SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. sourdough discard
1 1/2 c. milk-room temperature (or a little more to desired consistency) 
1 large egg-room temperature 
1 T. avocado oil, olive oil, or melted butter
optional: chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Add the sourdough discard, milk, egg, and oil. Mix just until combined--do not over mix. Add chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips if desired. 

Heat griddle and grease with avocado oil, olive oil, or melted butter. Pour batter onto hot griddle and brown until bubbles pop, then flip and brown the other side.

Serve with buttermilk syrup and sliced bananas or strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit of choice.

SQUASH AND FETA SOUP

We have another recipe on this blog for butternut squash soup.  I love it so much, but the rest of my family doesn't enjoy it as much.  This recipe for squash and feta soup was well received by my whole family.  The toppings add so much and the squash flavor is not as pronounced. It's sure delicious! It can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free bread to make the croutons or just leaving them out.

• 2 pounds peeled and diced squash, about 6 cups You can use pre-chopped butternut squash to save time, if desired
• 1 onion, chopped into 1" pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped into 1/2 slices
• 6-8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 T minced rosemary
• 4 T olive oil, plus a little extra
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 8 oz block of feta cheese
• 1 1/2 T honey
• 3-4 T chopped sage leaves,  about 8-10 fresh leaves
• 32 oz chicken broth 

 Sourdough Croutons

• 3 cups rustic sourdough bread cubes about 3 large slices, cubed into 1" squares
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Garnishing

• additional honey
• chopped sage
• additional crumbled feta
• chili crisp oil

• Preheat oven to 425℉. Line sheet pan with parchment.
• Place squash, onion, carrot, garlic, and 3 T rosemary on pan in a pile.
• Drizzle everything with 4 T of olive oil. Add 1 t of kosher salt and ½ t of black pepper.
• Toss and massage everything together evenly coat in oil. Then spread it out evenly into a single layer.
• Make a small space in the center of your pan and add the block of feta. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of it and gently rub on top and sides of cheese.
• Place pan in oven and cook for about an hour (check after 45-50 minutes). Cook until vegetables are turning golden.
• Meanwhile, make the croutons. Drizzle bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and use hands to coat them all well. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add butter to pan. Add bread and toss until both sides are golden brown. Set aside. Croutons will not be crispy- they will be toasted on the outside and be soft and chewy in the center.
• Remove pan from oven. Transfer all the contents of the pan into a blender, including all browned bits and olive oil.
• Add 1 ½ T honey and 3-4 T  sage to blender. 
• Add broth to blender. Puree until completely smooth.
• Pour soup into a pot on your stove to keep warm. Add more salt to taste. Add more honey, if desired.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with a few croutons, honey, chopped fresh sage, additional feta, and a little drizzle of chili crisp.

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Superior Zuppa Toscana

 I've always been lukewarm toward Zuppa Toscana. Most recipes I've tried have good flavor, but thin, watery broth and sparse sausage and vegetables. This recipe is more rich and filling. I love the addition of the zucchini. And who wouldn't appreciate both bacon AND sausage?! Yum!

• 
  
• 10 slicesthick-cut bacon, diced
• 2 Tolive oil
• 1 lbground Italian sausage
• 1 mediumyellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 T)
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 tchili powder, (optional)
• 2 largerusset potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 bunchkale, stemmed chopped
• ¼ cgrated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 tkosher salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 tred pepper flakes, for serving
• 
  

1. Place the diced bacon in a large skillet. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon gets crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the fat in the pan. 

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the plate with the bacon. 

3. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat to the pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chili powder, potatoes, and zucchini. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. 

4. Add the sausage and about 3/4 of the bacon to the soup. Stir in the cream, kale, Parmesan and salt and cook, stirring, until the kale is wilted, 2 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. 

5. Top individual servings with the remaining bacon, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes.

Recipe by Modern Proper