We Made It

I am the happiest person alive right now.  I am happy because we have made it through Kate's junior year.  For a time it looked dicey, but the AP tests are done as are all of her final exams, and now it's smooth sailing to June 6th and the end of the school year.

Kate's school is on a funky calendar.  The schedule is much like a 4-4-1, where classes end in May just before the AP tests.  After the AP tests they go right into finals.  Then for the last two weeks of the school year (the 1 of the 4-4-1), they have mini courses, which are less academic and a lot more fun than say, physics.

But the school schedule isn't the point of all this talk.  The point is that we have all made it through Kate's junior year.  There were times when I really wondered if we could make it to the end, what with all the teenage girl drama, homework, and SAT's, but we have.  (My friend Karen described the junior year as "one big test".)

I am so happy.

So now we are on to the summer and all that that entails.  There will be (lots of) tennis and (lots of) college visits.  There will also be lots of opportunities for Kate to catch up on all the sleep she missed out on since last September.  And, most of all, there will be oodles of time for her to be with her friends.

Social plans. Imagine that.

So, in honor of all the fun my beloved daughter is going to have this summer, here is one of my all time favorite recipes.  Make this Friendship Bread and pass it along to your friends.

Recipe: Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, 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 until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.

On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon.

Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.

Days 6 thru 9; stir only.

Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and the recipe for the bread (below).  Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).

Recipe:  Amish Friendship Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 (9x5 inch) loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the Amish bread starter with oil, eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.