Sourdough Rye Bread

To make a sourdough bread forget everything you ever learnt about making bread. 

This is a recipe from 5+ different sources and experiments. My aim was to come up with a bread that I remember my grandma used to making. So no other ingredients than flour/salt/water. This is the time we wish we payed more attention, listened better and wrote down all the recipes and especially tips that our grandmas and mom shared with us. 

Ingredients:

250g Stone Ground Organic Whole Grain Rye Flour

250g Stone Ground Whole Grain Wheat Flour

375g (yes, gram not milliliter) water

125 g Sourdough Starter

10g Himalayan salt

1-3 tbsp oil

Direction:

Make your starter.

This can take a couple of days to a week or so. You can also use acquired starter that you got from a friend or family member. I followed this direction ( http://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/rye-sourdough-starter-in-easy-steps/ ) because of the small measurements in case it didn’t work or I mess it up that way I am not throwing away tons of food. It actually happened and I had to restart. For the starter you want a 50-50 ratio of flour to water. For the bread you want a 75% hydration (75% flour to 25% water).

Bread:

1. If your starter is in room temperature, active and alive you don’t need to feed it before your make the bread. If your starter is dormant and kept in the refrigerator take it out at least 6 hours before but the night before is even better. Feed your starter with equal flour and water and leave it at room temperature to wake up and double. 
2. When you have an active starter measure out what you need, add the water, mix it
3. Add the flour and salt and make a dough. This dough will be sticky but give it a couple of minutes and it will be formable. Do NOT add more flour to it! You can also try stirring it instead of kneading. 
4. Oil a glass or ceramic bowl and place your dough in the bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap
   
5. Leave it to rise until it doubles in size which can be 8-12 hours. I left mine overnight. As you can see I even put a towel around my dish to create the warm environment. 
Note: Some recipe says to proof the dough in the refrigerator for 12 hours then form it and leave it at room temperature for 12 hours. I did not do this step for 2 reasons. One: Did not know about it at the time. It was only drawn to my attention after the bread was baked. Two: I do like the idea of putting the dough together the night before and bake it in the morning. If you have the time and patience, certainly try it with proofing.
6. After the 12 hours when you poke your finger into the dough the indentation should stay in the dough for several seconds; this is how you will know that the dough is ready for the next step.
   
7. Preheat your over at 500F with the Dutch Oven (DO), lid included 
8. While the oven is heating up take the dough out on a floured surface. Form it into a round or rectangular loaf, whatever your desire is. 
9. Then cover with the bowl and leave it for about 30-60 minutes to rise again.
   
10.  You can put some oil or cornmeal or flour on the bottom of your DO, I did nothing and my bread did not stick to the dish. Place your dough in the HOT dish. BE CAREFUL not to burn yourself. 
11. Score the top of the dough 
    
12.  Turn heat down to 450F
13. Place bread in the oven with the lid on and bake for 30 minutes
14. Take the lid off and bake another 10-15 minutes. 
15. When bread is nice and brown take it out from the oven and take it out from the DO immediately as well.
16. Cool on cooling rack and store wrapped in a tea towel. 
    
17. Feed your starter to replace what you used up. I actually fed it 100g/100ml immediately after I was done making the dough and then fed it one more time with the same amount the day of baking. This way I have enough starter to use whenever I need to make bread.  
    
    

This bread will not rise as much as regular bread made with commercial yeast. It will be more dense and that will also depend on how much rye flour is used.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

 

Golden Austrian Cauliflower Cream Soup

Serves 4 (I think it can serve 8, it is a lot of soup)

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

1 cup (about 3 stalks) coarsely chopped celery

2 leeks, coarsely chopped 

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

No-salt seasoning to taste

2 cups of carrot juice (we juice the carrots fresh)

4-5 cups of water

½ tsp nutmeg

1 cup raw cashew or ½ cup raw cashew butter

5 cups chopped kale leaves or baby spinach

Directions:

Place all ingredients, except the cashew and kale/spinach, in a pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Steam the kale until tender. If you are using spinach, there is no need to steam it; it will wilt in the hot soup. 

In a food processor or high-powered blender, blend two-thirds of the soup liquid and vegetables with the cashews until smooth and creamy. Return to pot and stir in the steamed kale or raw spinach. 

