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About Me

Welcome to Karen's Kitchen Stories


Hi, I'm Karen, author of Karen's Kitchen Stories. This blog is a chronicle of recipes I have successfully attempted (and sometimes unsuccessfully). I love trying "stretch" recipes that are a bit of a challenge. My recipes aren't necessarily simple. They may even have lots of ingredients.

I am into exploring cooking, and am really into learning new techniques. My posts and recipes are meant to teach you (as I teach myself) that you can make some pretty fabulous food. Trust me, if I can do it, you can too.

I also am a total bread geek. I have immersed myself into learning how to bake bread, including sourdoughs, and someday would love to take a serious bread baking course. In the meantime, if you don't understand some of the terms I am using, feel free to shoot me an email or comment on one of my posts, and I'll try to help.









How did I get into bread baking?



I've never been a baker. In fact, cooking has never been an interest until recently. My family members were never into cooking either. The only time I ever made a big effort was when company was coming.


However, about ten years ago, I discovered the King Arthur Flour website, and ordered their sourdough starter. Believe it or not, after never having baked bread before in my life, I decide to start with sourdough. Thank goodness it worked out!





My favorite kind of bread..



I prefer lean bread with a levain, but I also love laminated breads, such as croissants. Oh, and I love, love, love pizza.


My favorite bread toys....



I can't live without a kitchen scale. I also love my instant read thermometer, pizza stone, and dough rising buckets. I also love baking loaves in a Dutch oven.


My favorite bread books...




My bread book habit is a little out of control.






My biggest bread challenge...



Baguettes. Getting those big holes in the crumb while not pancaking the dough is always a challenge for me.


My guilty pleasure...



I love car chases. Living in SoCal, there is always a nightly car chase on television .. =)


About the food and the recipes:



The recipes in this blog are adapted from my overly large cookbook collection, magazines, other blogs, family recipes, and some recipes that are my own creation. I always give credit to the original source if I can find it, I always use my own photos, and I always write the instructions in my own words. My ingredients list and instructions include what I did and may have some changes from the original source. How can you tell how much I have changed a recipe? Look for the following words:

Slightly adapted from = I made very few changes.
Adapted from = I made some changes, sometimes with the ingredient list, and sometimes with the technique. I also may have converted volume measurements to weight.
Inspired by = I have made a lot of changes but I still want to give credit to the original author for the inspiration.
If you are a blogger and are inspired to make one of the recipes from this blog, be sure to use your own photos and your own words and link back to my post. I'd be honored if one of my posts inspired you!
About the photos:







I take all of the photos on this blog. I still need to learn a lot more about my camera as well as post processing. It's on my long list of things to do.


If you'd like to use one of my photos, please ask for my permission. I usually say "yes" as long as you post the photo only and provide a link back to my blog and you do not post the recipe.


I love it and am thrilled when you "pin" my photos to Pinterest as long as you do not remove the link back to my blog and you do not copy and paste the recipe into the comments section.
Contact: karen.h.kerr@gmail.com
Where else can you find me?



I'm on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

I'd love it if you would follow me for updates.

Would you like to comment?

  1. Hi Karen! I've already been inspired by a few of your recipes. I can't wait to get into the kitchen and try a few.

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  2. Karen, I'm so glad we've connected through FB! I actually made your Pane di Como when I first started blogging! It's cited in one of my very first posts!! Your bread baking skills are truly inspiring! :D

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  3. A mess in the kitchen when you make something new???? Pah I make a mess in the kitchen when I walk in there yet alone when I start to cook ;)

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    1. Oh you should see the disaster before, during, and after a stir fry!

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  4. Hi Karen, I recently purchased FWSY and started to enjoy a hobby I had not done for many years. I was led to your website and have been a frequent flyer ever since. I especially enjoy your layout of the recipes and the tips that you add. I was so glad to learn that you can leave the parchment paper under the bread while you bake it! I have tried many of your other bread recipes as well. I am currently baking the Apple Sourdough bread in preparation for tomorrow nights cheese melts.Thanks so much for a great site,Mike

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    1. Thanks so much Mike! You just made my day! Isn't it an amazing hobby? I am smiling from ear to ear.

