Fridge's Ramen Soup

Ingredients

For broth:

Mushroom broth

Chicken broth

Ham broth

Roasted garlic broth (or minced garlic)

Fresh ginger

Add to broth:

White ends of green onions, sliced (separate the green from the white and save for later)

Tofu, cubed

Put the broth over the following when ready to serve:

Ramen noodles

Brisket (or other meat, if desired), cut into bite-size chunks

To add to individual servings as desired:

Pepper sauce

sliced green part of green onions

Baby bok choy, chopped and sauteed

Bean sprouts

Cilantro

Thai basil 

Water chestnuts (chopped)

Directions

Make the broth:

1. Fill up about 4 liters of water, which is a bit more than a gallon. 
2. Add the following: 2 tablespoons of the mushroom broth, one heaping tablespoon of the better than bouillon chicken broth one heaping teaspoon of the ham broth and one tablespoon of the roasted garlic broth.
3. Add two large chunks (about 1 tablespoon each) of peeled fresh ginger.
4. Cook the broth until it boils and then back it off. You’ll want to taste it. If you need to add more, add it incrementally, starting with a little bit more mushroom broth and then a little bit of the ham base. 

Cook the noodles and add onions/tofu to broth:

1. In a separate pan, boil water. Put the ramen noodles in boiling water and then back off the heat until they are ready. Drain.
2. Remove the ginger chunks from the broth.
3. Slice the green onions, separating the white ends from the green. Put the sliced white onions in the broth, but save the sliced green parts to add when serving.
4. Cube the tofu and put the chunks them in the broth. 

Prepare the meat and the bok choy

1. Take a paper towel and wet it and then ring it out so it’s slightly damp. Then put it over the top and bottom of the sliced brisket. 
2. Warm the brisket in 30 second bursts in the microwave. 
3. Slice the baby bok choy in half lengthwise down the middle and then into quarters. Remove the tough end but keep the vegetable intact. 
4. Sauté the bok choy.

Serve:

1. When meat, broth and noodles are ready, slice the meat and put it into the bowl with the noodles. 
2. Pour the hot broth on top of the meat and noodles. 
3. Add toppings as desired: bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, water chestnuts, additional
4. Take about 3/4 of a teaspoon of the pepper sauce and mix it in with the hot broth. 

Fridge's Notes:

• When I refer to tablespoons and teaspoons, I am talking the ones out of your drawer that you eat with not necessarily the actual ones that you measure. 
• Remember you kind of want to keep in that same proportion for adding more stuff if you need to strengthen the broth, do not just add salt, as that will not get you the taste you want. The majority of the broth should be mushroom, Followed by chicken broth, followed by the garlic broth and followed that by the ham broth, if that makes sense.

Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa

This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredients

1/2 bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup packed) - see Note

1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed (leave seeds for more heat)

1/4 of a medium red onion

1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

2 cans (15 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, well-drained

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Note: No need to measure exactly. Just grab half of a cilantro bunch by the leafy ends and twist off the top part, leaving most of the stems behind. Throw the leafy bunch into the food processor.

Directions

1. Add the cilantro, jalapeno, red onion and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
2. Add the tomatoes, salt and lime juice. Pulse until the salsa reaches desired consistency. 
3. Add additional salt and lime juice to taste, if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Extra liquid can be drained off before serving, if desired.

Rafer Burnham's Honey Wheat Bread

Rafer's original recipe was created for a bread machine. I've modified the directions for making bread by hand or with a KitchenAid.

Ingredients

2 cups very warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 - 1/2 cup honey

3 tablespoons butter

6 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Mix water, sugar and yeast in a bowl to activate yeast.
2. Once yeast is activated, add egg, salt, honey and softened butter.
3. Gradually add about 6 cups of flour.
4. Knead dough for several minutes. (Note from Alec: He finds the bread to be fluffier if he goes straight from kneading to extended rising time in the loaf tins, skipping the usual first rise in the bowl.)
5. Divide into two loaves and put in greased loaf pans.
6. Let rise until dough just about reaches the top of the pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe comes from Delish.

