Sourdough Biscuits

Today I had way more starter than I needed. That happens when I don't make bread regularly. The problem is that we just don't eat many sandwiches, so I need more ways to use up this excess starter. We ( and by we I really mean I like sweet breakfast over savory) so the pancakes are great for me, but I would have a revolt in the person of dh if we had pancakes every day. Enter these biscuits. I have a great biscuit recipe, but extra great recipes are always welcome. I really didn't expect this to be a great recipe. I was pleasantly surprised. Try it and I think you will be very happy with the results. I fed my starter the night before to get prepared to make these biscuits this morning.

Sourdough Rolled Biscuits

1 cup of starter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of soda
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tablespoons of cooking oil, or melted butter or shortening
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Mix starter and oil. Stir dry ingredients and add to starter and oil. Roll mixture on floured board until 1/2 inch thick. Cut biscuits, let rise for 15 minutes. Bake at 425ºF. for 15 minutes.

Mom's Best Brownies

I try to make a dessert a couple of times a week. It keeps us out of the stores when the dessert cravings hit. I save money...who can go to Walmart and just buy 1 thing? My ingredients are are simple, and purchased on sale where possible. I control what is in my food, and it helps me rotate through my food storage. Enough reasons to try? How about these are the best darn brownies ever! It's not fancy, it doesn't need to be. I don't find the need for icing, but you could of course try the chocolate icing on this blog. These are quick to make and bake during supper, or afternoon snack time.

Mom's Brownies

3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 eggs (2 Tbsp. egg powder and 4 Tbsp. water)
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (any nut will do)

1. Melt the shortening and butter and whisk in the cocoa. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
2. Beat the eggs with water and a pinch of salt until they are foamy. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture, then flour and baking powder. Stir in the walnuts.
3. Grease a 13 * 8 inch baking pan, and pour the batter into it, spreading it evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean. The brownies should still be moist and slightly sticky when they come out the oven, they continue cooking as they cool and will achieve the right texture.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday
Hamburgers, Chips, Moos Shakes (from Everydayfoodstorage.net)

Monday:
Ham and Noodle Casserole

Tuesday:
Spaghetti, corn

Wednesday:
Zuppa Toscana (olive garden copycat), salad, breadsticks

Thursday:
Turkey Pot Pie, Salad

Friday:
Pizza, Salad

Saturday:
Fried Rice, Potstickers, Salad

This week for dessert I made the Lemon cake and will probably make scratch brownies later in the week. They are both so simple and good. The ham casserole recipe was torn up. It was bland so Rachel happily took the leftovers to feed the boys. I'll stick with potato and ham recipes. Neil will be home Saturday, so the menu is for him.

Simple Lemon Cake

I try to bake some kind of dessert at least once a week. It's not usually elaborate, but of course it must be delicious. Since both Neil and Logan love lemon flavors, I try to make something lemon a few times a month. This cake is so good. It's not super sweet, but it is moist, delicious and tender.


Simple Lemon Cake

1/2 cup butter, margarine, or shortening
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Soften butter and cream with sugar, then add lemon rind and eggs. Add flour and milk. Bake for 45 mins in a moderate oven,

After removing from oven, pour the following mixture over the surface and leave to cool in the tin.


1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar.

Put in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over cake.

Menu Plan Monday

Its time to work on my menu again. I am trying to empty out my freezer in preparation of making a large meat purchase. Meals will reflect what is in my freezer therefore I will be making minimal purchases for short term and spend instead a little more for long term storage. We didn't get to all the meals on our menu, so a few will carry forward to this week.

