Catching Up With The Kelnhofers-40

This week on Catching up with the Kelnhofers, I’m wrapping up my sourdough story (and why I ended up throwing my sourdough starter away), talking about why and how I am making eggless recipes, sharing a few of my favorite sweet potato recipes and sharing an update on what’s happening in our yard.

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Did you know for the past month plus I’ve been growing a sourdough starter? It’s been an emotional experience to say the least. I’ve actually cried tears over the stupid thing (said with love). His name was Crust Hemsworth.

Well, one of our favorite local restaurants was selling some of their starter. I got it, tried it. OH MY GOODNESS, it rose and fell like clockwork. It had/has the most beautiful bubbles. I put it in the fridge (to slow down the growth so you’re not feeding it twice a day) and when I took it out, it rose right back up again. Whereas mine, it took 3 days to start rising and falling (kind of/weakly) again. I baked two loaves of bread with the different starters (my starter and the restaurant starter) and I had to have Nick put it in the oven, I came home to a disc lol. But that was just a weird fluke. I baked another round, and they tasted the same, but the restaurant one was just easier to work with and better.

So…I decided to just use the discards and make pizza dough (so so good) and to just keep the restaurant starter, not the one I had started. I feel so much better. I feel like I’ve learned a lot, but that I finally have a more reliable starter.

New on the Blog:

Recipes that the kids are loving is what this week was all about!

• Chocolate Milkshake Recipe for Kids
• Catching up with the Kelnhofers
• Eggless Applesauce Muffins with Streusel Topping

What to Make:

Sweet potato recipes. I know, it may seem like an odd time to post about sweet potatoes, but I’ve got tons of great recipes that we make at home all the time ( and they keep really well)!

• Sweet Potato Burgers
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Sweet Potato and Chickpea Sandwich Spread
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Sweet Potato Puree

What I’ve Been Making:

• I had some leftover sweet potato pieces, so I added some into eggless waffles, just like with sweet potato pancakes.

• Freddie might be allergic/have a sensitivity to eggs (although it probably was just that he got some in his eye) we are going to be super cautious because we’d love not to have to go to the hospital during this pandemic.

• So, I’ve been making lots of ‘eggless’ recipes, like these applesauce muffins with streusel topping.
• I also found this awesome egg substitute baking list.

• Ben and Nick made the recipe on the back of the bag of Ghirardelli sweet cocoa powder for “Ghirardelli award winning brownies” and not gonna lie…they’re the best brownies EVER!

Reader Comments

As grilling season is upon us, this comment about my burger seasoning surely makes me smile!

• “Just made some burgers for the family using this seasoning and it adds a great flavor. Not overwhelming, but strong enough to taste the difference. Thank you!”

Reader ReCreations

You know those sweet potato recipes I mentioned above, well a reader shared pictures of my recipe for sweet potato and chickpea sandwich spread; she made some for her and some for her kid and it looks perfect! Thanks for the mention @sweetgirleats!

Links from Around the Web:

• At this point, I’m willing to try whatever to get a little more sleep. A friend who just had the cutest baby suggested the Hatch baby noise machine/sleep light so we’re trying it out. It’s just day one, so we shall see. Before bed, I explained to Ben that he wasn’t supposed to get up before the light was green. Fingers crossed.
• You guys know how much I love my Crocs that Nick got me – I’m seriously obsessed with them! So, this article made me laugh so much – apparently they are stylish! after all
• A friend sent me this image – it was good to be able to giggle at all of this a bit. Unfortunately, I’m not sure of the image source, so feel free to message me if you know so I can give the author well-deserved credit!

• I finished I Owe You One, it was SO SO good and sweet, highly recommend.
• I just started The Happy Ever After Playlist and loving it so far…I’m all about the light and easy reads right now, because my brain cannot handle heavy stories!

What I’m Watching

• Did you guys ever watch Parks and Rec when it was on? I loved it! Anyway, I watched the special Coronavirus edition of Parks & Rec and I seriously loved it so much! I laughed and cried and it was glorious.
• Beyond that, I haven’t had much time to watch things, but a friend of mine told me that she started all of the MasterChef episodes over from the very first episode of Season 1 (on Hulu), so I may do that too! Oh, and she recommended McMillions (on Netflix) and it sounds so good!

Personal Stories

• Finally a little bit of sun!
• We took a family walk, twins in the stroller and Ben riding his Trike

• After our walk we went into the yard to sit in the grass. The twins had never been out in the grass before. Freddie LOVED the grass and was having the best time ever. Frankie on the other hand, she HATED it so so much. She was just screaming and we ended up having to take her inside early lol.

• Ben took off everyone’s’ shoes and socks because he wanted everyone’s’ “stinky toes out” – too cute.

• Our big project this week: clearing a spot in the yard for a vegetable garden. We got a few flowers delivered which we planted in planters (you can see the planters we used last year)
• There was this weird patch of yard/dirt that had grass on it and that I’ve been meaning to plant something on for years, but just never got around to it. So Ben and I have been going outside for a few hours a day and digging up the patch and finally after a week we’re ready to plant. We got so far as to plant the flowers, then he wanted a break and took off his socks and wanted to sit and watch while I finished up lol.

• I got some seeds so we shall see what happens. Oh, Ben also saw a worm for the first time, it was so cute!
• We watered the plants and covered them at night before planting them, because when we started gardening (this past Monday) it started snowing!!
• The twins personalities are really starting to shine, so it’s fun to watch

• Nick made Mother’s Day very special. He made biscuits in the morning, and I got the most beautiful artwork print (that his sister totally helped with, but Nick did the artwork with the kids, so adorable) and then he made an English toad in the hole breakfast casserole.

• Also, I gave Nick a haircut!!! It took like 45 minutes, minimum, but it wasn’t bad! It was so stressful; I was sweating and shaking, lol.

• Lynn, my amazing bestie got the twins the cutest little stuffed animals with their baby blankets, she got one for Ben when he was a baby too so now I have three. They’re so special. I already got asked on Instagram, so I found out that the hospital blanket stuffed animals available via Etsy.

• Ben and I made blueberry muffins from a mix (that his grandmother gifted) – they are his favorite thing ever. He uses this cookie scoop like no other, and this is my favorite muffin pan ever that came with part of this set I got for my wedding (honestly best baking pans ever).

• My sister and her daughter are too cute when we do Facetimes, also, she sent clothes so Frankie is one lucky girl with the cutest clothes!!

• Ben had a virtual donut date with his grandpa, super cute.
• Ben eating this Stay safe cookie cracked me up.

Popular This Week

• Most visited blog post: tuna salad with pickled celery
• Most liked Instagram post: this picture of me holding the babies and Ben when they were a week old
• Most pinned image: my recipe for a delicious sandwich spread
• Most viewed YouTube video: this one has been a fave for three weeks now!
• Most purchased item – the budget-friendly version of one of my favorite necklaces!

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Have you started any gardening projects this year? What are you growing? Just leave a comment below and let me know.