Teacher Appreciation Gift Idea

Kids are a lot like this bread starter,

Before I sent it to school today

I added a little TLC,

A little sugar,

A Little Milk,

& a little squeeze to keep things together.

Before I sent the kids to school

I give them a little TLC,

A little sugar,

A Glass of Milk,

& a big squeeze to help hold them together.

You have the choice of what to do with both,

My kids and this bread starter,

Over the last year you’ve poured

Things into my kids,

You’ve hugged them,

You have given them some TLC.

You could have done just your job,

But you gave them the special attention they needed,

Just when they needed it.

And today they are a little smarter

& braver because of the care they have had.

Together, everything we’ve given to them

Will make them into something amazing!

I hope that over the summer,

as you add some TLC to this starter,

And give it a little squeeze,

That You are Reminded that

Without that extra care and attention,

Just like this bread,

My kids,

Would not be who they are now.

Thanks for being there for our kids

& adding all of the ingredients

That we did not have ourselves!

Amy McKenzie

6/2/2011

The McKenzie Family: Amy, Boaz, Caleb, Dean & Ezekiel

Our Favorite Variations:

Dean’s favorite: Replace Vanilla pudding w/ butterscotch & add butterscotch chips

Caleb & Bo’s favorite: Replace Vanilla Pudding w/ Chocolate & Add Chocolate chips

Amy’s Favorite: Use recipe as stated adding extra cinnamon and diced apples

Zeke’s Favorite : make as directed on original recipe

Recipe for Amish Cinnamon Bread

DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF METAL SPOON OR BOWL FOR MIXING. DO NOT REFRIGERATE. If air gets in the bag, let it out.  It is normal for the batter to rise, bubble and ferment.

Day 1 Do nothing, Day you get your starter batter (I found a starter recipe, I have not tried it so I don’t know if it will work but it may be worth a try if you don’t have one)

Day 2 Mush Bag

Day 3 Mush Bag

Day 4 Mush Bag

Day 5 Mush Bag

Day 6 Add to Bag :          1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk, mush bag

Day 7 Mush Bag

Day 8 Mush Bag

Day 9 Mush Bag

Day 10 Pour entire contents from bag into a NON-metal bowl

Add 1 ½  cups of flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, 1 ½ cups of milk

Measure out four separate batters of 1 cup each into four 1 gallon Ziploc bags.  Keep one starter for yourself and give three to friends along with a copy of this recipe.  With the remaining batter in your bowl, use the following recipe to bake your bread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Add the remaining ingredients to the batter in your bowl

3 eggs

1 Cup of oil (or ½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce)

½ Cup milk

1 Cup Sugar

2 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Vanilla

1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

½ tsp. Salt

2 Cups Flour

1 Large box instant vanilla pudding

Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix an additional ½-cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon.  Dust pans with this mixture.  Pour batter evenly into the pans and sprinkle with remaining sugar/cinnamon over top. Bake for 1 hour (check in 45 mins) Cool until bread loosens from the pans evenly (abt 10 mins.) Turn bread onto serving dish. Serve warm or cold.

If you keep a starter for yourself, you will bake every 10 days. The bread is very good and makes a great gift.  Only the Amish know how to create a starter, so if you give them all away you will have to wait until someone gives you one back.

About Amy

Mom to boys who were born Aug. 2001, Nov. 2004, March 2006; and devoted wife to the love of my life since Nov. 1998. Chronic worrier but devoted Christian who is trying to put her fears and faith in the One who created it all and provides for all my needs despite the daily challenges and doubts that arise. Along the way I chose to share my journey with you. Thanks for coming along for the ride! The road won't always be bright and the journey may sometimes be hard, but it can be an amazing adventure if you keep your eyes and thoughts "on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable" (Philippians 4:8).
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