Amish Friendship Bread

It feels very much like Fall here in Upstate SC. That makes me think of baked goods, cinnamon and nutmeg, hot tea or hazelnut coffee, yummy smelling candles and snuggling up in a blanket in my rocking chair. I've pulled out a recipe from an old church cook book to fulfill some of those cravings. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Amish Friendship Bread
Courtesy of Ladies of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, Mesa, AZ

Starter:
Mix 1 pkg. dry yeast, 2 c. flour, 2 c. milk and 2 c. sugar. Let sit overnight, uncovered, in a warm place. Put half in a gallon zipper bag as Day 1 Starter, use rest as Day 10 recipe. It's very helpful to write the Day 1 date on your bag and have a calendar handy with instructions for each day.

Day 1: do nothing.

Days 2, 3, 4, 5: Mush the bag several times each day.

Day 6: Add 1 c. each of sugar, flour and milk, mushing bag. It may be lumpy.

Days 7, 8, 9: Mush bag several times each day.

Day 10: Add 1 c. each of sugar, flour and milk. Stir and pour out 4-one cup starters into gallon zipper bags. Give away 3, keep 1 for your own starter as Day 1. Remember to write the date on the bags you give away and include instructions.

I keep my starter bag in a bowl on my countertop

Recipe:
Mix together in large bowl, along with remaining starter from bag:
1 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Add:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. chopped pecans, optional
1 lg. vanilla instant pudding

Mix thoroughly. Pour into 2 lg. greased and sugared loaf pans, or 4 sm. ones. You can also sprinkle cinnamon and/or nutmeg into pans. Fill pans only 2/3 full. Bake 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Variations: Use other flavors instant pudding--it does change the flavor. Substitute applesauce, mashed bananas or yogurt for oil. Add orange zest or change the spices and nuts to your liking.

CHICKENS!

Michaela handfeeding Big Mama

I kind of feel like I've been running around headless after a yard full of chickens lately. Wait a minute, I have been running around after a yard full of chickens lately...now, where did I put my head? Hmmmm....

We have "adopted" 9 Plymouth Rock hens and 2 roosters. Plus we have our neighbor's rooster and 2 hens at our house for most of the daylight hours, too. They're free range, but we are trying to teach them some boundaries, such as, not running into the road to live out the ages old joke, stay off of the main walking areas so that our shoes can remain poop-free at least in one spot, etc. We read online that you can train them by squirting them with a water bottle. It was effective as well as quite hilarious at first, but now they are not quite so alarmed by a squirt to their fuzzy fat bottoms.

My Darling John is in the process of building a set of nesting boxes and roosting spot so that we can have some control of them in the dusk and dawn times. Right now we have to stand out in the yard with squirt bottles to get them to roost in the tree by our house and not in our neighbor's yard. Then we have to "get up with the chickens" (aka before the sun is even awake!) so that they won't wander into said neighbor's yard and eat all the feed she's put out for her brood before we can feed ours in our own yard. Having them confined in the evening and morning will do so much for my attitude!

I do love watching them peck around the yard after bugs, though. They are fascinating creatures. I've learned where the term "pecking order" came from, but I've yet to find their hiding places for all the eggs that I have been anticipating. That will be another wonderful reason to have them confined part of each day.

I'll introduce you to our flock now.

Our babies--Chickadee, Chick, Fil-A, Baldy and Ranger

Goldie and Bobette

Scarlett and Susan