winter recipes – Hangry Hannah

Blue Cheese & Walnut Sourdough Loaf

November 10, 2025bread, Fermentation, Recipes, sourdough1 Comment

I love how customizable sourdough can be! I have been trying out different variations, and this combo may be one of my fall favorites. The walnuts add this wonderful crunch while the blue cheese highlights the tanginess of the sourdough. It makes a wonderful bread for grilled cheese, to dip into soup, and to eat toasted with some butter!

Ingredients

300g Water
175g Active Sourdough Starter
450g Bread Flour
10g Sat
1 Cup of Walnuts, roughly chopped
1 Package of Your fav Blue Cheese, crumbled

Let’s Get Baking

In a large bowl, combine 300g water + 150g active sourdough starter and whisk until fully incorporated.

Then add in 450g of bread flour + 10g of salt. Mix well until there are no dry spots on the dough. The dough should be sticky. Cover with a damp towel and let sit on the counter for an hour.

After the initial hour, uncover the dough and add in most of the chopped walnuts + blue cheese. Be sure to save some of the fillings for the shaping process! Now we begin stretch and folds. Wet your hands and place them underneath the dough, pull the edges of the dough up and fold them on themselves. Repeat on all sides of the dough. Once folded, cover the dough with the towel and repeat the stretches every hour until the loaf has doubled in size – the timing will vary. The dough will feel light, airy, and it will be less sticky when it is ready.

Time to shape! Turn out your dough on a lightly floured surface. Pull out the edges of the dough to create a rectangle. Add in the remaining walnuts + blue cheese. Fold one side halfway into the rectangle and fold the other side over that. Roll the dough away from you, creating a log. Place your hands on the sides of the dough and begin pulling towards yourself to get rid of the seams and create a tighter ball. Prepare a bowl by placing a towel in the bowl and sprinkling flour on the towel. Place the dough ball upside down [or seam side up] into the prepared bowl. Cover with the towel and let it proof for one hour on the counter before moving it into the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 500°F and put your Dutch oven in the oven while it preheats. Place your dough on a piece of parchment paper and score the bread to release the steam. Carefully remove your Dutch oven once the oven has preheated and place your dough inside. Cover with the lid and bake at 500F for 20 minutes. After the initial 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 475°F and bake for another 25 minutes.

Allow to fully cool before cutting into the dough – this is the hardest part! Then enjoy!

What will you serve this bread with?

Made with Love,
Hannah

Dad’s Jambalaya

March 5, 2025March 5, 2025Recipes3 Comments

I am so excited to share that I got my grubby little paws on my dad’s jambalaya recipe. Jambalaya is one of my FAVORITE meals ever and I finally have been present to observe the process from behind the curtain. Marky Mark makes some edits to the recipe – like doing half sweet half hot sauage – you could do 2LB of one or the other if you prefer. He stressed that the most important part of the recipe is making your own chicken broth, or ‘liquid gold’ as he calls it. Plan for two days to make this, so you can make the broth the day before. Makes about 8-10 servings but I don’t recommend sharing. I also highly recommend asking your loved ones for their recipes, food strengthens connections.

Ingredients

Chicken Broth:

1 small fryer chicken
1 rib celery with leaves
1 onion, halved
1 clove garlic

Jambalaya:

2 cups long grain rice
1 LB Ground Italian sausage
1 LB Ground Hot Sausage
½ stick butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 large bay leaf
¼ teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons salt.
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon Tabasco
1 cup chopped yellow onion
Shredded chicken

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large pot, cover chicken with water; add celery, onion, garlic; boil until tender, about 1 hour. Reserve stock.

Remove chicken meat from bones once cooled and reserve. In 5 cups stock, cook rice until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, cook the ground sausage until cooked thoroughly about 5-8 minutes. Remove meat. Add butter to pan and sauté onion, pepper, and parsley until tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken abd sausage; stir in garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Add cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, sitrring frequently.

Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Loaf

January 30, 2025January 29, 2025Recipes2 Comments

A friend recently requested a blueberry lemon loaf and I was more than happy to oblige as blueberry + lemon is the supreme combo. I have my tried and true recipe, however, I have been wanting to use my sourdough starter in more recipes and I figured this was the perfect opportunity. Shout out to Idie’s Farm for the guidance on how to make this recipe starter-friendly! I went with the long-fermented option because I wanted that tangy sourdough taste.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Baking Soda
1/2 TSP Salt
Zest of 1 Lemon

Wet Ingredients

1 Cup Sourdough Discard or active starter
3/4 Cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 Large Eggs
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Cup Blueberries

Lemon Glaze

1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 TBSP Lemon Juice

Let’s Get Cooking

Begin the batter 16-18 hours before you plan to bake!

