Joshua’s Cream Of Celery Soup

Serves 6– 8

The story behind this soup is that my son (Joshua) and I exchange recipes. He has become quite a healthy and gourmet cook , which always makes a mother proud. He mostly shoots from the hip, meaning he reads recipes, then totally changes them to his liking, creating recipes to a whole level of goodness and healthiness. Make this comforting soup when you want to lose some serious pounds and when you can find fresh celery with heads full of leafy tops at your local market. Put some of those tops in the soup and use the rest to flavor broths, sauces, and stews, and to toss in your salads. With only a few ingredients and very quick to make, this is a perfect RV meal. It makes quite a lot depending on your size of celery you start with, but freezes well.

1 Teaspoon olive oil

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1 Large yellow onion diced

1 pound of  carrots peeled and cut into rounds

1 small russet potato, peeled and diced

1 Large bunch celery, including some of the tops and leaves, chopped, plus a handful of leaves for garnish

1 Heaping Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon (or homemade stock)

1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups water, plus more as needed  ( enough  to cover the veg’s by about an inch)

1/3 Cup  minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 Cup half and half   (optional)

2 Cups diced roasted chicken  (optional)

GARNISH

¼ cup (1 oz/ 30 g) shredded pecorino romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a Dutch oven or soup pot,  over medium heat add the  olive oil . When the olive is sizzling add the onion, cook until slightly browned and caramelized. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the  celery, carrot, and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrot is bright orange, about 15 minutes. Add approximately 2 cups of water, or enough  to cover vegetables by at least an inch .Season with 1 heaping Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon (or 2 cups of homemade stock) and a few grindings of pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.Re move from the heat. Using an immersion blender, or a vitamix , purée the soup until smooth. I prefer the vitamix as it really gets the soup silky smooth. Purée in batches, and return the pureed soup to the pot.  At this point you can add the half and half and chicken pieces (totally optional) . Add more broth as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Its that simple now you are ready to serve – remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

NOTE: This soup is also just as good leaving chunky and not pureeing at all,  super good option also.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with shredded pecorino romano cheese

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Jeff’s Favorite no bake 21 Day Fix Cookies

Valentines is upon us and keeping with our healthy regime, I have decided to make one of  Jeff’s favorite cookies and surprise him for Valentines. The last few times we have stayed with my sister in law (Vicki) she has made these cookies for us and believe me it’s hard to limit yourself, they are just that good and a breeze to make. Happy Valentines to all of my friends, family and all who follow my blogging journey. ♥♥♥

Ingredients

1 Cup Organic Almond Butter or Organic peanut butter (or better yet 1/2 cup of each)

3/4 Cup Organic Honey

1/2 Cup Olive Oil or coconut oilp1000970

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 Cup Chopped nuts (any kind you prefer)

2 1/4 Cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal (not instant)

6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

1/3 Cup unsweetened coconut

Place first three ingredients into a medium saucepan and slowly heat up over low heat, stirring to blend. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients into the saucepan and blend. I use a small cookie scoop or a soup spoon and scoop onto parchment paper that has been placed on a cookie sheet.. Spacing each cookie a little apart. At this point be sure to hide from family, these are very addicting. Place in your freezer and freeze for an hour, now they are ready to eat. After the cookies are frozen I put them in the freezer in snack size baggies to keep me and my cookie loving husband from eating them all.

Makes 24 or more depending on the size of balls you scoop. Lately I have been using my littlest scoop and getting 36 cookies.

Note: I also like to add toasted coconut, little mini chocolate chips, etc the possibilities are endless.

The original recipe is from No Bake-21 Day fix Cookies. I have changed it up a bit and added items we feel make it healthier and more organic, which is very important to us..

CHEERS UNTIL NEXT WEEK THE FEATURED RECIPE IS JOSH’S CREAM OF CELERY SOUP-YUM

Yes, these photos are mine. Good, bad, and let’s be honest, some aren’t even worth stealing. But they’re still mine. My photos may be used on Pinterest or Facebook with a link back to my page. All other uses of my photos are strictly prohibited.
Thank you for visiting and please feel free to leave comments or email me at http://www.justaroundthebendoregon@gmail.comliz-logo-1

