Ugly Whole Wheat Sourdough Rye

I tried a new recipe, Whole Wheat Sourdough Rye. I love rye bread, especially toasted rye for breakfast. So this recipe spoke to me.

With great hopes I checked my spice rack to find cardamom, caraway seeds and fennel (anise) all of which I had. I also had rye flour and whole wheat flour that I bought to try another rye bread recipe.

My friend Tony was coming to help me install a plantation shutter in the master bath which made me rush to get the dough put together. So time became an issue.

When I started I had full intention to kneed the dough and put it in the oven to proof but as I started to put everything together Tony called to say he was on the way, so it was a rush to mix the dough.

When I got back to the dough, after installing a beautiful plantation shutter, I kneeled the dough adding more flour, etc. I then placed it into two loaf pans. It still felt very wet.

The second rise was the killer! The dough overflowed the loaf pans making a mess on my baking stone. So while the oven came to baking temp, I cleaned the stone and loaf pans. The risen dough certainly looked funny but "waste not want not" so into the 400* oven it went.

As the bread cooked, I notice very little bread cooking odor. Even Joanne commented on not being able to smell the bread cooking. But alas, when I opened the door to check the hollowness of the bread, the odor wafted out of the oven hitting me in the nose, Rye Bread.

The end product is two ugly loaves of bread. The taste test showed that the taste is good, not great. Nice rye and sourdough flavor. Good texture and a soft crust great for sandwiches.

So would I try the recipe again? Yes this time paying attention to the kneed and first rise. Also I need a larger bowl or bucket for the rise as my big bowl was to small and I would use three loaf pans instead of two, or make one loaf a baguette. Either way I love the flour and texture so it will appear again in the future.

Brooklyn Pizza

When Joanne and I visit her son and family in New Jersey one of the places we go for pizza is Brooklyn Pizza.  I love their namesake pizza, the Brooklyn Pizza.  So I decided to try to make that pizza but with a sourdough crust last night.

The sourdough crust was the easy part.

Ingredients

1 c sourdough starter
2 c flour
1/3 c tepid  water
1 teas yeast
1 teas spoon sugar
1 teas salt
3 teas olive oil

Add the sugar tot eh warm water and stir.  Add the yeast and allow to bloom, about 5 minutes.   Add the salt to the flour and then add the stater and 1 teas of olive oil, mix well.  Once the yeast has bloomed add to the flour and mix.  Dump mixture onto lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes.  Let the dough rest while you clean the bowl.  Add the remaining olive oil to the bowl.   Knead the dough again for 1 minute then place in bowl turning to cover the dough with the olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm stop for 2 hours.  I put mine in my oven set to proof.

Once the dough has reached double in volume, punch it down to deflate it the knead it for about 1 minute.  Then using a rolling pin roll the dough to fit a rimmed baking sheet.  Place the dough on the sheet and fold over ay edge the is over the pan to make a rim.  Cover with a damp towel and let it rest while the over comes to temperature, 425*

The Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients

2 teas butter
2 teas flour
pinch of nutmeg
2 c milk
1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Warm the milk in the microwave until warm but not boiling.  Add the flour to the melted butter and cook the flour about 5 minutes until it smells nutty.  Add the nutmeg and begin to stir as you pour the milk into the flour mixture.  Continue to stir for 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and add the cheese.

Assembling the pizza

Ingredients

Bechamel Sauce
8 oz mozzarella cheese grated
4 oz spinach
4 oz prosciutto
arugula
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

Spread the bechamel over the risen crust.  Sprinkle the spinach over the sauce then the mozzarella. I had a few broccoli florettes so I put them on them too.  Place in 425* oven for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes my cheese was brown, so I took it out.

I then added the arugula and prosciutto and  drizzled some EVOO.  I sliced and served.

When I started to write this I look at Brooklyn Pizza's website and I found that the Brooklyn Pizza is made with a pomodorro  sauce rather than a bechamel.  So it look like I have to try this again.

Oldman's Famous Sourdough Pancakes

I wanted a hearty breakfast today before the Naples Half Marathon
tomorrow. I decided to make sourdough pancakes.

I also took some fresh Florida strawberries and reduced them in some
orange liquor, lemon juice and sugar.

To finish it off with Canadian bacon, fresh cantaloupe with yogurt
and a shot of tomato juice (spicy of course).

Since I had a few leftover pancakes, I did a microwave egg to top the leftovers.

Here's the recipe

Oldman's Famous Quick Sourdough Pancakes with Strawberries

For the strawberries
1/2 pint of strawberries cut into pieces
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbs sugar
Splash of orange liquor

Bring all the ingredients to boil in a small sauce pan until thick. Keep warm.

For the pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup flour
2 t sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
2 tbs melted butter
1 vanilla


Mix the dry ingredients then add eggs one at a time mixing until each is incorporated.  Add milk, melted butter, vanilla  cook on griddle 45 sec. Top with reduced strawberries.


Tomorrow is the big race. My goal is 2:15.

Egg MacOldman

I used my Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf to make an Egg MacOldman

Whole Wheat Sourdough Croutons

I made a loaf of Whole Wheat Sourdough bread Saturday. Actually 2 loaves. We ate one and had a half of one loaf leftover. Since I then made a loaf of Whole Wheat Sourdough sandwich loaf Sunday I have plenty of bread I the house. So what to with Saturdays leftovers? Croutons!

Yup we love croutons on our lunchtime salads so what better than homemade?

I cut the remaining loaf into strips then cubes.

I then put them in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese and baked then on 250 for 40 minutes.

Wella! croutons!

Welcome Back Flowers

My employers had flowers for me to welcome me back to work after Christmas vacation

New Year New Goals

WOD

I've been a slacker for the last 10 days so today was an easy day to get back in shape.

AM
25 Push-Up x 3
15 Walking Lunges x3
5 Burpees x 3
11 mile easy bike
Stretching - hammies, quads, achilles, etc. 
PM
2.5 mile run to pool
Swim 1 hr - 5 laps freestyle up/ breaststroke back, 5 laps - freestyle, 5 laps w fins 5 lapsw fins + paddles, 5 laps kick board, 5 laps w fins, 10 laps freestyle cool down
2.5 mile run home


Today's workout, I've been a slacker for the last 10 days, was an easy 10 mile bike to get my legs back in shape.Ill swim in the afternoon, hopefully the water will be 78*.

GOALS
Since this is a new year, like everyone I have a few goals:

Races

I have several races I want to do including the Naples Half on Jan 20th, the Hooters Half in March and the Ironman 70.3 in Orlando ( Haines City) in May 19th. I am thinking about doing St Anthony's tri (International Distance) April 28th in St Pete's as a warm up to the half iron.

One of my goals for the Naples Half is to PR. The winner of my AG last year finished in 1:20 so being in the top 10 of my AG is out.

Training

So with the above I start my half Ironman training right after the Naples Half. It looks pretty much like 2 workouts a day except Sundays which will be a long ride.

Weight

Hopefully I can lose a few pounds. Last year I lost 35 lbs. so I'm now 185. I want to loose 15 more by the half Ironman.