Today we have a recipe for the little chefs who usually just love to eat dessert, now they get to make it before they can enjoy it! If you have a chance go on to http://www.surlatable.com they have great recipes and virtual classes you can take to make some great meals or desserts for adults and kids not too bad on price:

Ingredients

Pudding:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk, divided
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups crumbled chocolate cookies, divided, such as Oreos or Nabisco
• Famous Chocolate Wafers

Toppings:

• Candy rocks (optional)
• Gummy worms
• 6 mint sprigs
• 6 edible flowers such as dandelions, nasturtiums or mini roses(optional)

Directions:

To a medium saucepan, add the sugar and cornstarch and whisk to combine. Add the milk salt and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk gently and often until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, about 6 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the pudding to a medium mixing bowl and set over a second larger bowl filled with ice water. With a silicone spatula, stir the pudding over the ice bath until it is cool to the touch. Press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface of the pudding and transfer to the refrigerator until it is cold, about 1 hour.

To a large mixing bowl, add the cream and whisk until soft peaks form. Using a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chilled chocolate pudding, carefully so as to not deflate the cream. Fold ½ cup of the crumbled chocolate cookies into the pudding mixture.

To assemble the dirt cups: Fill 6, 8-9 oz clear plastic cups or glass cups approximately ¾ full, leaving 1 inch of space at the top of the cup. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the crumbled cookies on the top of each cup. Push several gummy worms, half in and half out of the pudding. Arrange several candy rocks on top of the crumbled cookies. Push a mint sprig and a flower into the crumbled cookies. Serve immediately.

Sourdough.sisters has a new recipe sourdough recipe to share and it’s a twofer! Lemon poppyseed sourdough bread made with fresh lemons and if you have a tree at home even better. And if you are not a poppyseed fan you can easily make a sourdough coffecake instead see addtional recipe below:

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cups of sugar

1/2 cups of oil (sunflower or grape seed)

2 eggs

4 tsp. of fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. Lemon zest

1/2 cups (125g) of fed sourdough starter

3/4 cups of milk (rice, almond, coconut)

2 tbs. of poppy seeds @shiloh_farms_foods

ICING

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

2-3 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and mix wet ingredients in another. Fill bread loaf pan 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. You can also bake in mini loaf pans but decrease bake time to 25-35 minutes. Let cool completely then frost.

Sourdough Coffee Cake – This sourdough coffee cake is just a modified version of my lemon poppyseed bread. Simply switched out the lemon juice, lemon zest, and poppy seeds and used 2 tsp. of cinnamon. Then layer the batter with brown sugar and sprinkles brown sugar on the top. And enjoy whichever of the two breads you prefer!

Who doesn’t love a brownie as a snack, my vegan friends if they can’t eat it!!! So here you go http://www.loveandlemons.com made one special for you. Feel free to customize with nuts or even shredded coconut:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
5 tablespoons water
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
⅔ cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup vegan dark chocolate chips, reserve some for topping
½ cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F, grease an 8×8-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, stir together the flaxseed and water and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla, and the flaxseed mixture. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and use a spatula to fold the mixture together, until moistened. It will be extremely dry and crumbly but will come together in the next step where it’ll be pressed into the pan. This mixture is very different from traditional brownies where a wet batter is pourable.
Transfer the crumbly mixture to the prepared pan and use your fingertips to press it into an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top and gently press into the dough. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

As the days start to warm up those outdoor barbeques are just around the corner, and what comes after barbeques leftovers yum! Steak, chicken, or shrimp now matter what you grill always left some for making a great salad for lunch the next day. This is a great recipe from http://www.howsweeteats.com for a chicken, bacon, and avocado salad and if you need more step by step video link below:

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 6 cups spring greens and/or butter lettuce
• 1 bunch watercress
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large avocado, thinly sliced

ROSEMARY VINAIGRETTE 

• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until it’s crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cover with the rosemary. In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until golden and crisp on both sides, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and let sit for a moment while you assemble the salad, then slice it.
• Toss the greens with the watercress and the tomatoes. Top with the sliced chicken, the bacon and the avocado. Drizzle with the rosemary vinaigrette!

ROSEMARY VINAIGRETTE

• Whisk together the mustard, oil and vinegar. Whisk in the rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper.