Ingredients

4 thick, bone-in pork chops

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Step 1

Season pork chops all over with salt and pepper.

Step 2

In a shallow dish, mix together flour with garlic powder and chili powder. Coat pork chops in flour, shaking off excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons seasoned flour.

Step 3

In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup oil until shimmering. In batches, cook pork chops until golden, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Wipe out skillet.

Step 4

Reduce heat to medium low, pour in remaining oil, and add onions. Season with more salt and pepper and cook until very soft and slightly caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Add butter and let melt, then sprinkle in reserved flour. Cook until flour is no longer raw, about a minute. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer, until sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Return pork chops to skillet and cook until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. 

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

This recipe comes from Sally's Baking.

Ingredients

1 and 3/4 cups (220g) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), or a mix of both
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (230g) mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas)
1/2 cup (170g) honey (or pure maple syrup)
1/2 cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt; any fat content)
2 Tablespoons (28g) coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80ml) unsweetened almond milk (or your preferred type of milk, dairy or nondairy)
1/2 cup (125g) creamy peanut butter (non-oily natural style is OK)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
optional: 1/2 cup (113g) mini chocolate chips
optional: 1/4 cup (63g) creamy peanut butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, honey, yogurt, coconut oil, egg, and milk together until combined. Then whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Pour in the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined—you can start with a whisk and then switch to a spatula if it becomes too thick to whisk. Try not to over-stir the muffin batter or your muffins will have a tough (not soft) texture. Fold in the mini chocolate chips (if using). The batter will be thick.
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
6. Drizzle muffins with melted peanut butter, if desired.

Golden Milk

I usually make golden milk with soy milk, but that is strictly my taste preference. Use the milk of your choice.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups unsweetened milk of your choice
1 stick cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, more as garnish at the end
2 inches fresh turmeric, sliced or 1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric spice
1 inch fresh ginger, sliced or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, or any other neutral tasting vegetable oil like avocado oil, olive oil (a mildly flavored), etc.
Pinch black pepper

1 tablespoon maple syrup , or honey (more to taste)

Directions

1. Place milk, cinnamon stick, turmeric, ginger, coconut oil, and black pepper in a small saucepan.
2. Cook, stirring frequently, until warm but not boiling.
3. Give it a taste and add in your sweetener.
4. If you used fresh turmeric and ginger, strain it to your cups. If not, divide it in two mugs.
5. If preferred, sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Serve.

Sourdough English Muffins

Another recipe from theclevercarrot.com. The author makes these as an overnight recipe. I do same day. Both options are reflected in the instructions.

Ingredients

245 g ( 1 cup plus 1 tsp) milk, whole or 2%

120 g (1/2 cup) water

56 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, cubed

75 g (heaped 1/3 cup) active sourdough starter

24 g (2 tbsp) sugar

500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) all purpose flour

9 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt

Cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting

Directions

Make the dough: in a small saucepan, warm the milk, water and butter together. Cool slightly before adding to the dough. In a large bowl, add the sourdough starter and sugar. Pour in the warm milk mixture while whisking to combine. Add the flour and salt. Mix with a fork to form a rough dough, and then finish by hand to fully incorporate the flour. Cover with a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. After the dough has rested, return to the bowl and work the dough into a semi-smooth ball.

Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature 70 F (21 C) until double in size, about 8-10+ hours. Once risen, chill overnight in the fridge. Or, jump to the next step for same-day preparation.

Shape: Remove the cold dough onto a floured work surface. Rest for 10 minutes. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper; sprinkle generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

With floured hands, pat the dough into a rectangular shape, about 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut into 10-12 rounds using the rim of a 3 or 5 inch drinking glass, large jar or biscuit cutter. Place the rounds onto your sheet pan and dust the tops with cornmeal.

Second Rise: Cover the dough with a damp towel or inverted rimmed sheet pan. Let rest at room temperature until noticeably puffy, about 1 hour or more depending on temperature. JW NOTE: Don't stress too much about the puffy thing. I found that the muffins got puffier during cooking.

