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Showing posts from April, 2011

Amish Friendship Bread

As promised, here is the recipe for my favorite recipe to share:  Amish Friendship Bread. 

I learned about this bread when a friend gave me a large Ziplock bag of goopy-looking dough and written instructions.  I started reading the instructions and saw that the process took 10 days.  I believe my response was "Not likely."  Upon more careful inspection I saw that almost each day, the instructions were "mush the bag,"  and I thought to myself "now that's my speed."  Ten days later, I had seriously delicious cinnimon bread (more like a coffee cake) and 4 Ziplock bags of my own with dough starters to pass on to other people.  Amazing! 

This is magic bread in my book. 

Amish Friendship Bread Cinnamon Loaf Recipe

Do not use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing - I don't know why, I just do what I'm told.
Do not refrigerate.
Batter will rise, bubble, and ferment ... release air from the bag as necessary.
Day 1 - receive the starter and do noth…
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Food

Yes, the title of this article is simple, but telling.  I really love food.  Have you ever wondered why all MAP events involve food?  Food has the unique ability to draw people together and create opportunities for conversation, laughter and even friendship.  We may be different sizes, shapes, colors – we might be from different neighborhoods, attend different churches and vote in opposite ways …but we all have to eat; and most of us thoroughly enjoy it.  If you find this to be a common thread through many of my posts, you now know why.  If you are familiar with our MAP Neighborhood Newsletter, you may have read a short article in our April Issue in which a group of people reached out to homes on the 200 block of East Colorado.  Their mission was to build relationships and they did it through…yep, you guessed it – Food.  Cookies and baked goods to be exact.  Some people from the group were kind enough to share their experience with us.
“ ’Are you serious? Are you serious?! That is so …
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Getting to Know Your Neighbors

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Today, I am inspired by Mother Teresa, who said, "I want you to get to know your next door neighbor.  Do you know your next door neighbor?"
As I step out the door to follow her direction, the immediate question next is: How do you get to know your neighbor?!  There are many different degrees of knowing someone.  Some neighbors will be great friends, some good acquaintances and some will be challenges.  The thing to remember is that you're all in it together!  So here are some examples for you: Food!  I live in an apartment complex, and my neighbor and her husband invited several of us neighbors over for cake one day, just because she had made extra.  Breaking bread is a great way to get to know someone and a BBQ will always bring people over. Sitting out on the front porch, you are sure to see your neighbors go by.  Make sure to wave and smile!  Just being friendly goes a long way. Take advantage of the little opportunities that are given to you!  If you get a piece of mail…
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