Sourdough Starter

This is a recipe I've been wanting to try for awhile. My Aunt Marilyn used to make Sourdough pancakes from a "starter" and I remember them being SO GOOD! We usually eat a loaf of sourdough each week. For breakfast toast, sandwich bread, or garlic toast at dinner. In light of today being Earth Day - I thought it a fitting recipe to finally make and post. Making our own sourdough bread will not only be fun and tasty, it will be organic and green too! (No more processed preservatives or plastic bags and ties for our bread!)

Here's the catch - this thing GROWS! And I have to feed it every few days. Which means I'll have to give some of it away. (Otherwise it'll end up down the drain and the whole "Going Green" thing kinda flies out the window!) So who wants some starter? If you live close enough for me to drop it off, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to get you some!

These are some of the recipes I already have bookmarked to try:

1. San Francisco Sourdough
2. Sour Cream Blueberry Sourdough Pancakes 

Ingredients
3 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 1/2 Tablespoons dry active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar.
Let sit until the yeast becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.
(If the yeast does not foam, discard the mixture and begin again with a new yeast.)

Add the flour and stir vigorously to work air into the mixture.
Cover with a towel let rest in a warm, draft-free place for 8 to 12 hours.

(I made my recipe after dinner and then stuck it in the oven with just the pilot light on overnight - about 11 hours)
The mixture should become very bubbly.
Use immediately or cover loosely with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Preserving the Starter: Each time you remove a portion of the starter for a recipe, reserve at least 1/4 cup and replace the amount you have taken out with equal amounts of flour and water. For example, if you remove 1 cup of starter, you must replace it with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water. Whisk these ingredients into the starter until blended but not completely smooth, cover loosely, and return to the refrigerator.

Also, the starter must be maintained by feeding it every few days. Refresh by removing 1 cup of the starter (give to a friend or discard it) and adding 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water. Whisk until blended but not smooth. Cover loosely and return to the refrigerator. The starter dough may smell very sour and liquid may form on its surface, but this is normal. Stir the starter before each use.


CAUTION: Never keep your starter tightly closed! The gasses expelled by the yeast will build up pressure and may cause the container (such as a glass jar) to burst!

Do you have any Sourdough recipes you'd like to share? I'm sure I'm gonna need 'em!