Amish Friendship Bread

 As you can see, this recipe is well-loved!  Mom used to make this bread all the time!  I have very fond memories of licking the wooden spoon as the loaves were baking in the oven.  This is the first time I have ever made it all on my own and it is exactly how I remember it.  This bread makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I have a tendency to eat too much of it!

I did not receive batter made from someone else, so I made my own.  I pulled this from here.

1 (0.25 oz) Package Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour and sugar with a fork.  
3. Slowly stir in milk and yeast/water mixture.
4. Transfer to large ziplock bag.  Consider this "Day 1."

For the recipe:

General:  Do not use  metal bowl or spoon when making.  Do not refrigerate.  If air gets into the bag, let it out.  Bubbling, thickening, and fermentation are normal.

Day 1:  The day you receive the batter, do nothing.
Day 2:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.") Oh my gosh, how Amish...
Day 3: Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 4:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 5:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 6:  Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk and squeeze the bag
Day 7:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 8:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 9:  Squeeze the bag (squeeze for each word and say, "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.")
Day 10:  Follow Steps 1 and 2

Step 1:  Combine in large bowl:  Batter from the bag, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk.  Mix with wooden spoon or spatula.  Pour four 1 cup startes into zip lock bags.  Keep one for yourself, and give the others to friends, including instructions.  Now continue on to Step 2.

Step 2:  (Still Day 10)  To the remaining batter in the bowl (1 cup) add the following:
2 cups Flour
1 cup Oil (can substitute 1 cup applesauce + 2 Tbsp oil) -  I used applesauce since it is how Mom always made it.
1 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
3 large Eggs
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 box Instant Vanilla of Banana Pudding (optional)
1 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)

Pour into 2 large well-greased and sugared (mix sugar & cinnamon) loaf pans.  You can sprinkle extra sugar & cinnamon on top if desired.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour

 Note the wooden spoon above.  I wish I had an explanation for why a wooden spoon is necessary, but my guess it's an Amish thing...like everything must taste better with a spoon whittled from a branch in their own yard?  I must say,  licking a wooden spoon is way better than metal.  Not that you should lick utensils when cooking for others, but if it's going right into the sink afterwards, I don't see the harm.  ;-)

Pans sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar.  I highly recommend doing this!

I doubt I made this up, but a trick I use to getting 2 even-sized loaves is to use a measuring cup to scoop batter into pans.  I used a 1 cup measuring cup to evenly pour these and got just over 3 cups of batter into each pan.

After 60 minute in the oven,  I stuck a knife into the bread and it did not come out clean.  I gave it an extra 5 minutes and it came out perfectly!  It is absolutely wonderful.  Even the baby loves it!  She keeps whining at me to give her more!  If that isn't a good sign of a recipe you should most definitely try, then I don't know what is.