RV Style Che Guevara

I dont know about you, but when we pull away from the house and finally get on the road, I like to have as many meals made ahead as possible.  Meals that freeze well and reheat wonderfully. In addition they must be healthy. This RV friendly recipe ticks all of the boxes, plus it makes a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. Che Guevara also makes a quick burrito, taco or a even healthier rice bowl. Often times when we want to go hiking and not spend a lot of time on a  big breakfast, I reheat the Che Guevara in tin foil, place in the oven to reheat and serve a perfectly cooked egg on top- Yum, it’s truly super food. With these simple ingredients you are on your way to hike, bike, fish, or relax around the campfire.  ♥

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Roasting Pan I Use

4 Cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

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Love this roasted corn

1 large onion, diced  (approx. 2 cups)

1 plantain, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (optional)

1 1/2 Cups of brown rice (I use leftover brown rice or Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice already cooked) Best buy is at Costco 

1/2 cups cilantro chopped and divided

1 15 ounce can of organic black beans ( drained and rinsed)

1 1/2 Cups of corn I prefer Trader Joe’s frozen Blackened corn

1 to 1 1/2 Cups of cooked broccoli, cut into tiny pieces eliminating the stems (drained and dried well)

1 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)

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This is a great option

1/2 Cup of your favorite barbeque sauce

1 teaspoon vindaloo (savory spice) or chili powder

salt and pepper (to taste)

Beware this makes a large batch, approximately 6 cups

What’s nice about this recipe is it can all be made in one pan.
Preheat the oven to 400°
Peel the chunked sweet potatoes, adding them into a large roasting pan. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with Vindaloo or chili powder.  Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Spread potatoes  out evenly into one layer – this is important, as you want them to roast, not steam as they will if you have them all on top of each other. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Roast an additional 5 minutes, adding the plantains and onion, continuing roasting until all potatoes and vegetables are  golden and crisp, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Test to make sure the sweet potatoes have softened yet crispy on the outside.  When the roasting is complete, remove from the oven and add all of the remaining ingredients. Stirring gently to mix. Serve with Liz’s Greek Yogurt Topping and sprinkle with the remaining chopped cilantro.

Liz’s Greek Yogurt Topping
1 cup nonfat greek  yogurt , 1 Tablespoon diced fresh cilantro and 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, mix all together and use as a topping.

Che Guevara makes a great burrito , taco or bowl, the possibilities are endless. Also liz-logo-1wonderful with corn or flour tortillas, chips and a nice cold beer..

 

 

 
Next week I am featuring Joshua’s Celery Soup
Disclaimer: The first time I experienced Che Guevara was at a wonderful restaurant in Portland, Oregon named Laughing Planet. Then lucky Bend, Oregon they opened up a Laughing Planet. I was in heaven. My neighbor Jen and I decided we could go home and duplicate this recipe and we believe the above recipe is pretty darn close.  Try  the recipe out and see what you think, its worth it. If you are ever lucky enough to find a laughing plant near you, all of their creations are wonderful .

Palate A Coffee Bar-Bend Oregon

Upon  entering Palate you just feel at home, with help full friendly baristas and a warm fire glowing in the fireplace. Not to mention their amazing coffee in which they use Stumptown Roasted Beans. Ok I am a coffee snob, along with most of our family and to us it really makes a difference. They also have on hand almond, coconut, soy and hemp milks, also important for people with dietary concerns. So put this all together and you have the most delicious and satisfying cup of coffee, made personally for you.

LOCATIONimg_9752
643 NW Colorado Ave
just south of downtown in Bend, Oregon

BEHIND THE BREW
Jason and  Jodi Groteboer of Palate

The comfortable feeling you get as you enter is from the renovating the owners did to this unique 100-year-old building, using pallet boards on the walls and tables, a play on words presented itself. The  coffee bar, Palate, opened in March of 2013.

The most popular drinks Palate serves are americanos and macchiatos, a shot of espresso with a little foamy milk added. Other items offered include teas and “foamy lattes” — Jodi’s term for large cappuccinos — plus a variety of coffee and espresso drinks, local kombucha, beer, baked goods and a daily soup.

“We know coffee,” Jodi Groteboer said. “We try to just focus on that.”

So if you are visiting Bend, Oregon, or lucky enough to live in this paradise like we do, it’s a must stop and well worth your time. As Jeff and I travel the country, we certainly love to find gems like Palate.

Until our next adventure FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND

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SAGE

Bringing you your daily dose of travel and adventure and sometimes some good stuff to eat!!!

Next week back to healthy eating featuring Che Guevara RV Style

Curry Chicken Veggie Soup

Bringing you your daily dose of travel and adventure and sometimes some good stuff to eat!!!