Cook the English Muffins: Warm a large, non-stick skillet or griddle over low heat (250-300ish on my griddle.  Cook on one side for 8-10 minutes, checking at the halfway mark for even browning. Lower the heat if necessary. Flip the dough over, cover, and cook the other side for 8-10 minutes. Repeat to cook the rest of the dough. When the English muffins are ready, they should feel lightweight and the sides should spring back when pressed gently. *See Notes below.

Notes

If you find that your English muffins are cooked on the outside, but slightly undercooked in the center, finish them in a low oven @ 250 F (130 C) until cooked through.

100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

Scald (Tangzhong):

20g whole wheat flour (see notes for flour options)
130g whole milk

Final Dough

150g ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration)
385g whole wheat flour (plus extra for dusting)
32g honey (or sub 42g granulated sugar)
175g whole milk (plus extra for brushing tops of loaves), lukewarm
1 1/2 large eggs (78g)
All of cooled scald mixture from above
3 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (plus extra for greasing pans)
10g kosher salt

Instructions

1. Prepare scald (tangzhong): Add 20g whole wheat flour and 130g whole milk into a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning on the bottom of pan, until mixture thickens to the consistency of thin mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Mix and rest: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add the ripe starter, 385g whole wheat flour, honey, 175g whole milk, eggs, and the cooled scald mixture. Mix on low speed until well combined. The dough will look sticky/shaggy. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Add butter, salt, and knead: After resting, add butter cubes and salt, then knead for about 6-8 minutes (on the lowest speed you can use without your mixer lagging), stopping to scrape the sides of the mixer bowl as necessary. Knead until the dough cleans itself off the mixer bowl to hold to the dough hook and looks taut, smooth and shiny. You should be able to stretch it dramatically into a very thin "windowpane" if you pull it with damp fingers after a minute of rest. If it's tearing when pulled and still rather sticky, continue kneading for a couple more minutes and check again. JW NOTE: I still need to play around with this. I added too much extra flour the first time, trying to get the windowpane test to work, and the bread wasn't the consistency that I like.
4. Bulk fermentation: When kneading is done, use damp hands to remove dough from mixer. Form into a ball, and place in a straight-sided container for bulk fermentation. Press the surface of the dough flat with a damp hand, cover, and mark the dough's starting point on the outside of the container with a dry-erase marker. Set in a warm spot until dough has risen by 75% (not doubled in size). (Bulk took author 3 hours.)
5. Shape: Grease a standard loaf pan with softened butter or oil. Turn out dough onto a clean surface. On a lightly-floured surface with lightly floured hands, press the dough flat into the shape of a rough circle. To shape into a loaf, fold the two side edges slightly into the center, then roll the loaf into a log from the bottom, creating some tension as you go. Place the loaf seam-side-down in a greased pan (do not press loaf down). 
6. Proof: Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to proof. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) with a rack set in the center. When fully proofed, the loaves should reach 3/4-inch below the rims of pullman pans or 1 inch above the rims of standard loaf pans. (Proofing took author 2 hours, 40 minutes at 78*F (26°C).)
7. Bake: Without deflating the dough, brush the top of the loaf with milk using a pastry brush. Bake  on the center rack for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Leave bread in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then turn loaves out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing or storing.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This recipe comes from the Sugar Spun Run blog. It has the lighter substance of the round loaf, but it's made in a loaf tin and slices well. The blog author prefers the overnight method, which I'm including below, but I'll also include their note about same-day baking. This recipe works well in a standard 9x5 loaf pan.