When I first heard using sourdough starter for other recipes aside from sourdough bread I was abit confused worried things would just taste like sourdough? To my surprise not the case at all, so here are a few dessert recipes to start out with from our friends at http://www.culturesforhealth.com:

https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/sourdough-recipes/sourdough-brownies/

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup butter or coconut oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups fresh sourdough starter

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Pour in hot water and combine thoroughly.
2. Stir in baking soda until the mixture is foamy. Set aside and cool until lukewarm. (It is important the mixture not be too hot.)
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add eggs and mix well; add vanilla, chocolate mixture, and nuts.
5. Gently add flour and salt.
6. Add the sourdough starter. Mix to just combine; do not over-mix.
7. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Let rise in a warm spot (70°-85°F) for approximately 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake brownies 35-40 minutes. Cool and serve.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cdiced apples (preferably a firm variety such as granny smith)
• 1 cup sourdough starter
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1-2 cups coconut oil, sunflower oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Place diced apples in a large bowl. Pour in sourdough starter slowly, mixing it into the diced apples as you go. The starter should envelop the apples but still remain thick. If this hasn’t yet been achieved, add a bit more sourdough starter.
2. Sprinkle in salt, cinnamon, and baking soda, and mix to combine. Allow mixture to rise a bit while heating the fat in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Gently drop large tablespoons of batter into fat. Fry for approximately 3 minutes per side until golden. Flip and fry another 3 minutes or until golden.
4. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey or maple syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup apple butter recipe below
• 1/2 cup fresh, whole milk or non-dairy alternative
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 egg or flaxseed
• 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1-1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

1. Line 12 to 14 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix sourdough starter, apple butter, and milk in a large bowl. Stir in honey, egg, and melted butter.
3. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Pour over sourdough mixture and stir just until blended. Fold in chopped nuts. Do not over-mix.
4. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes, until tops are firm and golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
5. Serve warm with butter and additional apple butter for spreading. These are best served the same day they are made, but they freeze well for longer storage.

LACTO-FERMENTED DRIED-APPLE BUTTER

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dried apples
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 cup whey or water kefir
• 1/2 cup raw honey

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat, cook apples in enough water to cover until they are soft. When they have cooked sufficiently, drain and cool.
2. Process cooled apples in a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients, until smooth.
3. Pour apple butter into glass jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
4. Cover the jar with a tight lid, airlock lid, or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
5. Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) until desired flavor is achieved, about 1-2 days.
6. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure.
7. Once the apple butter is finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to cold storage.

French baguette anyone, it goes great with everything cheese, cold cuts, all types of spread and of course who doesn’t love a french baguette pizza! Lucky for everyone there are so many good recipes out there to try just check which you prefer to use yeast or sourdough starter? And of course making your own baguette means you can customize as well which is always a plus. We have two recipes here simple sourdough baguette and a yeast french baguette try them out:

Ingredients:

• 500 g all purpose flour King Arthur brand is recommended about 3 1/2 cups
• 360 g water about 1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp
• 10 g salt about 2 tsp
• 3 g instant yeast about 1 tsp; also known as Quick Rise or Rapid Rise yeast
• 25 g honey about 1 Tbsp

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Over a period of 1 1/2 hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, flipping the dough upside down after each set.
3. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight for about 12-14 hours.
4. Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
5. Starting preheating the oven to 500F, with a baking stone positioned in the upper half the oven and a bread pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
6. Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold into a cylinder, sealing the seams. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them to desired length, about 14-15 inches.
7. Place on a lightly floured couche, seam side up. Cover and proof at a room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has sufficiently proofed.
8. Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper, seam side down and dust off excess flour. Using a bread lame, a sharp knife or a razor blade, make 3 scores on each baguette. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts.
9. Open the oven, taking caution not to get burned by steam, and slide the baguettes off onto the baking stone. Close the oven and reduce temperature to 475F. Bake for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the water pan, rotate the baguettes, drop the temperature to 450F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Sprinkle just a couple of tablespoons of flour onto a work surface and knead the dough slightly. It should be a little sticky; avoid adding too much flour to it while kneading.
3. Form the dough into a ball and cut in half. Form each half into a long baguette shape. Place the formed baguettes onto a baguette pan or a greased cookie sheet.
4. Cover lightly with a damp towel and let rise until double in size in a warm place, 3-6 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake baguettes 15 minutes, or until golden-brown.
6. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes and serve.

Addtional Ingredients:

Herbs

Olives

Oven Roasted Garlic

Sundried Tomatoes

Cheese

Hello all you biscotti lovers here are two more recipes to have enough choices for coffee dates at home! And of course we have recipes from Martha so we can’t go wrong. Also don’t forget if you want to make the recipe vegan swap out eggs for flaxseeds and chocolate needs to be vegan friendly:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cayenne, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add bittersweet chocolate and beat until combined.
2. Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Form each half into a 2 1/2-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-tall log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack, 20 minutes.
3. With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Almond Biscotti

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add almonds and beat until combined.
2. Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Form each half into a 2 1/2-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-tall log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack, 20 minutes.
3. With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.