Easy Sourdough Bread

For years, my mom has made sourdough bread. It's a staple at family dinners, on holidays and at various events at my parents' church.

And for almost as many years, my mom has asked me if I wanted some starter. While I loved the idea of continuing the tradition in my own home, I'd tried my hand at sourdough before. I'd created starters from a variety of cookbooks only to unhappily throw them away weeks or months later after the process of creating the starter and keeping it going got to be too much.

But during 2020, I worked from my parents' house for a few weeks during the summer when the monotony of working, worshiping and basically doing everything from home got to be too much. My mom was making bread; I asked for starter—and I've been making bread ever since.

The bread recipe my mom uses is a little easier—and a little less temperamental—than regular sourdough starters. These require a week or two of basically constant supervision, but this starter is low-key and never fails. Apparently, it's also sometimes called Amish friendship bread starter.

While my and my mom's starter came from a woman who lived near my hometown, I've discovered a recipe for a starter that's similar to the one I use. This slightly sweet, soft, delicious bread will quickly become a family favorite, especially when you use it to make French toast!

To make starter:

• 1 cup very warm water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 package dry yeast

• 3 tablespoons instant potato flakes

Mix all ingredients together and let ferment on counter for two days.

After two days, dump the starter into a large bowl and feed the starter with 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons instant potato flakes, 1 cup flour and 1 cup very warm water. Just stir all of that into the starter and let it sit in the bowl on the counter all day long (8 hours). At this point, you can return it to the fridge in a covered container. After 3-5 days in the fridge, you're ready to make bread!

To make bread from the starter

First day: Feed the starter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3 tablespoons instant potatoes

• 1 cup flour (recipe calls for bread flour; I use all-purpose)

• 1 cup very warm water

Mix in a large bowl and let stand out on counter all day. That evening, take one cup of starter out. Return the rest to the storage container and the refrigerator.

To the 1 cup starter you reserved, add:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1-and-a-half cups very warm water

• 6 cups of flour (recipe calls for bread flour; I use all-purpose)

Mix well in a large bowl, then place in a well greased 9x13 pan. Turn dough to coat evenly with oil. Cover with wax paper and let stand overnight.

The next morning, divide dough into three parts. Cut with a knife and section by section, knead each portion on a well floured surface, about 1-2 minutes each portion. Place dough in well greased loaf pans, brush top with butter and set on counter to rise all day (8 hours). That evening, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Repeat every 5-7 days.

I use this dough to make loaves of bread, but also my cinnamon rolls!

But that's a recipe for another day.