Ingredients

⅔ cup (150 g) active starter bubbly, active, fed

1 ⅓ cups (315 g) warm water 90F

1 ½ (18 g) Tablesoons olive oil

3 ⅔ cups (450 g) bread flour

2 teaspoons (13 g) table salt

Oil for greasing pan

Additional flour for dusting work-surface

Baking schedule: 

1. Morning, Day 1 (5 minutes): First thing in the morning the day before baking day, I feed my starter, separating out 50g for the bread and 25g to keep the starter going for next time. For the bread, I use 50g each of starter, flour, and water to make 150g of starter. I start to mix the dough around 1pm (or when the starter is actively rising and not quite doubled (so, well on its way up).  
2. Noonish, Day 1 (1.25 hours): Mix the dough and autolyse.
3. Mid-afternoon, Day 1 (4-6 hours): First rise.
4. Evening, Day 1 (5 minutes): Form the dough into a loaf.
5. Overnight (12-24 hours): Let dough rest in fridge.
6. Day 2, whenever (2 hours): Second rise and baking.

Mix the dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. Stir until combined.
2. Add bread flour and sprinkle salt overtop. Use your (clean) hands or a wooden spoon to stir together until dough is mostly combined. It will still be a bit shaggy and should not be cohesive (don’t over-mix) but no dry patches of flour should remain.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit undisturbed for one hour (this is the “autolyse” period).

Stretch and fold + first rise

1. Form dough into a ball with your hands.
2. Run your hands under cool water (prevents sticking!) and grasp the top of the dough and stretch it over the bottom. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Turn 90 degrees and repeat again, then once more (four total stretch & folds).
3. Allow dough to rest, covered, in a warm place for 30 minutes.
4. Repeat step 2 above every 30 minutes as dough rises. NOTE: I only do the stretch and fold 3-4 times. Then I let the dough rise undisturbed the rest of the time.
5. Allow dough to rise (stretching and folding every 30 minutes as indicated) until dough has increased in size about 80% (how long this takes depends on the temperature of your kitchen, typically mine is ready within 4-6 hours).

Forming the dough

1. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan (with olive oil or butter) .
2. When dough has risen sufficiently, turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured surface.
3. Use your hands to gently deflate the dough and pat it into a rectangular shape. Lift the right side of the dough and fold it into the center (almost as if you were closing a book). Then, lift the left side of the dough and fold it over the first fold (use a bench scraper if the dough is sticking to your counter).
4. Starting with a skinny end, tightly roll the dough, as if you were rolling up a cinnamon roll. Tuck the ends under and carefully transfer to prepared bread pan. Don’t worry if the bread doesn’t fill the pan right now.
5. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to rest overnight/for 12-24 hours.
   

Baking

NOTE: The blog says to bake the bread at 450 degrees for 30 minutes covered and another 20 minutes uncovered. But after 10 minutes uncovered, the crust was already going dark, and the bread tested done. Next time, I'm going to try 425 for 30 minutes, then down to 400 for another 10 or so minutes.

1. Remove sourdough from the refrigerator and preheat oven to 450F. Let oven preheat and dough rest (covered or uncovered) for at least 30-35 minutes before proceeding. NOTE: I let it rest for an hour.
2. Once oven has preheated, uncover bread, make a clean slice (about ¼” deep) down the center with a sharp knife or bread lame (to score it) then cover with another 9×5 pan (if you don’t have a second pan, you may instead make a makeshift oven using aluminum foil; tent it as high as the bread pan is deep).
3. Transfer to center rack of preheated oven. (I plan to reduce heat to 425 at this point.) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes then remove the lid and continue to bake another 20-23 minutes/until golden brown and the center of bread reaches 206-208F (97C). NOTE: Check bread after 10 minutes uncovered. Maybe consider reducing heat to 400 for the uncovered stage.
4. Allow bread to cool in pan for 15 minutes before gently turning it out onto a cooling rack (careful, the pan will still be hot!) to cool for at least 1-2 hours (until it no longer feels warm) before cutting into it. 

Notes

To bake the same day:
Follow recipe through step 4 under the “Forming the Dough” section. Immediately after transferring dough to pan, preheat oven to 450F (230C). Allow dough to rest uncovered while oven preheats, at least 30 minutes. Once oven is preheated, follow directions in recipe starting with step 2 under the “Baking” section. Note that bread will not be as flavorful or nutritious & texture will not be as great if it is not allowed to sit in the fridge overnight.

