Sourdough Cheese Bread

2 c. warm water (about 110 F)
7-1/2 c. to 8 c. all-purpose Flour, unsifted
1 c. sourdough starter batter at room temperature
2 tsp. plain or iodized salt
2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 c. coarsely chopped Asiago Cheese

Bread Baste or Wash Recipe: 1 tsp. cornstarch brought to a boil with 1 cup water, then cooled to room temp.

Hot water for oven is required

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sourdough starter batter and 4 cups of the flour. Mix well and cover with clear plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place (85 F) 8 to 12 hours. (A good place to do this is in your oven with just the oven light on)

Stir in salt, sugar and enough remaining flour (about 4 cups).  This will form a very stiff dough. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (2 to 2-1/2 hours). (Again, the oven is ideal for this)

Punch down and divide in half. (This recipe was divided into little loafs, four little pans were used, so it was divided into four equal amounts). Knead gently until smooth. Flatten out and spread a generous layer of cheese all over. Roll up pinching with each roll. Pinch final seam tightly, stuff both ends in with two fingers, then pinch the ends closed.  Place seam-side down in pans.  Cover the sourdough bread loaves lightly; let them rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size (1 to 1-1/2 hours). (It goes back in that oven with the light on)

Now preheat your oven to 400F.

Carefully place a small pan on the shelf, below the oven baking rack, and fill it with hot water.

Place your sourdough bread loaves on the baking rack, close the oven door and bake in a preheated (400 F) oven for 10 minutes. Then brush your sourdough bread loaves with the baste mixture. Close the oven door and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

Remove the loaves from the oven and place on a cooling rack until cooled down to room temperature. Allow your loaf to cool completely (about 2 hours) before cutting into it. A loaf of sourdough bread is not fully flavored until it is fully cool. Also, bread is much easier to slice when cool.

(This bread wasn't allowed to cool completely, the cheese needed to be soft and yummy.)

Serve along side of warm sliced bread.

Easy, Easy Sourdough Pancakes

2 c. buttermilk pancake mix
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. sour dough starter

**Use less water if you are using your potato starter.

Mix pancake mix and water, then add starter and blend thoroughly. At this point add potatoes if you are making potato pancakes. Same goes for blueberries or other types of berry pan cakes.

Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Here is a great pancake recipe using the Herman Starter:

1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. Herman Starter
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk


In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and baking powder. Add the sourdough starter, oil, eggs and milk; beat well.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.


***Note: You may add your shredded, grated or even riced potatoes to this recipe easily.

This one is my favorite.


You make a basic batter the night before you want pancakes for breakfast. Put one cup of sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl preferably of glass or plastic. Add 2 cups of warm water (up to 85 F) and 2-1/2 cups of flour.

Mix thoroughly. Initially, the mixture will be thick and lumpy but will thin down from fermenting and should be lively by the morning. Cover the bowl with a dinner plate, wrap it loosely with a towel, and place it in a warm spot overnight. If your kitchen tends to be on the cool side, I'd place the bowl on your oven door. You should avoid placing the bowl in a drafty location. You should also avoid placing the bowl in a location where the temperature gets over 85F as this might kill the wild yeast. ( Use of a thermometer if you are unsure)

In the morning remove one cup of the batter and put it back into your sourdough starter crock and refrigerate. You will be left with 4-1/2 cups of batter.

To the batter remaining in the bowl, add:

1 egg
2 Tbs cooking oil
1/4 cup instant dry milk

Beat thoroughly. Then combine:

1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs sugar
add a pinch of cinnamon if you like, totally optional


Blend together until smooth, eliminating any lumps of soda. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter; fold in gently. This will cause a gentle foaming and rising action.

Allow batter to rest several minutes, then fry on a hot, lightly greased griddle. Generally use a tablespoon to ladle the batter onto the griddle. Keep the size of the pancakes to about 1-1/2" - 2".