Amish Friendship Bread Starters+ Basic Sweet Bread Recipe

I haven't done this in a long time....it's time to start it up!
I LOVED the different kinds of breads that I made with this super easy and fun way to make baked goods!

I can't wait to get Miss Sarah involved with it either. She can measure things when we "feed it" and stir it by squishing the baggie. This can give you a loaf or two of killer bread, or coffee cake every 10 days...

Amish Friendship Bread Starter:

This is the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe that you'll need to make the Amish Friendship Bread if yiou haven't gotten a starter from someone. It is very important to use plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass containers when making this. Do not use metal at all!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.
2. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.
3. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Loosely cover the mixture with a plate or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive the starter.

Then, I like to put it into a 1 gallon zippy bag: Just squish it all together to mix it - this is fun for little people to do, just make sure that the baggie is closed.

That's it! Leave alone on counter for 2-5 days...then you start to "feed" it.
Day 6: mix it by squishing the baggie
Day 7: Feed it 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk, then mix by squishing.
Day 8and 9: mix (stir or squish)
Day 10: Feed it 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk. Today is the day you can take out 1 cup of starter for baking and give 1 cup to a friend (with the instructions below) OR freeze it for when you want to make another loaf.

Take what is left and you are back on Day 1.
=)
Easy peasy!

Here is what you give, if you gift a friend with a starter:

*Do Not use a metal spoon or a metal bowl for mixing.
*Do Not refrigerate.

*When air forms in bag and its puffy, let out and reseal. It is normal for batter to raise, bubble and ferment.

Day 1 This is the day you receive your batter...DO Nothing!
Day 2 Mush the bag
Day 3 Mush the bag
Day 4 Mush the bag
Day 5 Mush the bag
Day 6 Feed it by adding into the bag-1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mix together by squeezing the bag.
Day 7 Mush the bag
Day 8 Mush the bag
Day 9 Mush the bag
Day 10 Combine in a large bowl: Batter from the bag 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Stir and pour four, 1 cup starters into ziplock bags. Keep one for yourself (it's your new starter) and give the other three to friends with these instructions.

To the remaining batter in a non-metal bowl add and mix well:

1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large box vanilla instant pudding (dry powder from the box, no milk added)

Preheat oven to 325.
Grease and generously sugar (I used 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon) two large loaf pans or one large bundt pan. (It also makes four mini loaves or 2 small bundt pans). Pour batter into pan and sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top. Bake one hour. Let stand 10 minutes before removing from pan. **you could add 1 cup chopped nuts and/or raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, etc. It's fun to play with!

 I promise, I will share different recipes for these as we make them!