Easy No Starter Sourdough Bread

I am a serious lover of sourdough, but don't often make it.  I used to have a starter that I kept up with, but it's been quite a while.  I was intrigued by this recipe that I found for sourdough bread using yogurt instead of starter.  What a perfectly simple way to have a fresh baked loaf of sourdough bread without messing with a starter!  The dough comes together very quickly and is mostly unattended.  This bread takes 18 hours to proof, plus about an additional 2 hours or so for the shaping, final rising, and baking, so plan ahead.

Easy No Starter Sourdough Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened yogurt with live cultures

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, and yogurt until a shaggy dough forms.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for several minutes until smooth. The dough should be slightly tacky, so be careful not to add too much flour.  

Place the dough in a greased bowl, and lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for 18 hours.

After 18 hours, take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball, trying to retain as much of the rise as possible (don't flatten it or press the air bubbles out).  Place the shaped dough on a piece of lightly greased parchment paper and loosely cover with a bowl or plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a lidded french oven, dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot in the oven.  Preheat the oven (and the french oven with lid) to 450F.  When the oven is ready, remove the french oven or pot from the oven and remove the lid.  Lightly dust the top of the dough with a bit of flour.  Use the edges of the parchment as handles, and lift the bread and place it inside the hot french oven or pot.  Put the lid back on and place the bread in the oven.  Let bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  Remove bread from the oven and carefully remove it from the french oven or pot.  Let the bread cool slightly on a cooling rack.  Makes 1 loaf.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Hazelnut Coconut Crunch Ice Cream Cake

I made this ice cream cake for Easter and am only now getting around to posting it, but I figured it should be fine because it'll still be Summer for a while, right?  Usually, I would have made this cake from scratch, but I was visiting my family in Salt Lake City, and we were so busy that making an ice cream cake from scratch was totally stressing me out.  I decided to go half and half, and I got this cake made in one morning.  I'm thinking that I've maybe gone a little overboard with these flavors, but I seriously can't help it.  This cake starts with a box mix (but you're no one would ever guess), and is filled with coconut flavored ice cream and hazelnut crunch and covered with coconut hazelnut chocolate frosting and more hazelnut crunch.   

Hazelnut Coconut Crunch Ice Cream Cake

Cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 box (4 serving size) chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream or plain unsweetened greek yogurt
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Hazelnut Crunch:
2 ounces chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Nutella
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3 cups rice krispies

1/2 gallon Coconut Ice Cream (we used samoas flavored ice cream)

Coconut Hazelnut Chocolate Frosting:
2 cans of Almond Joy Chocolate (or regular chocolate) frosting (or make your own)
1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper (or coffee filters) and lightly grease the papers.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream or yogurt, oil, eggs, and milk.  Mix together for a minute or two, until well blended.  Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the top (the batter will be thick).  Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove cakes from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.  Turn the cakes out of the pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

While the cakes are baking, make the hazelnut crunch.  Melt together the chocolate chips, butter, and Nutella until smooth. Add the hazelnuts, coconut, and rice krispies, and stir until evenly coated.  Pour the mixture onto a waxed paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set.  Break into small chunks.

For the ice cream layer, line a 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap.  Press all of the ice cream evenly into the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to assemble.

For the frosting, in a large bowl, combine the 2 cans of frosting (or about 3 cups of homemade), the Nutella, and the coconut, stirring until combined.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving plate.  Sprinkle with some of the hazelnut crunch.  Place the unwrapped ice cream layer on top, and sprinkle some more of the hazelnut crunch on top.  Place the second cake layer on top of the ice cream layer.  Frost the top and sides with the frosting.  Sprinkle more hazelnut crunch on top.  Makes 16 to 20 servings.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Whole Wheat Banana Oatmeal Raisin Bread

Are you shocked that we have another banana bread recipe already?  Granted, the Banana Coconut Bread didn't last long, but for a banana non-lover, this is kind of much.  However, I did have some extra bananas that were simply refusing to be eaten.  This bread is moist and hearty and delicious.  The banana is totally there, but it is joined by cinnamon and raisins in a whole wheat and oatmeal bread.  

Banana Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3-4 medium bananas)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir until blended and completely combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides of the bread and remove from the pan.  Let cool on a cooling rack.  Makes 1 9x5 inch loaf.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Fruit & Yogurt Salad

During the summer I basically live off of fruit. And yogurt. So this morning I decided to make a combination of the two. It's fresh and has a nice variety of flavors that also compliment each other. The plain yogurt is a nice balance for the natural sweetness of the fruit.

2 C Cherries, sliced in half and pitted
1 Cantaloupe, cubed
6 Nectarines, cubed
1 Pineapple, cubed
1 C Plain Yogurt

Slice all fruit and combine in a large bowl, or two medium bowls. Add yogurt and mix until all fruit is coated. Serve immediately or let it chill in the refrigerator.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty