{"id":1521,"date":"2009-08-25T18:09:53","date_gmt":"2009-08-26T00:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/?p=1521"},"modified":"2009-08-29T22:26:09","modified_gmt":"2009-08-30T04:26:09","slug":"first-days-and-the-start-of-a-beautiful-friendship-bread","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/2009\/08\/25\/first-days-and-the-start-of-a-beautiful-friendship-bread\/","title":{"rendered":"First Days and the Start of a Beautiful Friendship…Bread"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"My<\/a><\/p>\n

I survived my first 2 days with 6th graders. \u00a0I realized that I’ve kinda missed teaching. \u00a0I didn’t miss staying at school for 11 hours, getting home after 6pm, sitting down and realizing just how exhausting it can be to be on your feet all day, well, except for a 25 minute lunch. \u00a0That’s right 25 minutes. \u00a0All of you office people out there who enjoy hour lunch breaks where you get to eat at a real restaurant with waiters and such should be thankful. \u00a0And on those days where you have to have a quick lunch, think of the teachers out there who don’t ever<\/em> get to leave the building they work in for lunch.<\/p>\n

Sorry! \u00a0I forgot this wasn’t about self pity, \u00a0but about Amish Friendship Bread. \u00a0I wish I knew these kids…they look so very friendly.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of hiddenvalleys.com<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

I don’t have the time or energy this evening to make anything. \u00a0I can, however, mix some ingredients together and let them sit for a week and a half, stirring occasionally, and then make yummy bread with the resulting starter. Everything in this recipe is in my kitchen…and so is probably in most people’s kitchens. \u00a0From start to finish, including measuring the ingredients and heating the liquid, this took me all of 15 minutes to toss together.<\/p>\n

Teaching note: Do not use the word “toss” when asking 6th graders to throw something in the trash. \u00a0They will truly TOSS it, from 15 feet away, into the trash can and then proceed to say, upon being told not to do that in the future, “Well, you said TOSS<\/em> it, Mrs. Z!”<\/p>\n

There are tons of variations and options with this dough. \u00a0Dark chocolate, white chocolate, dried berries, banana, cinnamon, lemon, nuts, zucchini, nutella, peanut butter…almost anything goes. There are also quite a few recipes that use the amish bread batter to bake things other than bread. \u00a0Brownies, cakes, cookies, biscuits, pancakes. \u00a0Quite a versatile dough.<\/p>\n

Here is the starter recipe. \u00a0You can see the rest of it here<\/a>, but I will be posting it in its entirety once my starter is ready…about a week from tomorrow!<\/p>\n

\"dough3\"\"dough4\"<\/p>\n

\"dough2\"\"dough1\"<\/p>\n

Amish Friendship Bread Starter<\/h2>\n

Ingredients<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast<\/li>\n
  • 1\/4 cup warm water (110\u00b0 F\/45\u00b0 C)<\/li>\n
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided<\/li>\n
  • 3 cups white sugar, divided<\/li>\n
  • 3 cups warm milk (110\u00b0F\/45\u00b0C), divided<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Directions<\/p>\n

    Day 1<\/p>\n

    In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container (glass), combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly.<\/p>\n

    Day 2 to Day 4<\/p>\n

    Stir starter with a wooden spoon.<\/p>\n

    Day 5<\/p>\n

    Stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.<\/p>\n

    Day 6 to Day 9<\/p>\n

    Stir only.<\/p>\n

    Day 10<\/p>\n

    Stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 or 2 cups to make your first bread, give three cups to friends along with the recipe. Store the remaining starter in a container in the refrigerator and begin the 10 day process over again. You can also freeze this starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.<\/p>\n