The Home Front

In my family, homemade sourdough bread is considered a gift from the Good Lord above. My husband, David, says when we pass through the pearly gates, we will surely dine on sourdough bread hot from the oven slathered with a good dose of butter and drizzled with honey.  

My family has been making sourdough bread for generations. My Nanny Swann, my mother, me, and my daughter have been serving this to family and friends for years. As a matter of fact, when I wrote my cookbook, Happiness is Homemade, Y’all!, I called our family recipe “4-Generations Sourdough.” It has now been handed down to my granddaughter. That sourdough starter that has lovingly been tended by my family has now reached the fifth generation. When I was a young married woman with little children and struggling to find my culinary niche, I began searching for a recipe that would be my specialty and that I could always be counted on to bring to all the family get-togethers and special events. Well, I asked the Good Lord to show me my recipe- and it was sourdough bread right out of our treasure trove of family recipes.

I prayed about that recipe, and the first time I made it for a big family event with around 80 people, I was nervous. David’s grandmother, who we called Momma Holt and who was the matriarch of that big crew, took a bite of that bread. She got quiet and said, “Who made this bread?” I tentatively said, “I made the bread, Momma Holt. Do you like it?” She looked at me and got teary-eyed. “It tastes just like my momma’s bread from when I was a little girl. I love it!” That simple slice of bread took her back to her childhood. That touched my heart, and I realized the strong passion we have for food that connects us to each other and events in our lives. I made sure Momma Holt had plenty of my sourdough bread from then on until she graduated to Glory. I have served it to my family, friends, and neighbors. For many years, I would make 24 loaves at Thanksgiving for the huge family get-together. So, this recipe has been very good to me.

Making sourdough bread. The easiest way to get started is to find someone who makes it and get some starter from them. Then follow the recipe and steps below for your bread. If that’s not an option, there is a recipe I’ve included for you to make your own starter from scratch. It is a one-time recipe to establish your starter, then you will simply feed your starter and make the bread as the recipe states. Do you think you may want to give it a try? Check out our family’s easy recipe below. 

Want to watch me make it? I will make my sourdough bread on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. on the cooking stage at the Birmingham Home Show. I’ll walk you through the steps and let you sample my homemade bread. Use the promo code HOUSE to save $4 per ticket, www.birminghamhomeshow.com. 

Want to make sourdough bread with me? You can join me at Psalm 34 Bakery and Catering on March 28 for a sourdough class. Grab your tickets by clicking here.

-Danna Standridge

Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all! 

Read her faith story at www.birminghamchristian.com/issues.

Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.

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4 Generations Sourdough Bread

Ingredients:

• 6 cups bread flour (be sure it is bread flour)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ cup corn oil
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 cup sour dough starter 

Instructions:

Add flour, sugar, and salt to large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center, add water, corn oil, and sour dough starter. Stir and make a stiff batter. Place your dough in a bowl that is well greased with cooking oil. Brush the dough lightly with oil to keep from drying out. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or wax paper.  The dough must breathe so the seal should not be airtight. Let dough rise overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. After the rising, punch down the dough with your fist and divide into 3 parts. Knead each part on a lightly floured surface and put into 3 greased loaf pans. Brush the tops with oil and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 8-10 hours. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned on top. Brush the tops with butter. Cool on rack. Use a serrated knife or bread knife to slice. Enjoy! 

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Feeding the Sourdough Starter

Take the starter out of the refrigerator on the day it is to be fed.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cups sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 Tablespoons potato flakes

Instructions:

Mix the ingredients together and stir it into the starter. Let stand at room temperature all day, from 8-10 hours. Take two cups out. Use one cup to make bread and share one with a friend or make a second batch of bread. Return the balance to the refrigerator. Note: Yeast is a living organism and must be allowed oxygen; therefore, make sure to have airflow in the lid of the container you use to keep your starter in. I use a canning jar with air holes in the lid.

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How to Create a Sourdough Starter

This is a one-time process to establish your starter.

Ingredients: 

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons potato flakes
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup warm water

Instructions: 

Mix all the ingredients together. Cover loosely and allow this to sit on the counter for two days. It will smell fermented and start to bubble. After the two days, feed the starter using the recipe above and let it sit on counter for 12 hours. Then place in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. You now have an established sourdough starter.