In a large bowl whisk together 2 Cups All Purpose Flour + 1 TSP Baking Powder +1 TSP Baking soda 1/2 TSP Salt + Zest of 1 Lemon.

In another bowl combine 1 Cup Sourdough Discard or active starter + 3/4 Cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar+ 1/2 Cup Melted Butter+ 2 Large Eggs + Juice of 1 Lemon + 1/4 Cup Milk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until the batter has just come together. Be aware to not over mix. Fold in the blueberries and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.

Allow to rise for 4-6 hours, I like to put mine in the oven with the light on. Place dough in the fridge for a second rise overnight or for 12 hrs.

The next day; preheat the oven to 350F.

Give the dough a few good stirs and then pour it into the prepared pan.

Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Combine the glaze ingredients and pour over the blueberry loaf.

Slice and enjoy!

Made with Love,
Hannah

Sourdough Glazed Donuts

January 20, 2025Recipes, sourdough4 Comments

About 5 years ago when I was still a sourdough newby I attempted to make sourdough donuts. I had failed miserably. Since Brad [my starter] turns 5 this year it is the perfect time to redeem myself. Aberle Home helped guide me to success. Though I don’t have a oil thermometer it would be recommended by me to get one [it’s on my list as well] as ensuring the oil is at the right temperature is the hardest part of these donuts. This is a two day process so make sure you are planning ahead but OMG are they worth it.

Ingredients

Tangzhong (Scald)

180g whole milk
38g unbleached bread flour

Dough

Cooled tangzhong
200g ripe sourdough starter (100% hydration)
375g unbleached bread flour (12.7% protein)
3 Large eggs
38g granulated sugar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12g kosher salt
100g salted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Vanilla Glaze

70g Whole Milk
230g Powdered Sugar
1 TBSP Salted Butter, melted, cooled
1/2 TSP Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt

Additional

Vegetable Oil for Frying
Donut Cutter [or create your own at home like I did with a container lid and smaller cookie cutter]
Parchment Paper

Let’s Get Baking

Day One

Feed your starter 6hrs in advance and allow it to peak.

Prepare the tangzhong mixture: whisk together 180g milk + 38g flour in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir constantly with a rubber spatula until it thinkens to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Spread flat on a dinner plate and refridgerate until cool.

In a stand mixture fitted with a dough hook, add the cooled tangzhong + 200g Ripe Starter + 3 Large eggs + 38g granulated sugar + 2 TSP vanilla extract + 375g unbleached bread flour. Mix on low speed for 1 minute until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add in the 12g of salt and knead on low speed for 10 minutes. Add in half the butter cubes and continue needing until the butter is incorporated and no longer visible. Add in the second half of the butter cubes. The dough is done when it cleans itself off the sides of the bowl and clings to the dough hook, this may take 10-15 minutes.

With damp hands form the dough into a smooth ball. Place in a large bowl, cover, and set in a warm plave until it has nearly doubled in size. After the dough has risen, cover tightly, and refridgerate overnight.

Day 2

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, lightly dust them with flour. Lightly flour your counter and turn out the cold dough. Roll evenly to 1/2-inch thickenness. Use your donut cutter and cut as closely spaced together, placing them on the parchment paper.

Cover the pans with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to proof until the donuts are puffy and soft to the touch.

When the donuts are about ready, fill a heavy bottomed pot with 2 inches of frying oil. Line a cooling rack with paper towels underneath and begin frying when the oil reaches 360F. Fry about 2 donuts at a time, fry about 2 minutes per side or until they are golden brown.

Make the vanilla glaze: combining 230g powdered sugar + 70g whole milk + 1 TBSP melted butter + 1/2 TSP vanilla extract + salt. Mix well until all combined. Once donuts have cooled, dip them in the glaze and place glazed side up on the cooling rack.

Enjoy immediately! Trust me you’re not going to be able to stop.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Almond Croissant Cookies

December 23, 2024December 23, 2024Recipes3 Comments

It’s the holidays. For me the holidays are different this year, with the loss of Cooper we are embracing new traditions and being flexible with old ones. What I love about the holidays is how much food plays an important role in gathering people together. I was testing out some new cookies that I would like to bake for the holidays as cooking/baking continues to be a relaxation during this grief. I found these almond croissant cookies and OMG are they delicious! They are chewy and have this wonderful delicious almond flavor that goes perfectly with my morning coffee. They are definitely cooper-approved!

