Food and Recipes
Simmering Stove Top Potpourri
To create a delightful stove top potpourri that fills your home with a warm holiday ambiance, gather a few simple ingredients.
Start with a saucepan filled with water, then add a handful of fresh cranberries, a sliced orange, and a few cinnamon sticks.
For an extra festive touch, toss in some cloves and a splash of vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing the fragrant steam to waft through your space.
Keep an eye on the water level, adding more as needed to prevent it from drying out. This potpourri not only fills the air with inviting scents but also creates a cozy atmosphere, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Enjoy the soothing aromas as they embrace your home and enhance your celebrations.
Savory Tomato Soup
paired with
Golden Grilled Cheese
SAVORY TOMOTO SOUP
Start by dicing one onion and two cloves of garlic.
Sauté them in olive oil until softened.
Add four cups of diced tomatoes (fresh or canned), a cup of vegetable broth, and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Even cooking with a dutch oven.
Simmer for 20 minutes, then blend until smooth.
This delightful recipe brings together the rich, tangy flavors of homemade tomato soup, simmered to perfection with fresh herbs and spices, and pairs it seamlessly with a crispy, melty grilled cheese sandwich.
Each spoonful of the velvety soup complements the warm, gooey cheese and buttery toast of the sandwich, creating a harmonious balance that warms the soul. Whether it’s a chilly day or you’re simply craving a nostalgic meal, this duo is sure to satisfy your taste buds and evoke fond memories.
Get ready to dive into a bowl of happiness and elevate your lunch or dinner with this timeless classic!
GOLDEN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
Heat a skillet and butter two slices of bread.
Place cheese between the slices and grill until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Serve the hot tomato soup in bowls, garnished with fresh basil, alongside the crispy grilled cheese sandwiches for a delightful meal. Level up the experience with a panini
Enjoy this classic combination that warms the heart and satisfies the palate!
SOURDOUGH BREAD
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own sourdough bread at home. The incredible aroma that fills your kitchen, and the reward of making it yourself. There is nothing that tastes better than fresh hot bread with butter. Sourdough bread has benefits that most people didn't realize.
Sourdough is easier to digest. The fermentation process makes nutrients like vitamin B1-B6, folate and minerals like magnesium, iron and zinc. It helps lower glycemic index compared to other breads. No Preservatives. No Additives. It's fun and cost effective
With all of that great news about it, why not start your sourdough adventure today with these essential tools and get baking?!
Ingredients:
100g (about 3/4 cup) whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
100g (about 1/2 cup) water (room temperature, preferably filtered)
Equipment:
A glass jar or bowl
A spoon or spatula
A kitchen scale (for accurate measurements)
Cloth or a loose-fitting lid
Instructions:
Day 1: Start the Starter
In a clean glass jar, mix 100g of whole wheat flour with 100g of water. Stir until there are no dry bits of flour. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter.
Cover the jar loosely with a cloth or lid to allow airflow, and let it sit at room temperature (ideally 70-75°F / 21-24°C) for 24 hours.
Day 2: Feed the Starter
You may see small bubbles forming, indicating fermentation. If not, don’t worry; this process takes time.
Discard about half of the starter mixture (you can throw it away or use it in recipes).
Add 100g of all-purpose flour (or whole wheat) and 100g of water to the remaining mixture. Stir well and cover loosely again. Let it sit for another 24 hours.
Day 3-6: Daily Feedings
Each day, repeat the process: discard half of the starter, then feed with 100g of flour and 100g of water.
Stir well after each feeding, and cover loosely. Bubbles should become more frequent, and the starter should rise and fall in volume after feedings.
Day 7: Ready to Use
After about a week of daily feedings, your starter should be bubbly, active, and have a pleasant sour smell. It should double in size within 4-6 hours after feeding.
At this point, your starter is ready to use in sourdough recipes!
Maintenance:
If baking daily: Continue feeding the starter once a day.
If baking weekly: Store the starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. When you’re ready to bake, take it out, feed it, and allow it to become bubbly before using.
This starter will be your base for sourdough bread, pancakes, and other fermented doughs!
Here's a simple recipe to make your own SOURDOUGH BREAD
starter from scratch:
CLASSIC SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE
Ingredients:
500g (3 1/3 cups) bread flour
300g (1 1/4 cups) water, room temperature
100g (1/2 cup) active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
10g (2 tsp) salt
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g of bread flour and 300g of water. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (this is called autolyse).
2. Add the Starter and Salt:
After the autolyse, add 100g of active sourdough starter and 10g of salt to the dough. Mix by hand or with a dough hook until well combined and the dough starts to become smooth. It will be sticky.
3. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise):
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4-5 hours. Every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, perform a "stretch and fold" (gently stretch one corner of the dough and fold it over itself, repeating on all sides). This helps build structure in the dough.
After the stretch and folds, leave the dough undisturbed for the remainder of the bulk rise.
4. Shape the Dough:
Once the dough has risen, lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out and shape it into a round (boule) or oval (batard). Let it rest for 20 minutes.
After resting, tighten the shape by pulling the dough towards you on the work surface, creating tension on the outer surface.
5. Proof (Second Rise):
Transfer the shaped dough to a proofing basket or bowl lined with a floured cloth, seam-side up. Cover it and let it proof for about 2-4 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate it for 12-24 hours for a slower, cold fermentation.
6. Preheat the Oven:
Place a Dutch oven (or heavy-lidded pot) in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C). Let the Dutch oven heat for at least 30 minutes before baking.
7. Score and Bake:
When ready to bake, carefully turn the dough out onto parchment paper, seam-side down. Score the top with a sharp knife or bread lame (a few shallow cuts).
Carefully transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and reduce the temperature to 450°F (232°C). Bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
8. Cool:
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Enjoy your homemade sourdough bread!