Monday:

Breakfast: Sourdough biscuits
Lunch: Sandwiches, chips
Dinner: Chili Beans and Rice, cornbread, salad

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Hot or cold cereal
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Sticky Chicken (Crockpot), Rice, salad

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Sourdough Coffee Cake
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, corn

Thursday:

Breakfast: eggs, bacon, toast
Lunch: Salad or leftovers
Dinner: Mexican Layered Salad

Friday:

Breakfast: Hot or cold cereal
Lunch: Salad, sandwich or leftovers
Dinner: Logan: Pizza, salad Neil and I Potstickers and Fried Rice, salad

Saturday:

Breakfast: eggs, bacon, grits
Lunch: Salad, sandwich or leftovers
Dinner: Turkey Pot Pie, Salad

Sunday:

Breakfast: Sourdough Pancakes
Lunch: Po-boys, chips, pickles
Dinner: Shredded Beef Tacos (crockpot), Pico de Gallo, Refried Beans

For more great menu planning ideas please go to www.orgjunkie.com.

Note: 10,000 step update--I've met my goal for today already this morning. I took it easy this weekend although I did walk both days...more in the 8000 step range. I'm a half a pound down, so it is working. I've also begun to take my measurements for a more accurate, I hope, picture of what I've lost. I haven't adjusted my diet. I'm still following loosely the Weight Watchers plan.

Sunday Sermon

Every Sunday I take notes on the sermon. I'm always finding papers with those notes in odd places. I thought if I posted them, I'd have a place to refer back to them. I don't have commentary, just snippets of the sermon and passages of interest to me.
This summer the Pastor is doing a series called "Ever Wonder?" It is based on questions the congregation submitted over the last few months.

Today's sermon is "Why did God allow sin into the world?"

Roman's 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin' and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

God did not allow sin into the world man did. God gave Adam and Eve a perfect world. By sinning they made it imperfect. Is it fair that we have to deal with sin? Fairness is not a Biblical value. Fairness would be destroying the world. God gave us choices instead.

"How did God respond to sin?"

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment cam upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross.

"Why do I still struggle with sin after I became a Christian?"

We still live in an imperfect world. Romans 7:7-8--What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me a manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

God gives us aid in the form of the Bible. God's law didn't cause disobedience, it gave disobedience a name.

2Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowlegde of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to obedience of Christ;

Thoughts are not the sin--acting on them does. James 1:13 & 14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God for neither tempteth he any man: vs. 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

God does not tempt anyone. Take those thoughts captive, and call them out. If we don't, they become more powerful.

"Do I just give up?"

Romans 6: 1 & 2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? vs. 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

God gave us

1. Justification

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment cam upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

2. Santification-Process of becoming like Christ-You can tell by the fruits of the person.

Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, vs. 23 Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.

3. Glorification--this happens in Heaven.

Romans 7: 21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. vs. 22 Fo I delight in the law of God after the inward man; vs. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. vs. 24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? vs. 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. So I find this law at work when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. We must do everything in our power to live a life in the spirit.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sourdough Pancakes

I'm just a few weeks into my sourdough journey. I certainly don't know a lot about using sourdough. I'm still researching and learning. When I bought my sourdough, I was still going to be on the road for a week. I put the sourdough in an ice chest and iced it down daily.
When I brought it home, I set it on the counter and let it warm up for about an hour. Then I add 1/4 cup warm water and stirred well. Then I added 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup warm water. I left it on the counter and fed it daily for about a week. I wanted to make extra sourdough for friends and family who wanted it. After a while, though, it just made more sourdough than I could possibly use. On one blog, the blogger said she only kept about 1/2 cup in her fridge. I had way more than that.
We don't eat a lot of sandwiches, so we don't eat a loaf of bread a day. Maybe a half of a loaf, if the boys come for a visit. I read that you need to take some out regularly, to maintain some kind of chemical balance. So, off I went to find other recipes to use the excess sourdough on. I can't bring myself to throw away perfectly good starter, which is what one sourdough site advised.
Last night I begin the process of soaking my grains to make sourdough pancakes. All I can say is wow! Wow! Is this recipe ever delicious! You must try this. This is very food storage friendly if you use powdered eggs like I did.