Ingredients

250g Butter, melted
150g Light Brown Sugar
170g Sugar
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder
1/4 TSP Salt
100g Almond Flour
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Egg + 1 Egg Yolk
1 TBSP Vanilla Paste [I used liquid vanilla and it worked perfectly]
100g flaked almonds
Powdered Sugar to decorate

Let’s Get Baking

Melt your butter and allow it to cool slightly

In a mixing bowl combine 150g of light brown sugar + 170g sugar + melted butter and mix until well combined. Add in the egg + egg yolk + vanilla paste and combine.

Make your self-rising flour: In a small bowl combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder + 1/4 TSP Salt

Gradually add in the self-rising flour + 100g almond flour + 1 1/2 Cups All purpose flour to the butter mixture until a dough forms.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the almond flakes into a separate bowl.

Portion the dough out to your preferred cookie size, roll the ball in the almond flakes and place it on the prepared baking sheet.

Freeze the dough balls for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the cookies for about 15-25 minutes [depending on how big you made them], or until the edges are slightly golden.

Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled dust with powdered sugar.

Made with Love,
Hannah

Spicy Potsticker Soup

December 16, 2024December 15, 2024Recipes2 Comments

My dog, more like little brother, Cooper crossed the rainbow bridge early in December. I am so grateful for the 15 years we spent together but it has not made the loss any less devastating. My grief brain has made it hard to complete any one task and I end up looking lost with many unfinished projects. Cooking is always something that is grounding for me and though it has taken some time to get my appetite back, there is nothing like a comforting soup when you are feeling sad. This spicy potsticker soup was helpful for me to take some time to care for myself and it was not a complicated recipe for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

3 TBSP Sesame Oil
2 TSP Fish Sauce
1 Bok Choy, greens chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Inch Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated
6 Cups Chicken Broth
3 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 TBSP Rice Vinegar
20-30 Frozen Wontons/Dumplings/Potstickers
Chili Oil, I love Lao Gan Ma

Let’s Get Cooking

Heat 2 TBSP sesame oil over MED-HIGH heat in a large pot, add in the bok choy and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Remove and transfer to a plate

Add the remaining 1 TBSP of sesame oil to the same pot. Add in the mushrooms + shallots + garlic + ginger. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Add in the wontons and cook until the float, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the bok choy + soy sauce + rice vinegar + fish sauce. Remove from heat.

Serve in bowls and top with the chili oil.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Vitamin C Juice

November 18, 2024Recipes1 Comment

Everyone is getting sick & I just do not have time for that. I know sometimes catching these nasty bugs is completely out of our control; so I like to do what is within my control and that involves making this drink. This juice is packed with oranges, lemons, grapefruits, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and black pepper. It provides us with antioxidants, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory properties that keep us nice and healthy in the upcoming cold months. I like to drink the juice with some lemonade warmed up in the microwave as a nice tea, or you can drink it cold on its own.

Ingredients

1 Grapefruit
2 Oranges
3 Lemons
1 Knob of Fresh Ginger
1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
1 TSP Turmeric
1 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Black Pepper
Water

Let’s Get Juicing

Prep all your fruits by removing the rind and cutting them into slices.

Place all the ingredients into a blender and fill the blender 3/4 full of water, leaving the top of the fruits uncovered.

Once completely blended, prepare a pot with a strainer over top. Strain the juice to remove all the pulp.

After straining, jar the juice to store and place it in the fridge for up to a month.

Drink with lemonade or own it’s own!

Stay warm out there.

Made with Love,
Hannah

Chicken, Spinach, & Artichoke Soup

March 8, 2024March 7, 2024RecipesLeave a Comment

Soup season is slowly making its way to a close, but before it’s over this chicken, spinach, & artichoke soup from Sarah DiGregorio is a MUST MAKE. The recipe can be made on the stovetop, but I made it in the crockpot because nothing is better than low and slow. The recipe calls for frozen spinach, but I used fresh and it still came out great, I used about 2 Cups but it’s totally your call!

Ingredients

2 TBSP Unsalted Butter
1 Large Yellow Onion, finely chopped
Salt + Pepper
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
8 Garlic Cloves, smashed & chopped
2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Lemon, Juiced
1 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
1 10oz Package Frozen Cut Spinach, or 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
1 10oz Jar Marinated Artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 Cup Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Dill or 2 TBSP Dried Dill
Scallions & Grated Parm for topping

Let’s Get Cooking

In a large skillet, melt the butter over MED-HIGH heat. Add in the onion and season lightly with salt, stir until soften and translucent. Add in the celery + garlic and stir until soften, lower the heat if needed to avoid burning. Pour the mixture into a slow cooker.