Week # 3

A soup that sports all the colors of a brilliant autumn day, yet full of health and antioxidants. Another figure friendly recipe, that just gets better with time.
Servings: 8 Very generous helpingsp1000908

Ingredients
2 teaspoon organic olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 Tbs curry powder

1 Tablespoon Red Curry paste  ( I prefer  Thai Kitchen)
2 medium sweet potatoes (6  to 8 ounces each), peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
3 medium carrots, sliced or diced
1 small cauliflower, cut or broken into florets or 1 bag of frozen cauliflower
6 cups of  chicken or vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 Cups cubed roasted chicken or turkey (leftover works great)
2 Cups of diced fresh baby spinach leaves

Liz’s Greek Yogurt Topping
1 cup nonfat greek  yogurt , 1 Tablespoon diced fresh cilantro and 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, mix all together and use as a topping for this soup, tacos, burritos, chili, the possibilities are endless.
Directions
Place a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high heat and wait 2 minutes. Add the oil and wait about 30 seconds, then add the onion, curry powder. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and beginning to soften.
Stir in the sweet potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower, making sure they get completely coated with the curried onions, and sauté for another 3 minutes or so.
Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and red curry paste,  bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook gently for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Can add the chicken, if using, at this time. Add the spinach, give it a stir. The spinach will wilt within seconds.
Serve hot and garnish with Liz’s Greek Yogurt Topping

NOTE: I have made this soup many ways, a great backdrop for boneless, skinless chicken breast, leftover roasted chicken or turkey, baked tofu, seared lean steak and  shrimp, also works well on its own keeping it vegetarian.

Until next week Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥liz-logo-1

Next week we are out and about featuring Palate Coffee so please follow us to the next adventure!!!

Turkey, Barley and Mushroom Soup

Bringing you your daily dose of travel and adventure and sometimes some good stuff to eat!!!

This is week # 2.

So how is everyone doing ? Hope you have been trying these heart healthy  RV friendly soups. This healthy soup recipe is chock-full of sturdy root vegetables and whole-grain barley. You can use any combination of dried and fresh mushrooms here. The soup will thicken as it sits on the stove—thin it as needed with more broth or water. Just as tasty omitting the protein. ♥

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, soaked in  2 cups boiling water                 NOTE: soak for 30 minutes or can cover and leave overnight overnight for additional flavor

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion   chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium carrots chopped

8 ounces fresh shiitake or baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, caps coarsely chopped

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

1 Teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 Tablespoon fresh diced thyme

1 Teaspoon lemon pepper

Salt and  Coarsely ground pepper to taste

2 Cups of leftover roasted turkey or chicken (1 inch pieces)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup pearl barleyp1000890
Preparation

Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes or overnight for addition flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve the liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms to remove excess liquid, then dice. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion cook until slightly caramelized, stirring, until very soft, about 4 minutes. Add carrots, all of the fresh mushrooms, salt, and garlic; cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add broth, barley, thyme, the reserved soaking liquid and chopped soaked mushrooms. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the barley is tender, about 50 minutes.  Add roasted turkey or chicken to heat through .About 4 minutes.

Nutrition information
Serving size: 1¼ cups each
Per serving: 241 calories 9 g fat(2 g sat); 4 g fiber; 24 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 44 mcg folate; 38 mg cholesterol; 4 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 3147 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 47 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 401 mg sodium; 611 mg potassium
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (63% daily value)
Carbohydrate Servings: 1½
Exchanges: ½ starch, 2½ vegetable, 1½ lean meat, ½ fat

I adapted this recipe from: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2016. I changed some of the ingredients to lessen the fat and use a leaner type of protein.

Until next week Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥

Next Week:  Curry Chicken Veggie Soup, very addicting and figure friendly

 

Diet and Resolutions Week # 1 Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Here we are again looking at another glorious new year and knowing I have to do something serious to get the holiday weight off!!! Oh I am a life time member of weight watchers who like Oprah falls off of the wagon at any holiday, birthday or just a family event. It doesn’t take much for me to gain 5 pounds between Friday night and Sunday morning.  Pizza, a glass or two of wine and ok creme brulee (my Fav) and I am off to a great start. So here’s the deal, no resolutions this year, just good old common sense. Exercise and heart healthy cooking. So between now and when we can get back out on the road with our RV, I will be sharing Healthy RV cooking recipes that all you RVers out there can easily use on the road and still stay fit. So here we go, since it is winter and here in Bend it’s snowing let’s start week # 1 out with soup. ♥

Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cubed sweet potato ( ½-inch)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
    NOTE: Peppers  can be orange, yellow or green
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder (I used 1 Tablespoon)
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 15-ounce can low-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade chicken stock or (vegetable stock)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 cups cubed cooked chicken ( ½-inch; about 10 ounces) omit for vegetarians
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preparation

  • 25 minutes

  • Ready In 40 minutes

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, sweet potato and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
  2. Add beans and broth (or stock) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in corn; cook 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper. Garnish:  With  a dollop of Liz’s greek yogurt topping, a slice of avocado and a light salad. Yum.
  4. Liz’s Greek Yogurt Topping

    EXTRA GOOD AND HEALTHY: Mix 1 cup of greek 0 percent fat free yogurt with 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 to 2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro , stir well. This is a flavorful topping for soups without the guilt. YUM

Nutrition information
  • Serving size: about 1½ cups
  • Per serving: 324 calories 10 g fat(2 g sat); 8 g fiber; 35 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 29 mcg folate; 48 mg cholesterol; 5 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 8680 IU vitamin A; 24 mg vitamin C; 86 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 570 mg sodium; 793 mg potassium
  • Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (174% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv)
  • Carbohydrate Servings: 2½
  • Exchanges: 1½ starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat
I adapted this recipe from: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2016

Tons of spice, corn and bell pepper give this healthy one-pot chicken chili recipe Southwestern flair. This recipe also works well using your crock pot!!

NOTE: Substituting the vegetable stock and omitting the chicken does  not affect the quality and yumminess of this soup, I just add additional vegetables. p1000864I love this roasted corn from Trader Joes , healthy with extra flavor.

Please check back next Friday for  Week # 2 featuring: Mushroom Soup

Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥

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Savory Herbed Roasted Potatoes

These lemon-herb roasted potatoes have become one of our favorite side dishes. Made with olive oil, herbs and chicken broth, it doesn’t get simpler and so tasty. Roasted potatoes are usually loaded with a lot of butter and unnecessary hidden calories. You will be surprised how wonderful these taste and simple to make, with only 15 mins active time!
Ingredients

4 to 6 medium size yukon gold potatoes (Organic)
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup chicken broth, I use Better Than Bouillon (Organic)
I use 1 tablespoon in 3/4 Cup water, this is what I baste the potatoes with

3 dashes Black pepper, ground

1 lemon for drizzling  (optional)

Salt to taste (really not needed with the chicken broth)

PREP POTATOES:

The whole secret to these is to not cut completely through the potato.

Place potatoes in a casserole with a lid and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs. Pour about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth in the bottom of the casserole, (more broth if you’re using a larger casserole for more potatoes). Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove lid and baste potatoes with broth from the bottom of the casserole ( this is where all of the flavor is). I baste about every 10 minutes or so, as you baste the broth gets thicker as the potatoes brown .If the broth completely is used up you can add a little more as needed. The potatoes are done when they are tender, you will know as they start to fan out more. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes after you have removed the lid. See pictures below.

OPTIONAL:  

Before serving drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice

CHEERS FROM  JUST AROUND THE BEND  ♥

NOTE:  Next recipe from just around the Bend is HAZELNUT CHICKEN, which pairs perfectly with my broccoli quiche recipe and Savory Herbed Roasted Potatoes. 

 

Wallowa Oregon Road Trip

ROAD TRIP FOR JUST AROUND THE BEND

We aren’t used to leaving home without ” Rufus” our home on wheels, but we have super good friends in Enterprise Oregon who invited us to visit for a long weekend. Took us about two minutes to think it over and next thing you know we are on a road headed to Enterprise, Oregon near the majestic  Wallowa’s. It took about 8 hours of driving to reach our destination, but well worth it, beautiful scenery, good roads and plenty of fueling stations along with lots of good coffee stops (super important).♥

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Wallowa Mountains

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Dave and Jen

Dave and Jen are great tour guides, taking us to some of the most beautiful country that remains to this day untouched by man. Below is a picture of a prairie that has never been plowed or planted by man and  where buffalo still roam freely.

Next stop on our tour was the Ferguson Ridge Ski Area. Talk about take you back in time, this is how it should be. Small, quaint and well maintained. The people here all know each other and meeting at the ski lift is a family event. It even has a very interesting art piece as you enter the ski area. Open Saturday and Sundays, $20.00 for an adult and $10.00 for under 15 years of age. WOW what a deal.