The Home Front 

One branch of my family arrived in the Alabama Territory in 1818. I am so thankful my ancestors realized that Alabama was our family’s promised land. Writing my cookbooks that celebrate the culinary heritage of Sweet Home Alabama has given me a beautiful gift. As I researched and wrote the stories, I was able to look back over the lives and times of my family since Alabama became a state in 1819. What I found in my family is what many of our Alabama families have embedded in their DNA: fortitude, grit, and determination along with a heaping helping of hospitality. 

I found out who we are through our stories and recipes. When my Great-Grandma Parker passed, I was gifted with her rolling pin. It’s a treasure to me. I display it proudly in my kitchen. The secret of the rolling pin? It gives me strength every time I look at it. When my son was shipped off to defend our country, I thought so often about my Grandma Parker and the God-fearing strength she needed to cope with her son missing in World War II for eighteen months. I looked at her rolling pin often, and it gave me strength. I said to myself, “If Grandma Parker made it through that, then I can make it through sending my son to war in Afghanistan.” I’m happy to say that both our soldiers returned home to the warmth of home and their momma’s kitchen. Grandma Parker even had her hands in her dough bowl making biscuits for her family when she found out that her oldest son was still alive and coming home. So, you see, food is at the heart of our homes. 

When thinking of my ancestors and the times they went through, both good and bad, I have hope. Hope that my children and grandchildren will learn where they came from, and what our Alabama families have been through, both the triumphs and the hard times. I hope that this knowledge will propel them into the future and sustain them with the certainty that we are Alabamians and that we will prevail and gain strength as we gather around our tables, love one another, and break bread together. As I cook with my grandchildren in my Alabama kitchen, as the flour flies, so do the family stories. 

April is the perfect time to gather family together and make fresh strawberry pound cake. Where to get the perfect farm fresh strawberry? Seek out our Alabama u-pick strawberry farms near you at www.sweetgrownalabama.org. Cooking with your children and grandchildren is the time for passing along those family stories. And getting them out into the strawberry patch is a great adventure that will turn into a sweet pound cake and a sweet family memory. 

Our Favorite Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided * (if using self-rising flour, omit the salt and baking soda)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 oz. plain or vanilla yogurt
• 12 oz. fresh strawberries, washed and diced
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Sift together 2 ¼ cups of flour with baking soda and salt. Mix in lemon zest and set aside. With mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the yogurt until just incorporated. Toss in the diced strawberries in the remaining flour and stir into the batter. Pour in the prepared Bundt pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Turn out on a wire rack and cool completely. Whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice with the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cake. 

This recipe can be found in my best-selling cookbook, Happiness is Homemade, Y’all available on Amazon.

-Danna Standridge

Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all! and 2024 Sweet Grown Alabama Ambassador 

Read her faith story at www.birminghamchristian.com/issues.

Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.

The Home Front

When you think of chocolate, you may think of love, friendship, and happiness in a delightful concoction that brings joy. That is most especially true in February. On Valentine’s Day, we show our love by giving chocolate to our beloved.  And we know that chocolate has health benefits, and it’s a strong antioxidant. 

Chocolate is also beneficial for bringing peace and comfort to those partaking in it. Taking care of ourselves all through the year involves coping mechanisms for the ups and downs of our lives, whether teaching or raising little ones, taking care of a family member, or holding down a job. Back in the day when I taught high school students, chocolate was more than my friend, it was a strategy for coping with the joyful yet sometimes tumultuous life in the classroom. If a fellow teacher had a bad day, or if I was feeling a bit of stress, these brownies were quickly mixed up and thrown in the oven. My brownies have saved the day many a time for me and my fellow teachers, family, and friends. Can a brownie do all that? While a brownie is just cocoa, flour, sugar, and butter, it can be a vehicle to show compassion to your fellow man when you bring them a plate of your homemade brownies. To see their eyes light up, and to feel the lightening of their burden is priceless. And, I always say, a well-fed world is a happier place to be. 

A few years ago, my husband and I were blessed to visit a cacao plantation on the island of Tobago. We learned the agricultural aspects of growing, harvesting, and processing the cacao bean and even tasted the raw cacao bean. And here are my thoughts: the Good Lord gave us the cacao bean to enjoy, and I’m going to do it with gusto! Every cook needs one spot-on brownie recipe in their arsenal and The One-Spoon Cocoa Brownie is mine. Why one spoon? All it takes to mix this is a spoon and a bowl. Remember, the Good Lord loves you (He gave us chocolate, didn’t He?), and I love you too… and I love brownies.