To the slow cooker, add in chicken thighs + stock + wine + lemon juice. Season with red pepper flakes + 1 TSP Salt + black pepper and mix well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. ** The dish can stay on the warm setting for a few hours following the cook time if needed **

About 20 min before you’re ready to eat, add in the spinach + artichoke hearts to the slow cooker and cook on low until the spinach can be stirred into the soup.

Add in the cream cheese + dill and stir until the cream cheese melts in.

Shred the chicken and serve in bowls, topping with parm and scallions.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Citrus Champagne Bundt Cake

February 13, 2024Recipes12 Comments

In December my mom went on a Christmas market cruise all throughout France and parts of Europe. In addition to cute and quirky Christmas ornaments, she also brought me this BEAUTIFUL bundt cake mold. The story goes that Marie Antoinette ran into one of these shops because of the rain and used the bundt cake pan as a hat to shield her hair! How true that is, we can speculate but I think it’s such a cute story & you can definitely tell why she chose that shop!

To break in the mold, I wanted to showcase the lovely winter citrus that we have! I followed Tutti-Dolci’s guide for the cake, the only thing I changed was making an orange frosting to drizzle over top. Take note from me and fill your pan only about 3/4 the way full, I went a little overboard and I had some spillage. It’s all good though, it was a delicious mistake!

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Flour
3/4 TSP Baking Powder
1/4 TSP Baking Soda
1/2 TSP Salt
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
3 TBSP Fresh Citrus Zest, I used oranges but you could use oranges, lemons, grapefruits
10 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temp
2 Eggs, room temp
1 Cup Champagne/Prosecco
1/4 Cup Citrus juice, again your choice
1 TSP Vanilla Extract

Frosting

5 TBSP Orange Juice [use whatever citrus you’re using]
5 TBSP Powdered Sugar

Let’s Get Baking

Preheat your oven to 350F and butter or spray your bundt pan

Combine the flour + baking powder + baking soda + salt in a medium bowl

In a food processor, pulse together sugar + citrus zest and place in a large mixing bowl with butter. Mix together until pale and fluffy. Reduce the speed to slow and add in the eggs one at a time.

Slowly add in the flour until almost incorporated. Add in the champagne + citrus juice + vanilla and mix until combined.

Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and tap the pan sharply to reduce trapped air bubbles.

Bake for 40-44 minutes or until a tester comes back clean. This part absolutely depends on your pan and your oven, since my pan was ceramic, it took closer to 65 minutes.

While baking, combine the frosting ingredients, adding more if needed, and mix well. After allowing the cake to cool, drizzle the cake with frosting and enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

February 5, 2024February 5, 2024RecipesLeave a Comment

It’s cold in Ohio, I know we shouldn’t be surprised. We just had freezing temperatures, a snowstorm, and then raining ice, so needless to say, we are all working on staying warm. I wanted to get back to the basics and make a chicken noodle soup. I used Nyssa’s Kitchen recipe for her turmeric chicken soup as a guide to make a veggie-packed soup with creamy broth. I made a few tweaks here and there but this soup is a keeper & it helped me stay warm, I mean they do say chicken soup is good for the soul!

Ingredients

1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
1 Large Leek, white and light green parts only, halved and thinly sliced
3 Large Carrots, thinly sliced
3 Celery Stalks, thinly sliced
1 TSP Salt
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 TSP Turmeric
1 TSP Poultry Seasoning
6 Cups Chicken Broth, I used turkey bc that’s all I had
1 13.5 oz Can Coconut Milk
1 1/4 lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 10 oz Bag Frozen Peas
1 Cup of Kale
1 TBSP Parsley
Cooked Egg Noodles
Black Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

In a skillet on MED heat, combine the olive oil + onion + leeks + celery + salt. Saute together for about 10 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.

Add in the garlic + turmeric + poultry seasoning and stir to combine, let cook for about 3 minutes.

Place the raw chicken into the crock pot and top with the sauteed veggies. Pour over the broth and place the crock pot on high for 4 hours

Once done, remove the chicken, shred it, and return back to the crock pot. Stir in the coconut milk + frozen peas + kale + parsley and allow to cook for about another hour on low, or until the peas are bright green.

During this time, cook up your egg noodles per package instructions.

Serve the soup over the cooked egg noodles, top with extra pepper & warm up!

Made with Love,

Hannah