Amish Friendship Bread - How to Bake and Share It ... A great way to cook-up friendship with others ... interspersed with the "Friends" song by Michael W. Smith

Pic: Margaret & Nick Moore, Friendship Bread, Keith & Maria Horcasitas

In this day and age when so many folks get caught up into "de-friending" others for political and other divisive matters, here's something that can help us to "break bread" with one another and be like YEAST to help us rise above our perceived differences ...

Friendship, as usually defined, is a relationship of mutual affection between people.

And Friends are people we all treasure especially in a direct face-to-face manner … and we even now acknowledge this all the time on indirect social media like Facebook and Instagram.

The “Amish Friendship Bread” starter Kit was given to us recently by our great neighbor and friend, Margaret Moore, who got it from her friend Molly.

Molly brought the starter down from Dallas, TX; Molly's friend had made it and was thrilled to learn that the starter crossed state lines!

After Margaret made her first batch of the bread, she brought a starter to her parents and to my better-half, Maria.

Margaret's parents said that they had heard of it before and made it 20+ years ago! So it was cool to learn that it was such a long-standing recipe and activity!

Nick Moore, Margaret's better-half, had a coworker who had made this years before and was so happy to receive a starter to revive the tradition!

Margaret noted that she has since made about 4 loaves of the friendship bread and shared it with many of her friends :) !

AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD RECIPE

When You Have been Given an Amish Friendship Bread Starter Mix Already Made:

+++ DO NOT PUT THE BAG IN THE FRIDGE +++

DAY 1: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 2: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 3: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 4: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 5: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 6: Add to the bag: 1 Cup Sugar, 1 Cup Flour, 1 Cup Milk; MASH THE BAG - – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 7: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 8: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 9: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
DAY 10: MASH THE BAG – Knead Bag & Let Out Any Air.
1. Pour the entire contents of bag into a nonmetal bowl and add: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar; stir until smooth.

2. Divide into 1 Cup portions and put into gallon sized Ziploc Bags as Starters to give to Friends.
Yields: 4 Cups of Starter Mix.

3. Save 1 Cup to Bake.

Baking Instructions – preheat oven at 325 degrees.

1 Cup Starter
1 Cup Oil
3 Eggs
˝ Cup Milk
˝ TSP Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Flour
˝ TSP Baking Soda
1 ˝ TSP Baking Powder
2 TSP Cinnamon
1 Box Instant Pudding Mix
˝ Cups Nuts (Optional)

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Grease a Bread Pan and Dust the Pan with Sugar + Cinnamon and fill the pan.
3. Bake at 325 Degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

ONE Batch of Starter Mix = One Loaf Amish Friendship Bread.

To Begin An Amish Friendship Bread Starter Mix, This Is The Recipe:

Author: Amy Marie Cole - https://www.amymariecole.com/2020/04/23/amish-friendship-bread-starter-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-701

Let me end with “Friends,” a fav song of mine from Michael W. Smith - the song that catapulted him into his solo career after starting with Amy Grant.

I recall learning about this song many years ago when we were doing a farewell “Agape” Gathering (the highest form of Love) meal as some friends were moving to another location.

It was neat that the Agape meal mainly consisted of sharing bread with one another in a manner similar to The Last Supper.

“Friends” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Zaevi3IUw

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
I can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter of your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
We'll keep the love that keeps us strong

Chorus: And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And with the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you live in
Is the strength that now you show

We'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Chorus