Most of the people that live in this tight knitted countryside are cattle or hay farmers.On this day we ran into a woman herding cattle right down the middle of the roadway on a four wheeler and beside her in an infant seat was her baby.The cattle you see are very specially raised on all natural pasture, no antibiotics and Organic all of the way.  I was ready to move to Enterprise.

It was time for coffee, right!  And maybe a bite to eat.So off we headed to The Red Horse Coffee Traders, who roast their own beans in house and it is fabulous. Our friends highly suggested a Quinoa Bowl, whole size$ 12.00 and half $8.95. We opted for of course the whole bowl and split it, glad we did as it was enormous, but so, so good. Fresh organic ingredients with layers of flavors indescribably delish. If you are ever near Joseph, Oregon look them up you won’t be sorry.

Menu includes: Coffee, Breakfast, Lunch, Breads and Pastries-everything is made with fresh local organic ingredients and  made from scratch in house. Yum

Now that we are stuffed, we needed a walk and our tour guides had another brilliant idea, to walk The Nez Perce Trail. Talk about the most beautiful country, this scenic trail was a easy walk with views of the mountains and  takes you to the beginning of  Wallowa Lake, just spectacular. Good job tour guides. ♥

How do you top all of this off, between the fun stores in Joseph and the amazing places to eat, besides the walking tours, it just doesn’t get better-RIGHT. Well there is always another stop that is one of the best restaurants we have ever eaten at. This will be our 4th time to eat here and reservations must be made, believe me make reservations weeks before you plan to visit.

Vali’s Alpine Restaurant, 59811 Wallowa Lake Hwy, Joseph, Oregon 97846. A wonderful family restaurant, featuring one entree a night including Hungarian classics like

 Chicken Paprikas and Kettle Goulash with Fry Bread (lángos).  You can still get Schnitzel on Sundays and hot fresh homemade doughnuts on the weekends!  Not to mention their amazing desserts all made in house, from scratch with fresh organic ingredients. Needless to say we had another  fabulous dinner and a truly special time with our best friends ever.

Sad to say we must return to Bend, with of course heavy hearts at saying until next time. Dave and Jen  have been so much fun and catching up on old times was healing for especially Jen and I. So goodbye my friends, until our next adventure.

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FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND (LIZ) ♥

Sour Dough Pancakes

Bringing you your daily dose of travel and adventure and sometimes some good stuff to eat!! Hope You Enjoy ♥

Making sourdough pancakes is not instant, pour ingredients you can’t pronounce out of a box and in 5 minutes everyone is fed. Its a little work and planning but well worth it in every step and a healthier option for sure. In our family it’s a tradition, like driving through a tunnel, you always  honk your horn-Right, doesn’t everyone? Another family tradition  is when anyone comes to Bend, Oregon to visit us, we make homemade cinnamon rolls. Everyone expects them especially my son in law Dan as it has become a tradition. So keeping my sourdough starter alive for many years so I can create The Best pancakes ever is a huge TRADITION. Besides the healthy and yummy sourdough breads I make with this simple starter. So if you brave it and decide to make your own Sourdough starter the directions are below the pancakes, you won’t be sorry, it’s worth it.

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

The night before prepare sponge mixture

1. Sponge: : Warm water 85 degrees, evaporated milk, starter and flour in a large glass               bowl, mix well . Cover sponge mixture with plastic wrap and leave on counter   overnight            .

1 Cup Water, warm
1 Cup Evaporated Milk1/2 Cup Sour Dough Starter
1 Cup Flour  (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill)    www.bobsredmill.com

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Sponge

2. Next morning: add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Get your grill out and make        pancakes.

2 Large Eggs
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Yield: 8  Large servings, 24 pancakes using a 1/4 cup scoop

Notes: Can add to pancake mixture 1/2 to 1 cups of blueberries. Very Yummy-E.

Adapted From the Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 131 Calories; 4g Fat (26.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 373 mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

How To Make Your Own Sourdough Starter

Makes 4 cups

What You Need

Ingredients
All-purpose flour (or a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flour)
Water, preferably filtered

Equipment
2-quart glass or plastic container (not metal)
Scale (highly recommended) or measuring cups
Mixing spoon
Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel

Instructions

Making sourdough starter takes about 5 days. Each day you “feed” the starter with equal amounts of fresh flour and water. As the wild yeast grows stronger, the starter will become more frothy and sour-smelling. On average, this process takes about 5 days, but it can take longer depending on the conditions in your kitchen. As long as you see bubbles and sings of yeast activity, continue feeding it regularly. If you see zero signs of bubbles after three days, take a look at the Troubleshooting section below.

