Lazy Mama’s Sourdough loaf

 I started some bread tonight after the house was down. Christmas tree lights were still on though and I felt sentimental about bread. 

I’ve been making sourdough bread for over 3 years now. I was mixing up my lazy mama sourdough loaf. I love this loaf. This is why:

- I have it memorized

- It has an overnight ferment (which helps make it easier to digest) 

- It turns out the majority of the time (see disclaimer below)

- It tastes delicious!

- It’s easy for me to fit in our schedule

Disclaimer: I have a base recipe I go off of....but I usually change it or tweak it every single time. I am not too particular if I’m off on the grams of flour some. If I don’t feel like dirtying a spoon, I will choose milk instead of yogurt. It’s quite fun and changes to whatever suits my whims or our needs for the next days bread. I used to make tons of cinnamon raisin bread but it’s been a good two months since I have.

One time, I made a cinnamon raisin bread...and this dough was so..it just wouldn’t firm up. I was stretching and folding it all morning and finally I just put some oil on a baking sheet. Spread it on there, dimpled it and called it a focaccia. It. Was. Awesome. I can’t wait for my dough to do that again. I really should keep notes. But that’s why it’s called Lazy Mama’s Sourdough...because I am mixing it up after a long day of being mama and home keeper. 

30-45 grams sourdough starter 

250 grams bread flour

250 grams whole wheat flour

325 grams water

150 grams yogurt

125 grams of add ins (oats, raisins, nuts, seeds) - optional (if not using, use a bit more flour to compensate..or less liquid)

8 grams of salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit out on the counter overnight.

In the morning, perform stretch and folds every 30-45 minutes. I usually do this 2-3 times. When ready to shape loaf, flour work surface. Shape as desired and let proof for a good hour. Preheat oven to 430degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes. I prefer my loaves on the darker side.

Let cool for two hours before slicing. Sometimes this is a hard rule. 

Make sure to eat some with butter. Butter is good.

small

picture of me and joseph by paul vincent

This week's theme for Slow Fashion October is the word "small".

When I think of small in my slow fashion world, I think of the increments in which I work on my projects. As a mother of twin boys I sometimes only have thirty minutes or less to work on something. I try not to get upset if I have to stop right in the middle of a seam or cutting out a pattern or setting in a sleeve. Sometimes I go weeks without getting back to where I was. Sometimes I will get to it every day and I'm surprised by how much I get done.

What I need to work on is not rushing in those small increments. I want to finish a top and the initial plan was to use french seams. Ah, forget it! I'd much rather just get the seams sewn so I can see how it's going to fit. When I do have my sewing machine set up again, I am going to focus on slowing down more and adding quality touches to my pieces in finishes and fabric selection.

Today I am doing something small towards my slow fashion wardrobe. I'm hand winding a ball of yarn so I can continue knitting my sweater. That's all. It's enough for today.

slow fashion october

October.
Slow fashion.
I saw the post on Fringe Supply Co. blog about October slow fashion and I just need to jump on board.
Hi my name is Anna and I love slow fashion. My goal is to create good quality clothing for me and my loved ones. Or purchase good quality clothing that will last and is preferably made in the USA. It's slow going, but hey..that's the point.
I am a mother to twin three year old boys that keep me busy busy and I don't get to sew/knit as much as I'd like.
Slow fashion this month is a good balance for me because we are packing up to move across the country. So in-between the rush that is packing, driving, and unpacking I will be knitting my cardigan to keep me warm this winter. I'll be wearing clothing that I've sewn for myself. And hopefully, after my machine is all set up, I'll be sewing more things to get me through a new season in a new place.

seasons and shorts

We have had a good monsoon season this year. Seems like the rain just keeps on coming. The boys are always out in the damp earth..it hasn't dried. Random plants are sprouting out of the yard. For the desert, this is rare. They get dirty and I try and stay clean. Sometimes they get a bath in the middle of the day. Need to figure out some natural mosquito repellent spray for us.

I sewed the knee length shorts from Sew Chic Kids for the boys in chambray. This was my first time sewing from a Japanese pattern book and I loved it. I sewed another pair in some linen I had left over from a Father's Day project. So now they each have a pair. Now I am sewing the linen cardigan/jacket from Sew Chic for me! Something about the simplicity of their steps..not taking up so much space...makes it easy for me to tackle each new thing. It feels liberating for being such an amateur. I have this crazy idea to sew and knit all our clothes..and eventually sourcing USA materials for a lot of it. There...I said it.

bread making

I've been making bread.
I use The Tassajara Bread book -- it's what I grew up with and it comes easier and easier with each batch. It's familiar. And therapeutic. Paul says it's therapeutic for him too..when he eats it. *smile*

I used olive oil for this batch and it turned out so much more moist and delish.

I'm finding that bread making is nice with babies because you mix and let it rise, then the next step and let it rise..etc. Three rises. And so if the rises go over (or under) the time allotted because a baby or babies need feeding or entertaining then so be it. I have my moments of having to tend to a baby with flour/dough covered hands...two babies--it's bound to happen during a 15 minute kneading session.

a little rain

A little rain came in...along with some thunder. It was so nice I had to take pictures. They don't do it justice..but my camera phone is where I'm at right now. I love the desert when it rains. The colors, smell, and it cools things down nicely.

made by mama

these are the quilt tops i made for my boys when they were still in utero. i started making the first one when i first found out i was pregnant and felt like it was neutral enough for boy or girl..but i always felt it was going to be a boy first, so it leans that way i guess. then when i found out i was having twin boys and i thought "how am i going to make two in time?'...well i finished the tops in time but didn't get them quilted. i had issues figuring out a new walking foot..(i don't like to even think about it--it frustrates me).

then i just was tired of seeing it laying around and decided to hand quilt this first one...i think i'll just tie the second one. the one with gray in it is for joseph. he likes to look at it and that makes me happy. that's his chubby little leg in the picture above. (sorry i am not taking the time to flip the picture above..)

the pattern is from alicia paulson. when i first saw it i thought "that is going to be my first quilt i make." and it was..first and second.

then a couple weeks before the boys came, i thought, how can i not knit something for them when knitting was my "first love" and i knit for other babies. so i made these little sweaters. finished with little wooden buttons for their homecoming. they look so cute. too bad the babies never wore them! but it was unusually warm out the day we left the hospital. and once home, i was just trying to focus on breastfeeding, sleeping, holding, and loving. and then they grew...and on the days when it was cool enough - - they were swaddled and we stayed snug inside our home. my friend suggested hanging them up in the room for decoration.. i am going to do that eventually.  the pattern is from pickles - melker. i altered it some.