It all starts with...the starter,
...which she brought back with her from Maine and now continues to feed.
(Remember that Astrid and BIL Don made several breads while Astrid was with them in February.)
This was the first bread she made after she came back, beginning to end (as shown on Facebook),
using the wholewheat, rye, corn, spelt mixture she had on hand for the bread machine.
Step by step, she first added the flour to the starter and then mixed it together.
Once mixed, this bread required resting, kneading, rising, resting, kneading, resting, etc.
It's a long process that Astrid actually loves. She finds it therapeutic.
She first had to find a basket-type form on the internet, mailed to her,
which was used to mold the bread as it rose, giving it the ridges.
This was new to us both...the pastry paper, baking it in our dutch oven...
which was too big for our magnetron until she turned it upside down.
OMG! It was to die for, along with the pumpkin, smoked-salmon, broccoli soup that's a favorite!
That was the beginning, from which the bug bit hard and hasn't let up,
lucky for me!
Next, it was sourdough, wholewheat, banana-nut bread, which she has now made twice.
We eat half a slice each evening as a "dessert" with our evening chamomile tea.
(I put "dessert" in quotes because she does NOT add sugar to it.)
Then it was a sourdough, wholewheat, oatmeal, beer bread.
This was not a kneaded bread but fit into a loaf pan.
I like this bread toasted, while Astrid doesn't, which makes it flexible/personal.
Besides with soup, it's great for breakfast....
...and for a Dutch favorite: uitsmijters!
And then, sourdough, wholewheat, oatmeal, raisin-nut muffins!
The recipe only makes 12, so we were stingy to make them last for 6 breakfasts.
Our freezer is small, otherwise we'd double the batch.
However, it's a winner and will be made over and over again, we both agree.
However, it's a winner and will be made over and over again, we both agree.
Lastly, just yesterday Astrid made this sourdough, wholewheat, buttermilk, cornbread,
the perfect complement to the spaghetti dish I made.
Hands down, it's the best cornbread I've ever eaten! It, too, will be made again.
Please note that whenever a recipe calls for sugar, Astrid adds none (something we both agree to).
Also, if the recipe ever calls for all-purpose/white flour, she always uses wholewheat.
If you ask Astrid, she'll gladly admit she's addicted to finding new recipes and trying things out.
She'll also blame it all on Don and Ruth, for when she spent those two weeks with them in February.
She got the bug then and was bitten hard. And I'm the lucky one!
(Am I repeating myself??!!)
(Am I repeating myself??!!)