One-Spoon Cocoa Brownies 

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted 

2 tablespoons water 

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/3 cups self-rising flour

3/4 cup cocoa

Instructions: With a spoon, stir together sugar, butter, and water. Stir in beaten eggs and vanilla. Add flour and cocoa and stir until blended. Spread the thick batter into a greased 9″×13″ pan. Bake at 350° for 18-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool and enjoy! This recipe can also be found in Danna’s best-selling cookbook, Happiness is Homemade Y’all available on Amazon.

Watch the video below to see BCF Publisher Laurie Franklin in Danna’s kitchen where she learned to make Danna’s delicious brownies.

-Danna Standridge

Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all! and 2024 Sweet Grown Alabama Ambassador 

Read her faith story here

 Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.

The Home Front

The Christmas trees are decorated, the lights are twinkling, a plethora of packages are on everyone’s doorsteps, and homes are buzzing with friends and family. It’s that time of year again to think about what you’re going to serve your guests that will wow them and leave their bellies full of cheer. If you’re looking for a decadent, buttery dessert that will be an unforgettable finish to any holiday meal, then Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is the answer. This unique twist on a classic dessert will bring on all the holiday joy!

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 cups bite-sized bread pieces (French bread is perfect.)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans, halved or chopped

Instructions

Prepare an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying well with a nonstick cooking spray. Place all bread pieces into the baking dish. Pour melted butter over the bread. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple or vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the pecans. Then, pour evenly over the bread pieces. Use a rubber spatula to move the bread pieces around in the dish until all pieces are coated in the syrup mixture. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until set and golden. Serve warm topped with whipped cream or hard sauce! If you’re looking to make your own whipped cream, check out my homemade whipped cream recipe here.

5 more holiday treats to serve your guests this season. 

1. No-Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy. This recipe couldn’t be easier & makes for a great homemade gift to friends and family.

2. Ashley Mac’s Famous Red Velvet Cake Recipe. Red velvet cake is a holiday favorite, and this recipe is next level.

3. Peppermint Coffee Punch. This sweet drink is a fabulous treat to serve guests at any holiday party & can be put together in no time.

4. Sparkling Cranberry White Chocolate Cake. This cake looks like Christmas on a plate!

5. Homemade Egg-Free Eggnog. Eggnog is a must-have, and this recipe will have you going back for seconds and thirds.

-Jamie Tarence

www.familysavvy.com 

The Home Front

Once I discovered the best way to make hard-cooked eggs, I’ve never looked back. I spend a lot of time making hard boiled eggs, but I don’t boil them anymore. What cooking method do I use instead? Steaming. If you want your hard-cooked eggs to peel easily, steaming is hands down the best way to do it. The shells slip right off the eggs with no effort.

Have you ever had a bowl full of hard-boiled eggs that you needed to peel for deviled eggs? If so, then you know they are maddening to peel! The shells break into tiny pieces, cling to the egg, and almost never come off easily. I’ve had to eat or toss many an egg because the whites had pit marks all over from difficult peeling. If you are a creature of habit, this might sound like an odd method to cook eggs, but it couldn’t be any simpler. All you need is a steamer basket, a saucepan with a lid, and a timer.

Here’s how to make hard-steamed eggs.

• Insert a steamer basket into a saucepan.
• Add water until it starts to peep through the steamer basket holes.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Add eggs to the steamer basket, being careful not to burn yourself.
• Place a lid on the saucepan.
• Turn the heat down so that the water gently simmers, medium-low or low on most burners.
• Set the timer to 16 minutes.
• When the timer goes off, lift the steamer basket and eggs from the saucepan.
• Let cool for 60 seconds, rinse with cold water or place in ice water.

You can allow the eggs to sit for about half an hour, or you can refrigerate until you’re ready to peel them. The shells will come off easier than you can imagine.

My technique for peeling hard-cooked eggs. Gently tap the egg all over until tiny cracks cover the surface. Then hold the egg under running water and start peeling, gently squeezing the egg if needed to make it “pop” out of the shell. 

How to use hard-cooked eggs. You can use hard-cooked eggs for cobb salad, egg salad, and avocado toast. My personal favorite way to use them is for my “Wicked Deviled Eggs” recipe on the Family Savvy blog since it’s perfect for summer. 

-Jamie Tarence

www.familysavvy.com