Sourdough Pancakes

2 cup of sourdough starter
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup milk powder
2 1/2 cups of whole grain flour
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/4 cup of oil, or melted butter
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt

The night before you want to serve this, combine the starter, water, and flour. Make sure that you have plenty of room for this mixture to rise. The next morning, add the rest of the ingredients, and combine well. The thickness, will depend on the hydration of your starter. If you want thinner pancakes you can thin with water (or milk). Drop about 1/4 of a cup of the batter on a lightly oiled hot griddle (over medium to medium-high heat) until the the top is set, and the bottom lightly browned. Flip the pancake and cook until the pancake is lightly browned on the other side.

Sourdough Pancake Variations:

Blueberry Sourdough Pancakes:
Combine 1 cup blueberries dusted with 2 tablespoons sugar; let stand a few minutes. Gently fold blueberries into the batter just before adding the baking soda mixture.

Apple Pancakes:
Grate some tart apples into the batter before adding the baking soda mixture.

Banana Pancakes:
Thinly slice or mash banana into the batter before adding baking soda mixture.
(Chocolate chips would be a great addition to the banana pancakes for the kiddos)

Try these pancakes. Really, you'll thank me. It will become your go-to pancake recipe. I'm off to throw out my old favorite recipe.

10,000 steps a day and Sourdough French Bread

With dd2's wedding looming in 200 days or so, I have been trying to lose weight. I joined Weight Watcher's and lost 20 lbs, but in the last few months the weight has been especially stubborn. Diet alone is not going to get me to goal weight.

Grudgingly, I have put on my sneakers and hit the road. To begin, I bought a pedometer and wore it a couple of days to see how many steps I took in a regular day. Shockingly, it was only about 2000 steps. I had a lot of work to do. In Louisiana, we tend to fight humidity and heat most of the year, so I also had to get up early...6 am. I set the alarm clock and hit the road. 3 laps around my subdivision in the morning and one lap in the evening, along with my regular chores, and I'm up to 12,000 steps. My joints are screaming, but I hope to kick the weight loss in high gear. I'll post results weekly. I'm going for a half a pound a week. Let's face it, I'm a girl who likes to eat. I'm not going to starve myself. Slow and steady weight loss suits me fine.

I'm continuing to experiment with my sourdough, and yesterday I tried Sourdough French Bread. We're having Mexican Corn Chowder tonight, so with a salad and French Bread, I'll have an easy meal tonight.

Sourdough French Bread

Take your sourdough out of the fridge and set it covered on the counter for about an hour to "wake" it up. Add 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour and mix well. It will be lumpy, and that's okay. Cover it and leave it until it starts to bubble.

Measure out 3 cups starter sponge.
2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup warm water
5-6 cups whole wheat flour (or you can use a combination of flours or ap white)
Toss it in the Bread machine on the dough setting. When complete, separate the dough into half. Shape the dough into logs and set on baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Cut slashes in the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size. Bake in a 375 degree oven that has a pan on the shelf below with hot water. My bread baked for 35 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when tapped and be golden brown on top and bottom.

Note: To the leftover starter, add 1 cup warm water and 1 cup flour. Stir, cover and place in fridge. If you don't use it at least once a week, throw out 1/2 cup of starter and add 1/4 cup warm water and 1/4 cup flour.

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfast is usually hot or cold cereal or greek yogurt
Lunch is usually leftovers, salad, chicken tenders, fish sticks, or hot dogs (Oscar Meyer makes great smoked turkey dogs)

Monday: Chili Beans (crockpot), rice, cornbread, salad, cookies
Tuesday: Sticky Chicken, rice, salad, green beans
Wednesday: Spaghetti, corn, salad, sourdough garlic bread
Thursday: Mexican Corn Soup, salad, sopapillas
Friday: Logan-pizza and salad Neil and I-Potstickers, salad, fried rice
Saturday: Ham and Noodle casserole, salad
Sunday: Lunch: Po-Boys, chips
Dinner: Grilled Pork fingers and burgers, potato salad, green salad salad,
pork and beans, garlic bread (sourdough)
Dessert for Sunday is Lemon Bars