Storing & Freezing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
You may also freeze this bread. Freeze the whole loaf by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then wrapping in foil. When ready to thaw, keep covered completely and defrost at room temperature before unwrapping. 

We prefer to freeze pre-sliced: Cut bread into slices and storing in a plastic Ziploc bag (remove as much air as you can before freezing). If you struggle with freezer burn or plan to freeze the bread longer than a few weeks, you can individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap before closing in the plastic bag.

Nutrition
Serving: 1loaf | Calories: 1820kcal | Carbohydrates: 364g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 4678mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins - Option 2

This recipe comes from the Little Spoon Farm blog.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar (recipe calls for 1 cup)

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon corn starch

zest of half a lemon

1 cups (150 g) blueberries fresh or frozen

Wet Ingredients

8 tablespoons (113 g) butter melted (I use vegetable oil)

2 large eggs

½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard

3 tablespoons (45 g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

Crumb Topping

3 tablespoons (45 g) butter melted

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

½ cup (60 g) all purpose flour

Directions

1. Crumb topping: Place the melted butter, flour and sugar in a bowl and use a fork to mix until it becomes a coarse crumble. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously to prevent sticking.
3. Dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, lemon zest and salt with a fork. Add the blueberries and toss the mixture to coat. Set aside.
4. Wet ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (If the batter is too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk to help thin it down.)
5. Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffins and sprinkle the top with the crumble topping. Make sure to press the crumble, gently, on the top of the batter.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a cooling rack.

Sourdough Rolls

This recipe comes from the Little Spoon Farm website.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (100g) sourdough starter
2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
1 cup (240 g) milk
3 tablespoons (44 g) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter
3 cups + 2 tablespoons (375 g) bread flour

1 tablespoon melted butter (for brushing the top of the rolls after baking)

Directions

The night before (5 minutes, plus 8-12 hours rest)

Just before bed the night before you want the rolls, combine the ingredients to make 100g of starter. I used 35g each of active starter, unbleached flour, and filtered water. That way, there's a little extra to account for the amount that sticks to the jar. Cover the jar and let rest at room temperature overnight.

Mix the dough (1.5 hours)

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, milk, sugar and salt together over low heat. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
2. Add the flour and active sourdough starter to the bowl of the cooled butter mixture and stir with a spatula until the ingredients are combined and there are no dry bits left in the bowl. Cover the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for one hour.
3. After the ingredients have rested for one hour, use the dough hook attachment on speed 3 for 8-10 minutes. 

NOTE: If you don't have a dough hook, you can perform three sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart, keeping the bowl covered between sets. To perform a set, pick up the dough on one side and stretch it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this step until you have turned the bowl a full circle. 

First rise (2-ish hours)

Cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours or until it has risen by 50% in size.

Shape and second rise (3-4 hours)

1. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 12 pieces, approximately 65 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball by gathering up the sides and pinching them together. Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down on the work surface and gently form a smooth ball.
2. Arrange them in a lightly greased glass baking dish. Cover the dish with a tea towel and let rise for 2-4 hours, depending on temperature.

Bake (25-30 minutes)

About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. The internal temperature of the rolls should be 190°F when fully baked. Brush the top of the roll with melted butter and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

From the Clever Carrot blog.

Ingredients

1 whole-roasted butternut squash (instructions below)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
Sprig of fresh rosemary 
1/2– 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
Salt & black pepper

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottom pot, warm the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder (if using), and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

2. Add the squash, coconut milk, and chicken stock to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or more for the flavors to meld. Discard the rosemary sprig.

3. Remove soup from heat. Puree in a blender until smooth and creamy. Pour back into the pot and give it a taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed. Add additional coconut milk or stock if the texture is too thick. 

4. Portion soup into bowls and serve piping hot.

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Again, from the Clever Carrot blog. I love Emilie's recipes and tips!