Calories 354; Protein 13g; Carbonydrates 46g; Total Fat 16.7g; Saturated Fat 3.4g; Sodium 202mg; Fiber 9.1g; Beta-carotene 18,003ug; Vitamin C 102mg; Calcium 176mg; Iron 5.8mg; Folate 233ug; Magnesium 182mg; Zinc 3mg; Selenium 6.8ug

Pork and Sweet Potato Skillet

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork tenderloin, cubed
6 tbsp Tamari
4 tsp Thyme
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of allspice, and cayenne pepper
6 tbsp coconut oil
5 small sweet potato (size of two fists each), peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, diced,
1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Direction:
In a bowl, stir together pork, tamari, thyme, ginger, pepper, allspice, and cayenne pepper, let stand while you peel and prepare potatoes.

In a large skillet, heat oil and add the meat, onion and garlic. Cook pork over medium heat, under cover until very little water left underneath, add 1 cup of water, stir and and cook some more. Add more water until meat is cooked.
In the meantime cook potato in salt water just enough that it is tender but not mushy.

When potato is done combine the two and let is simmer together for 5-10 minutes. Serve Hot.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Portobello, Broccoli, Red-Pepper Melt

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it out. My children refuse to even try mushroom so I was prepared to eat it all alone with my husband, Kalman, but they all surprised me. First time for my 21 year olds, my 14 year old and my 10 year old. 

It is very easy to make and as any new recipe I had to make it my own. Instead of mayonnaise spread I made my own garlic/herb butter and used that on the bread. 


Ingredients:
1 small head of broccoli (I even tried it with asparagus, yum)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 portobello mushroom about 10cm diameter. 
1 red bell pepper
1/2 stick unsalted stick butter at room temperature
1 garlic 
thyme and basil
2 french bread, sliced
250mg or more gouda cheese, cheese

Mix vegetable, broccoli (or asparagus, or both), red bell pepper, mushroom, salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil. Spread in a baking pan with side that is lined with aluminum foil. Place in oven on broil for about 4-6 minutes, mix them once until broccoli start to get charred. 

Place butter in a bowl, add minced garlic, a little basil and a little thyme. Mix it well with a wooden spoon until very creamy. Slice the bread and spread the butter on the slices. Place them on a aluminum foil covered baking sheet. 

Add vegetable mixture with a help of a spoon to each bread slices. Top with a piece of cheese and broil for about 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and starts to get a light brown color. 

Serve hot. Enjoy

Guacamole

Guacamole

I had to figure out a way for my children to eat avocado and Guacamole works perfectly.

Ingredients:
4 avocados
1 small onion
1-2 garlic
12 tbsp Medium Salsa
1 tomato, skin removed
1 lemon's juice
2 Jalapeno peppers (seeds removed)

Directions:
Add ingredients to a food processor. Add avocado and lemon juice last. With the jalapeno pepper I play with, sometimes I remove all seeds and it is a mild dip. Other times I just toss the whole peppers in making a hot dip. Blend until all peppers are chopped.

Serve with corn chips or even veggies sticks.

Breakfast Muffins

Breakfast Muffins

This can be called pretty much anything.
- Rainbow Breakfast
- Rainbow Muffins
- Weird Cupcakes (as my 9 year old called them while baking)
- Egg Muffins

Very easy to make and it is delicious.

Ingredients for 24 muffins:

18 eggs

1 bag of bacon (cut in half)

1 red bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 huge leek or a bunch of green onions

2 handfull of spinach 

salt and pepper to taste. 

Direction:

Chop all ingredients for desired size, mix eggs and add to veggies. 

Grease muffing tin well. Cut the bacon slices in half and place one size into each cup and with a serving spoon measure out the eggs with the veggies. 

 

Bake on 400F for 20 minutes. I did check with a toothpick to make sure the egg is baked. I don't like raw egg. When it was done it looked all puffy as I took it out from the oven it shrank. I guess it is suppose to do that. 

Can be server with cucumber and tomato slices, or fresh bread. Whatever suites you. 

Bon Appetit --- Jó étvágyat!

Dog Liver Treat

Dog Liver Treat

Ingredients:
1 cup flax seed (grind and soaked) note: it will become gooey and gross.
3/4 cup sesame seed soaked
3/4 cup sunflower seed soaked
1/2 pumpkin seed soaked
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepepr
1tsp garlic powder or 1 clove of minced raw garlic
1 egg with shell
1 tomato
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 beet
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 cup chopped liver

After soaking the seeds for 4 to 6 hrs mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Spread the mixture on the pan or if using a dehydrator than on a teflex sheet.
Dehydrate for about 18 hrs or until it is dry.
If using the oven set it on the lowest setting and leave the door ajar. Check the treat every couple of hours.

WARNING: Do not plan to make this in the winter or when you cannot open windows. The liver stinks as it dehydrates.

My dogs love this treat and they can't get enough.