Chooky, Thanks for the offers of the starter but I bought one from a place called Basic Ingredients Homebread. My problem was that I didn`t know when to feed it once it doubled in size, It only took about five and a half hours to double and then it would collapse back to just about where it started from, so do I feed it when it was doubled in size or wait for 24 hours to feed it again? Then the recipe that was with the starter said to throw out most of it and feed it with 300g of flour and 300g of water till it doubled again and I thought that was a big waste of flour as I was going through 5 kg to make about two loaves of bread. I still have some of the starter in the fridge so  if you have an easier recipe I would appreciate it if you could forward it on.
 Bron any recipe that you could forward that would make it any easier would be great too. I don`t particularly care what sort of sourdough bread that it is because I am just experimenting with it.
                                Thanks everyone for all your help. Sandy

When I have a moment I'll post,    NO knead 18 hour oat sour dough.   I'll also post a recipe for a sour dough mix that you keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.     This one is all the rage in America at the moment,  except they use yeast.  D ont throw out your culture ,  make it into one of these and freeze any bread that you can't use with in a few days.  500gs of flour should give you a good size loaf.   So a good loaf of sour dough should cost $1/ $1.50. for the ingredients.     I'll try and post tomorrow.

Hi Cookie1  1 left handed,  exteacher to another !  I don't think flour would work.   Corn flour might as it has a similar texture to potato flour.      What is the problem with Potato flour ?

I made the soap powder and added Tea Tree oil (about 1 Tablespoon) and the T.M  machine glugged at the extra oil.   Next time I will leave it out.   I use only 1 Tbsp. per load in the front loader.  It seems to work well however it is not all that cheap to make.   I will need to do the sums.

Visited all fish stalls at the Vic Market on Tuesday.    No fresh Crab meat.   I located 1 frozen packet, $17 for 400g.  from Vietnam.
I was told that sometimes they have frozen Australian Crab Meat which is between $ 50 and $60 a Kilo.    The Vietnamese product looked grey and mushy.    I am going to have to use tinned Crab or shift interstate!

60g. butter
1/2 small green pepper (or a well drained 125 tin)
1 medium onion.
3 Tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
pinch of cayanne
sail and pepper
1Tablespoon of dry sherry
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2  170g tins of crab.

Melt butter80 for 2 minutes on  
Chop onion and green pepper 10 seconds on speed 5( if using tinned pepper , add after
 onion is cooked)
Cook onion in butter (and pepper if raw) 3 mins. at 100 speed 1
Add flour and cook 4 mins. at 100 ,
Add liquid from the 2 cans of crab, and chicken stock,   3 mins, reverse on varoma speed 2.
Add milk and cream , cook varoma, 4 mins.  
CHECK THICKNESS OF SOUP,  IT SHOULD BE LIKE THICKENED CREAM.
.If not thick enough mix 4 teasp. of cornflour with a little milk and add to mixture in bowl, cook 2 minutes,varoma ,speed 2.
Add crab,  reverse,  varoma 2 mins.

Top with chives to serve,     Makes 1 1/2  Litres.   4-6 serves

Fairly expensive to make but excellent for a dinner party .   I made it tonight to test recipe, DH said the Queen would not be having soup any better than this.

Members' Comments
JD - I made 1/2 quantity which is 2 meals for me.  Only addition was a umami cube which I tend to throw in all soups these days.  It's a nice soup Chookie. This is a very delicate but tasty soup.

HI All, Just wondering if anyone out there makes their own sourdough bread?  I have been trying to make some but just can`t get the hang of it, so if anyone can help me with any suggestions I would be very grateful [ although the steer won`t because it has been getting all the rejects ] I don`t know if your are supposed to use the starter as soon as it has doubled up or leave it overnight and now I am getting that much in the fridge I will have to start chucking out some food soon. Help someone please. Thanks Sandy.

I think I may be able to help.  You can use the starter straight away. when it has bubbled and usually doubled.   When you remove what you require .replace it with equal amounts of water and bakers flour.   or rye flour if it is a rye starter.   Make sure the water you use is rain water or filtered.  It will take 7 hours at room temp. before you should use the starter again.  If you are not going to use the starter within the next 12 hours, put it in the fridge.   The best test of the starter is the smell. it should smell like yeast or beer.
I would like to know how you are growing your starter.   This may be the problem.   I feed my starter about once a week,   and have left it for a month , when we have been away, and revived it with a feed when we have returned.   Once we sort out the starter  I can give you a ,recipe which is very little work,and produces an excellent loaf.

Quote from: achookwoman on December 12, 2009, 11:32:37 pm

    ( see how I used the"Insert Quote).    Ha, Ha.

Good work Chookie - you'll be running the show soon.  

JD - sorry, thought that it would cut down on cooking time - otherwise you need to cook the potatoes for 20-30 mins. 

 Thermomixer,  you and judydawn have given me soooooooo  muchhhhhhhhh help,   and the confidence to have a go.   Thanks a million.

We are going to the Vic. market next Tuesday,  so will look out for Crab meat.   Will let you know later in the week.   Baby sitting again!   The recipe i have is made with tinned crab,  so judydawn you may not like it. 

We would love any recipe thanks Chookie.  Have people seen the uncooked crab meat for sale in packs?  It is available in Sydney Fish Market.  I was given a bag but had to leave it for a friend.