Ingredients

50–75 g bubbly, active sourdough starter
325-375 g water (see Notes below)
20 g honey (optional)
500 g bread flour or all purpose flour (see Notes below)
9 g fine sea salt
2–3 tbsp olive oil, for coating the pan
Assorted Toppings (optional): rosemary, garlic cloves, flaky seat salt, tomatoes, olives etc.

NOTES: 

• You can use bread flour or all purpose flour to make sourdough focaccia. Comparatively speaking, bread flour yields a slightly chewier focaccia with a higher rise. All purpose flour creates a more tender focaccia. The choice is up to you. If you prefer to use all purpose flour, I do recommend King Arthur brand. Coming in at over 11.7% protein, this flour is stronger than most all purpose flours, which means it can handle a higher quantity of water without the dough becoming a gloppy mess. It’s actually stronger than most bread flours! If you cannot access this flour, make the following changes to ensure success: decrease the water to 325-350 g (start small and work your way up) OR use King Arthur bread flour with 375 g water instead.

• For Baking: You will need a rimmed sheet pan or non-stick rectangular pan (9×13-inch or 10×14-inch)

Baking Schedule Options

Before you begin, decide on your baking schedule. Here are two options:

Fall/Winter (overnight method)

4-6:00 PM: Feed starter

8:00 PM: Make the dough

8:30 PM: Let rise overnight (bulk rise)

8:30 AM (the next day): Inspect the dough. Does it need more time to rise? If so, give it more time, otherwise continue on.

9:00-11 AM: Second Rise

11:30 AM: Par-bake or Bake.

Spring/Summer (daytime method)

8 AM: Feed starter

10 AM: Make the dough

10:30 AM: Let rise during the day (bulk rise)

3:00 PM (onwards): Second rise

5:00 PM: Par-bake or Bake

Directions

1. Make the Dough: Whisk the sourdough starter, water and honey together in a large bowl (I use a fork for mixing). Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine and then finish by hand to form a rough dough. It will be wet and sticky. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to an hour. Timing is flexible here. Then return to the bowl and work the dough into a ball.  

2. Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl of dough with lightly oiled plastic wrap (or transfer the dough to a lightly oiled dough container). Let the dough rise, using the schedule above as a guide. The dough will double in size (or more) when ready. Adjust your timeframes according to the temperature of the environment.

3. Second Rise: Pour 2 tbsp. of olive oil onto a rimmed sheet pan (or 1 tbsp. olive oil if using a non-stick rectangular pan). Use your hands to evenly coat the bottom and sides. With your oiled hands, remove the dough onto the pan, and then flip it to coat both sides. Cover and let rest for 1 1/2- 2 hours or until very puffy (I use an inverted sheet pan to cover the dough). Preheat your oven to 425 F (220 C). Note: I like to rest my dough in a warm spot, usually on top of the oven while it preheats. The dough becomes soft and bubbly. 

4. Assemble the Focaccia: Right before baking, gently dimple the dough with oiled fingertips. I start at the bottom of the pan and work my way to the top. As you dimple, the dough will naturally begin to stretch outwards. You should end up with a rustic rectangular or oval shape, about 14 x 9-inches (36 x 23 cm) or larger. The dough won’t go all the way to the corners and sides of the sheet pan- this is OK. Note: If using a rectangular pan, the dough will naturally fill the shape of the pan.

5. Add Focaccia Toppings (optional): Press your preferred toppings into the dough. As the focaccia rises, the dough will puff up. The toppings will pop out if not properly anchored. If using garlic, I keep the cloves wrapped in their papery peels to prevent burning. Remove and discard the peels before eating.

6. Bake the Focaccia: Place the dough onto the center rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before cutting. TIP: To par-bake focaccia dough: Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes @ 425 F (220 C). The crust will be set, very pale in color and golden underneath. Remove the focaccia from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Once completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 6 hrs. To finish, return to the pan and bake for 12-15 minutes.

7. To serve, cut the focaccia into wedges or squares and enjoy warm!