The trouble with sourdough...

It's not like staying at home with my daughter doesn't take up all of my time...there are always chores that need done or errands that need run or concepts that need taught (like everything is not a du-CH and mommy is not elmo)...  But anyone who knows me knows that my idle hands do no one well and I decided to give them a go at bread.  My mom has always made wonderful bread and my sister is now a pastry chef...I figured, it's in my blood!  Plus, it's economical and who doesn't love the smell of fresh baked bread in their house?  That was my thinking anyway and so I set out to try sourdough first.

Now, let me begin by explaining that I haven't always had the most time to spend in the kitchen, so it's not like cooking is second nature to me.  So as I began on my sourdough, I carefully followed the instructions and made the starter.  It was still pretty warm outside then, so I put it in the garage to rise.  I checked it the next morning...nothing.  The next evening...nothing.  Well, maybe if I move it into the refrigerator...nothing.  No rise - yet there was a lot of STINK!

I was ready to throw it out completely and spray my kitchen with a good can of lysol (Cassandra style) when Susie told me I could still try to make pizza dough out of it, even if it didn't rise.  So I tried...  My husband walked in the house that night, kissed me hello, and lovingly asked, "What is that?" 

"It's pizza," I said.

"It is," he retorted?  "Well, I guess I sort of see that."

I threw it out. 

So I gave up on sourdough completely and thought, I have started this journey on too much of a challenge.  I just need to stay simple and make easy rolls.  Ok, so when they say to add WARM liquid to the yeast, to me, that means to let it boil just a little bit.  Needless to say, there was no rise AGAIN and my dinner rolls came out as rocks.  My poor husband, again my guinea pig, attempted to eat one, but we really don't have the money for him to get broken teeth fixed at the dentist, so I didn't push it.  I threw them out too.

Therefore, I determined that since my mom makes fantastic bread and my sister is a pastry chef...why should I waste time specializing in bread??  It's not like that is going to be my contribution to family dinners anyway.  So back to the drawing board.

Next crafts project...sewing!!!