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  5. I am glad we've connected at two FB groups, Karen... I am also thankful for two other things, we both use blogger and have our day jobs. I have been struggling with blogging but you and other bloggers with day jobs inspire me to pursue my passion, particularly this year that I wanted to give it one more shot. You've got wonderful photos! :)

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  6. I love everything about this !! amazing recipes and fabulous pictures.

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  7. Thank you so much Lyn! Nice to meet you too!

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  8. Greetings from S.India to you Karen - I have subscribed to you a few month ago but this is my first comment. But for today, first of all HAPPY NEW YEAR and happy baking, of course.What adorable grandsons you have, I envy you :)
    But now, please can you help me: I know how to cook but NOT to BAKE. My husband, who is Indian, l o v e s freshly baked (german!) bread, which of course is not possible to get here. In fact the bread is pretty ......:):), far too sweet. Only 2 type of flour available (Atta and Maida). So his wish for 2016 is for me to bake him some bread at home - but looking at your list I do not know which bread to choose to start with. So, please suggest a plain easy to bake bread to make a happy husband and subsequently a happy (german) wife :). Thank you so much in advance.

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    1. Since you don't have access to rye, I would suggest any of the tangzhong breads, as well as the basic sandwich loaf. They are easy!

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  9. Hi Karen,
    Your blog is so cute :). Reading your blog has made me hungry.
    I'd love to share with you some ideas. How can I contact you?
    Thanks!

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  10. I have always loved bread baking although I never really did too much about it, that is until I met you Karen and discovered your blog. You my dear bring out the bread baking in everyone. Thanks.

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  11. It's been great getting to know you on FB Karen. I am a dabbler in yeast breads off and on. Knowing you has inspired me to really get into making bread more of a 'thing' in my kitchen repertoire once again. Everytime I see one of your breads I can't wait to get started! Thanks so much for your wonderful photos and inspiration!

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    1. Awwww! It's been great getting to know you too!! xoxo

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  12. Hi there Karen...
    So fun looking through this and even better cause I know you! I have never really looked at a blog before, but when I saw the smoked gouda reference on Instagram, I had to look it up! Lucky for me, I got to taste it at our recent Pi Phi event! Happy 2017 and keep the good recipes coming! Karen Autrey

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    1. Thanks so much Karen!!! Yes, I finally got around to posting it. You guys were my first tasters!

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  13. Hi Karen;
    Saw your post in Foodblogger Central and thought I check-out your website and now I bookmarked you. Your recipes look very appealing as well as your pictures. Need to learn to bake bread, will need to start trying more often. Will be a regular guest.

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    1. Thanks so much Marinka! You totally made my day!

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  14. Hi Karen;
    I found you through FB and love your recipes. We have lots of things in common, including the out of control cook books. :-)
    Also agree on your comment that "I can't live without a kitchen scale" Mine never leaves my bench, and use it several times every day. Start my day by weighing the coffee I put in my espresso machine (and the milk I put in my coffee) If nothing else, saves washing up - no need to dirty various sized spoons and cups etc.
    Which brings me to a huge request I have. Could you please, pretty please, give weights, not just spoons and cups in your recipes? Yes, I am aware that some people don't have kitchen scales (although I don't understand why) and prefer cup measurements, but could you PLEASE give both?
    Just looking at (and planning to make) your pull-apart garlic rolls, but what, pray, is 1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup water? :-) Wouldn't it be simpler to say 6.17oz or 182ml (or thereabouts... I am sure that 6 oz or 180ml would still be more accurate than 1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup. And of course, there is the 6 tablespoons of butter. What is wrong with 3 oz or 85gr?

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    1. Thanks for your feedback. I do the best I can on providing weights because I use a scale too. Regarding the 1 tsp and 3/4 cups, the teaspoon was for sautéing the garlic, and the 3/4 cup (6 ounces) is for the dough.

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  15. Hi Karen

    I very much enjoy your blog and have made a number of your recipes/ formulas. All were excellent. Thanks very much.

