Sourdough Starter Using Yeast

This is not how I wanted to do a starter but I could never seem to get another one to grow and flourish! ;-) It would just lay there like Spot when you tell him to 'play dead'.

Perhaps I will try it again one day, but for now, this one works amazingly well! It grows some kind of wild! ....But it does have yeast added to it and I know some of you will view that as cheating. ;-) But it's only a teeny amount! Speaking of cheating, you also add a dash of cane sugar to this one too. I know, I guess I should have called this "Sourdough Starter for Idiots"!

lol- Just kidding! But this one is almost fool-proof! ;-)

In a large jar* combine:

1 cup fresh whole wheat flour

1 t yeast

1 t cane sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix this up at night and place it in the cupboard over the stove. In the morning, feed it with one cup of flour(can use wheat or unbleached to feed) and approx. 3/4 cup water. (You just need enough water to make it the consistency of a thick batter.) Feed the starter in the same way for two more mornings.

On the following morning, your starter is ready to use or store in the fridge, covered.

It should be bubbly and smell somewhat like beer.

I took one cup of starter out for bread (part two) and stored the rest.

NOTES ABOUT REPLENISHING THE STARTER FROM THE BOOK**:

To replenish: Each time you use your starter replenish it with a mixture of equal parts of milk and flour(i.e. 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup milk). Leave it at room temperature several hours or overnight, until it again becomes full of bubbles, then cover and store in the refrigerator.

The starter is best used at least once a week. If not used for 2-3 weeks, it may become too sour. Freshen it with a small amount of baking soda OR discard half of the starter and replenish it with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour.

You may freeze a good starter. To use, allow it to stand at room temperature for 24 hours after it has thawed.

*I like to use this old apple sauce jar.