Day 1: Make the Initial Starter

4 ounces (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) water

Weigh the flour and water, and combine them in the container. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or the or with a clean kitchen towel secured with a rubber band

Put the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.

Day 2: Feed the Starter

4 ounces (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) water

Take down your starter and give it a look. You may see a few small bubbles here and there. This is good! The bubbles mean that wild yeast have started making themselves at home in your starter. They will eat the sugars in the the flour and release carbon dioxide (the bubbles) and alcohol. They will also increase the acidity of the mixture, which helps fend off any bad bacterias. At this point, the starter should smell fresh, mildly sweet, and yeasty.

If you don’t see any bubbles yet, don’t panic — depending on the conditions in your kitchen, the average room temperature, and other factors, your starter might just be slow to get going.

Weigh the flour and water for today, and combine them in the container. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or with a clean kitchen towel secured with a rubber band. Put the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.

Day 3: Feed the Starter

4 ounces (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) water

Check your starter. By now, the surface of your starter should look dotted with bubbles and your starter should look visibly larger in volume. If you stir the starter, it will still feel thick and batter-like, but you’ll hear bubbles popping. It should also start smelling a little sour and musty.

Again, if your starter doesn’t look quite like mine in the photo, don’t worry. Give it a few more days. My starter happened to be particularly vigorous!

Weigh the flour and water for today, and combine them in the container. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or with a clean kitchen towel secured with a rubber band. Put the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.

Day 4: Feed the Starter

4 ounces (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) water

Check your starter. By now, the starter should be looking very bubbly with large and small bubbles, and it will have doubled in volume. If you stir the starter, it will feel looser than yesterday and honeycombed with bubbles. It should also be smelling quite sour and pungent. You can taste a little too! It should taste sour and somewhat vinegary.

When I made my starter here, I didn’t notice much visual change from Day 3 to Day 4, but could tell things had progress by the looseness of the starter and the sourness of the aroma.

Weigh the flour and water for today, and combine them in the container. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or with a clean kitchen towel secured with a rubber band. Put the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.

Day 5: Starter is Ready to Use

Check your starter. It should have doubled in bulk since yesterday. By now, the starter should also be looking very bubbly — even frothy. If you stir the starter, it will feel looser than yesterday and be completely webbed with bubbles. It should also be smelling quite sour and pungent. You can taste a little too! It should taste even more sour and vinegary.

If everything is looking, smelling, and tasting good, you can consider your starter ripe and ready to use! If your starter is lagging behind a bit, continue on with the Day 5 and Beyond instructions.

Day 5 and Beyond: Maintaining Your Starter

4 ounces (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) water

Once your starter is ripe (or even if it’s not quite ripe yet), you no longer need to bulk it up. To maintain the starter, discard (or use) about half of the starter and then “feed” it with new flour and water: weigh the flour and water, and combine them in the container with the starter. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter.

If you’re using the starter within the next few days, leave it out on the counter and continue discarding half and “feeding” it daily. If it will be longer before you use your starter, cover it tightly and place it in the fridge. Remember to take it out and feed it at least once a week — I also usually let the starter sit out overnight to give the yeast time to recuperate before putting it back in the fridge.

How to Reduce the Amount of Starter:

Maybe you don’t need all the starter we’ve made here on an ongoing basis. That’s fine! Discard half the starter as usual, but feed it with half the amount of flour and water. Continue until you have whatever amount of starter works for your baking habits.

How to Take a Long Break from Your Starter:

If you’re taking a break from baking, but want to keep your starter, you can do two things:

  1. Make a Thick Starter: Feed your starter double the amount of flour to make a thicker dough-like starter. This thicker batter will maintain the yeast better over long periods of inactivity in the fridge.
  2. Dry the Starter: Smear your starter on a Silpat and let it dry. Once completely dry, break it into flakes and store it in an airtight container. Dried sourdough can be stored for months. To re-start it, dissolve a 1/4 cup of the flakes in 4 ounces of water, and stir in 4 ounces of flour. Continue feeding the starter until it is active again.
  3. Adapted from The Kitchn

Let it sit out for a few hours, covered, to become active before using in your baking.  Do not place your sourdough starter in an airtight container!  As a general rule of thumb, the amount you feed your sourdough starter depends on how much starter you have.  When practical, you want to approximately double the amount of starter you have each time you feed it.

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