Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Bread Recipe (for bread machine)

I've always wanted to try making Sourdough bread.... found this recipe here think I'll give it a try! http://unsophisticook.com

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Ingredients:1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 c. all-purpose flour/span>
1 T. sugar or honey
{1} Gather your ingredients. You'll need yeast, flour, water, and either sugar or honey to feed the starter.
{2} Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water.
{3} Whisk together the remaining warm water, flour, sugar or honey, and dissolved yeast mixture.
(4} Cover the sourdough starter with cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 5-10 days, stirring three times daily. The starter is ready for use when it smells fermented and the vigorous bubbling ceases.
When your sourdough starter is done fermenting, you may store it in the refrigerator in a covered plastic container.

Maintenance and Use of Sourdough Starter:

To use your starter, first stir it up. Then measure out the amount of cold starter that you need, and then let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding with your recipe.
Replenish your starter by adding 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, 3/4 c. water, and 1 t. sugar or honey to remaining starter. Let stand at room temperature for a day, and then you can cover and place it back in the refrigerator.
If you don't use your starter within 10 days, stir in an additional teaspoon of sugar or honey every 10 days to feed the yeast.



Bread Machine Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients:3 1/2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2 1/4 t. active dry yeast
3/4 c. milk, warmed
1.5 T. butter, softened
1 c. sourdough starter
Directions:Add 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to your bread pan. If your bread machine has a warming cycle, turn it off and start a basic bread cycle to stir these ingredients together. I use the dark crust setting for this recipe
Slowly add warm milk and softened butter to dry mixture while the bread machine is still stirring. Then do the same with the sourdough starter.
Add the remaining 2-1/2 cups of flour slowly to the wet mixture. It may seem like too much flour, as the dough will get very crumbly, but it will all get kneaded into the bread. I've found that it helps to press down on the dough as the machine is still kneading to get it to pick up all of the bits of dough.
Close the top of the bread machine and let it finish out its cycle. When the bread is done baking, remove it from the pan immediately and let it cool on a rack to prevent it from getting soggy.
Makes one 2-lb. sourdough loaf.