided to try a Whole-Wheat Italian French bread.  That sounds like a contradiction, but it is just a bread from Italy but made in the shape and size of traditional French bread.  It turned out pretty good but not explosion-of-flavors-in-my-mouth amazing.  The reason I am sharing about it, though, is because I tried an old way of 'signing' bread.  You basically just cut out a letter or shape (I used a 'G') out of paper or cardboard and lay it on the top of the loaf right before it goes in the oven and then sift flour over the whole loaf.  Remove the letter and you will have non-floured initial on your bread!  Here's mine:

Finally I wanted to share a wonderful soup recipe!  I just made it up yesterday, because I had some leftover carrots that I was not sure what to do with.  The measurements are not super exact, as I did not measure anything.  So here goes!  It is a lovely appetizer, very healthy, and so simple. Also can be vegan if preferred! Enjoy!

Creamy Orange-Carrot Soup

2 medium - large carrots, peeled and cut into thin slices (the smaller the pieces, the faster it cooks)

1 medium orange

1 cup low-fat milk or coconut milk (coconut milk makes a slightly more exotic flavor and is vegan friendly)

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Garlic salt to taste 

1/2 + rosemary 

1.  Boil about 2 or 2 1/2 cups water (enough to just cover carrots).  Meanwhile, use vegetable peeler to peel just the orange part off of the orange (use a bit less than the whole peel if using regular milk) and cut orange in half.  When water boils, add carrots and orange peel.

2.  Let them boil on medium heat until carrots are quite soft.

3.  Remove from heat and use a stick blender (or pour into regular blender) and blend until totally smooth.  Return to heat and add the milk.  Also squeeze in the juice from one half of the orange and stir.

4.  Add all seasonings, stir, and taste.  Add more seasonings if necessary or desired.

Servings: 2

Tastes wonderful with bread.  

I hope that you all enjoy this recipe as I am very excited about it.  It literally made me want to lick my bowl when I finished it!

It's just sour!

Ok, I've been cracking open my new bread cookbook from my sister, and in the process, I've learned a lot about more complex breads.  I have baked bread much of my life, but I never really learned about using starters such as sourdough and porridge.  For those of you who don't know, a starter is just a bit of the dough that you mix up ahead of time and let it sit to develop a deeper flavor.  For sourdoughs, you often let it sit for a week or more, to get the sour flavor that everyone loves.
So today, I'm officially starting my first sourdough.  I am attempting an Italian whole-grain bread this time.  I just mixed up some flour and milk for a milk sour starter.  I have to let it sit for 3 or 4 days, mix it down, let it sit for 2 or 3 days, mix it down, and finally let it sit for another 1 or 2 days.  Long process, but I have high hopes for the end result!  I think it will be a good exercise  in patience though!
As the process goes along, I'll try to keep you posted on the results!

Sourdough Bread...what nice texture!

As I am still in need of bread for my meals tomorrow, I need to pick another recipe that does not require quite so much time...  I'm looking at a French whole-wheat one that sounds quite lovely!

Just a day, just an ordinary day...

You know those days when the weather is just awful?  As in a day like today... It is raining... And blowing like nothing else... And it is cold.
Well that's how it is today and fortunately it is my day off.
I have a personal policy for my days off.  I must relax.
It sounds simple and rather obvious, but I have discovered that my natural instinct to put off my laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. until my one day off a week.  Then instead of regaining my energy by slowing down, I work extra hard and end up more tired than I was before.

  

So today, my laundry is done, my apartment is clean (enough at least), my groceries are purchased, and I can just... relax.
For today that translates into my spoiling myself by whipping up a killer guacamole (recipe follows), cutting up some fruit (mango, kiwi, and orange), making a hot pot of Earl Grey tea and reading a lovely book.  Later I may or may not be planning on pulling some leftover Christmas cookies out of the freezer...

My book of choice today, happens to be Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables.  I had read the first few chapters at the beginning of December, but had forsaken it when I downloaded The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie.  It is a mystery, of course, and I got hooked by it and could not put it down until I discovered who committed the murder.  Now that I finished it, I am returning to figure out what happens to young Emily Starr.
To sum up this rather random and unorganized post, I'll just say that I am quite thankful for my warm apartment (even though the windows are a bit drafty) and for good food... Cannot complain, as life is good and God is my great King...

Robin's Tasty Guacamole

1 large avocado, medium soft

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1 small tomato

1/2 lime, juiced

1 1/2 tsp. salt (more or less depending on taste preference)

fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 or 2 dashes of cayenne pepper

1)  Cut avocado in half with peel on, and remove pit.  Cut each half into cubes while still in the peel and then scrape the pieces into a medium bowl.  Use a spoon or fork to mash until it reaches desired texture.  I like mine with a few chunks, so I stop mashing it before it becomes totally smooth.  

2)  Dice onion into small pieces and add to avocado.  Mince garlic next and also add to avocado.  

3)  Slice tomato and remove seeds and all middle parts until you just have rings.  Then cut into small pieces and add to bowl with avocado, onion, and garlic.

4)  Add lime juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper and mix well.

5)  Chill for 20 - 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend and intensify.

6)  I like to serve mine with thin, toasted ciabatta slices, as they have a nice flavor that goes well with the guacamole and make a more complete meal for vegetarians.

7)  If you wish to store it, save the avocado pit and put it back in the guacamole to help it from become brown as quickly.

Makes about 1 1/2 to 2 cups guacamole.