    I have a question. I saw via some very old posts that you have made several of the Della Fattoria breads (they are among my favorite breads and really enjoy stopping for lunch on my way to Keith Guisto's for flour). Have you ever tried the Della Fattoria Meyer lemon/rosemary bread? I've tried a number of times but cannot get the slurry distributed without it leaking or breaking out. If you have tried it I would welcome any hints. If you haven't tried it, it is really really good (even with the problems)

    Thanks again for a great blog!

    Dave Nielsen

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    1. Hi Dave,
      I have not tried it yet. I may have to now! I've loved all of their breads I've tried except the durum bread, which for me fell flat as a pancake!

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  16. Hi Karen

    Well, I tried the durum/semolina loaf today and it is as flat as a pancake.

    Hope all is well with you.

    Dave

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    1. I'm so glad it wasn't just me although it would have been nice to know if someone found the "secret sauce." I'm thinking of emailing them for some hints.

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  17. I emailed them about the Meyer lemon/rosemary but got no response.

    Much better luck on the second try at the durum/semolina. 15 minutes in the KA at speed 2 plus 4 stretch and folds at 30 minute intervals.

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  18. Hi Karen

    I continue to be amazed at the depth, diversity and frequency of your blog posts. And everything I've tried has been really good. Just out of curiosity, what does your day or week look like? You have the best food blog I've found. Keep up the good work!

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    1. Awww. Thanks Dave. I have a day job so I cook and take pictures on the weekend and then do the write ups at night.

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  19. Karen.I'm an 85 yr old Italian American. Who just read your wonderful scali recipe and wondered if you ran across a recipe for a scali my mom bought as a child. It had agolden crunch outside BUT a pure white soft inside that was like pulling cotton batting. Thank for a reply.

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    1. Hi! I have not seen a recipe that is specifically as you describe. You might want to try my recipe, but perhaps cook some of the flour in some of the water like a tangzhong (japanese) bread to make it more fluffy. Search Hokkaido Milk bread for the technique. I have some on this site. It makes the softest, fluffiest, interior.

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  20. Hello Karen, I noticed you like bred made with levain and I support your preference. My problem with creating levain is the process as described in Ken Forkish's book Flower Water Salt Yeast. The long process and the waste of flour is something I find difficult to do.
    Do you have a less wasteful way to make one's own levain?

    Thank you very much for your feedback.

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    1. Hi Phillip. I keep a much smaller starter and I keep in in the refrigerator between feedings. When I need it, I feed it a couple of times to bring it back to life. I do throw out some when I've let it go too long, but not that much. I could not bring myself to throw out as much as in FSWY.

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    2. these might help:

      http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10251/starting-starter-sourdough-101-tutorial

      https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2018/10/30/maintaining-a-smaller-sourdough-starter

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  21. what an amazing amount of work you've put into this, I'm curious why you stuck with blogger and didn't go to a pro version of word press or something, seems like you have all the makings of a very profitable blog. Your logo is great too, did you come up with that? I just started a home baking business and need to get a good logo going. Also, of all your bread books you have which one is the most helpful with whole grains and sourdough? Thanks!

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    1. I've stuck with blogger because it's free but I can still run ads. I bought the logo from 99 Designs.

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  22. Recently came across your Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake recipe -- it's fantastic and have made it 4 times in the past week. The first we ate and the rest became gifts. I look forward to trying more recipes from your blog.

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  23. Karen I just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog, which I have been following for years now. Your recipes are always inspiring and I've tried quite a few of them. I'm always tempted by your sourdough recipes. From the winter cold of Sydney Australia.

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  24. Hi Karen. I found you through a FB post and intend to read every bread recipe you have in hopes to learn the basics. I have a mini popover pan from King Arthur and would love to make some sweet and also savory yeast bread recipes for gifts. I think the shapes would be so cute. Keeping in mind that I don’t care for most sourdough, could you recommend some of your yeast bread recipes to try and maybe some tips for baking time? I have asked KA to develop some recipes for this pan but no response. Thank you so much for all the recipes which I can’t wait to start reading. What a great way to start the holiday season❤️

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    1. How about trying some of the dinner roll recipes? Otherwise, I would think that the tangzhone would be good, or any loaf pan recipe. As far as time, I'd go with the same as dinner rolls.

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