Making Bread -- DAY THREE

This is the second chapter and Day Three of my bread-making venture (or perhaps I should I say ADventure?). To read the first chapter, you can click here.

When I checked my starter this morning, I was so happy to see that it was BUBBLING!

We have company, so I don't have much time to elaborate, but I fed the starter this morning and will make my first batch of bread late this afternoon (pictures to follow).

Also, a couple of you have asked for my Sourdough Bread recipe. I have posted the recipes for the "Starter" and the bread below.

I also want to thank you, my sweet blogging friends, for your encouragement and support of whatever I share with you ... from pictures of cows and goats to my latest decorating efforts. Your sweet comments always mean a lot to me.

Sourdough Bread "Starter" Recipe Ingredients: 3/4th Cup Sugar 3 TBSP Instant Potato Flakes 1 Cup Warm Water 1/2 tsp Dry Yeast Instructions: Mix sugar, potato flakes, warm water, and yeast with wooden spoon in one-quart glass jar. Let stand out of refrigerator, loosely covered, for 2 or 3 days, or until it ferments. Store covered in refrigerator. Must be fed every 3-7 days for optimum freshness. Be sure and use wooden, glass, or ceramic bowls instead of metal. SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE STEP ONE: Put initial starter in refrigerator for 3 to 7 days. You must wait at least 3 days before feeding, but not over 7 days. Feed with the following: 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Sugar 3 TBSP Instant Mashed Potato Flakes 1 Cup Warm Water Mix well and add to starter. Let starter stand out of refrigerator (after feeding) 8 to 12 hours. Starter will be very bubbly. Take out one cup to make bread and return remaining starter to refrigerator. Keep in refrigerator 3 to 7 days and feed again. If you are not making bread, you can throw one cup away, but you can only feed the starter 2 or 3 times without making bread. This is to avoid depletion of starter. STEP TWO: In a large bowl, make stiff batter of: 1 Cup Starter 1/3rd Cup Sugar (or less, if too sweet) 1/2 Cup Corn Oil 1-1/2 Cups Warm Water 6 Cups Plain Flour (bread flour is better) 1 TBSP Salt (I use my electric mixer with a dough attachment to mix mine.) Grease another large bowl; put dough in and turn over (oil side up). Cover lightly with foil and let stand overnight. Do not refrigerate. STEP THREE: Next morning, punch down dough and knead 8 to 10 times on a floured board. Divide into 3 equal parts for bread. Put into greased loaf pans, brush lightly with oil. Let rise 4 to 5 hours (or all day is okay). Dough rises very slowly. Cover with wax paper and place in a warm place to rise. STEP FOUR: Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Rolls will only take 20 minutes or so, and each oven varies. Remove and refrigerate bread, or freeze.