Your sourdough isn’t dead

Sourdough starter can look super funky after you’ve neglected it in the back of your fridge for a month (two months? Longer? Who can even remember?), but if you give it a good stir, feed it half a cup each of flour and room temperature water, then let it hang out on the counter for a couple hours, it will likely get right back to normal. (You’ll know it’s alive if it’s bubbly.) You may then use it or screw the lid back on and put it back in the back of your fridge until you remember it again. 

Here are some sourdough recipes I like:

Sourdough sweet rolls  

Keto spaghetti squash alfredo

 1/2 spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise 

1 lb mild Italian sausage 

4 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 cups cream

1-2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Microwave spaghetti squash upside down in a shallow dish of water for 8 minutes until it shreds easily with a fork. 

Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large pan. Once cooked through, add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add cream and Parmesan and continue stirring until melted together. Mix shredded spaghetti squash with sauce and serve sprinkled with parsley or basil, to taste. 

Sourdough sweet rolls

 1/4 cup starter

1/4 cup brown sugar 

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 1/2 cups flour

A splash of vanilla 

A sprinkle of salt

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Knead with mixer for 5 minutes, then rest covered overnight. Roll into 8 balls, then rise again for two hours until doubled in size. Brush on egg wash. Bake 375 for 25 minutes. 

Chocolate muffins

 3/4 cup flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder 

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sweetener (I used honey)

1 egg

3/8 cup plain yogurt 

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 

2 tbsp oil

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and mix again. Pour into muffin tins until almost full. Bake 350 for 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cauliflower au gratin

 1 head cauliflower, riced

8 oz smoked gouda, shredded 

1 cup cream

I used my kitchen aid shredder for both the cauliflower and the cheese directly into an 8x8 pyrex pan, then poured cream evenly over the top. Baked 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Baked egg bites

Blend 6 eggs, 1/4 cup ricotta, and cheese to taste (I used 5 slices of smoked Gouda, but play to your tastes) for one minute until frothy. Pour into well-greased muffin tins almost to the top (mine made 9). Top with crumbled bacon. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees with a tray of water on the bottom shelf. Bake 30 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes before eating warm. 

Loaded roasted cauliflower

Break a head of cauliflower into florets and spread in an 8x8 pan. Roast 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle generously with cheese and cooked, chopped bacon. Roast another 5 minutes, then broil until the cheese is starting to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped green onion or chives. Drizzle ranch over all.