Amish Sourdough Cinnamon Bread

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Do not use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing.
• Do NOT refrigerate the starter. 
• If air gets in the bag, let it out. 
• It is normal for the bag to bubble, thicken and ferment. 
• You can go over a day or two to feed the starter, but you cannot feed or bake early. 

STARTER INSTRUCTIONS

Day 1:  Mush the bag.
Day 2:  Mush the bag.
Day 3:  Mush the bag.
Day 4:  Mush the bag.
Day 5:  Mush the bag.
Day 6:  Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and one cup milk to the bag.  Mush the bag to combine.
Day 7:  Mush the bag.
Day 8:  Mush the bag.
Day 9:  Mush the bag.
Day 10: Feed and divide the starter, bake the bread, following instructions below.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour entire contents of the bag into a large non-metal bowl. 
2. Add 1/2 cup flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, and 1-1/2 cups milk to the batter; mix well. 
3. Label four one-gallon zip-top bags with "Day 1, and the present date."  Fill each one of the four bags with 1 cup of the batter mixture.  These are the starters to pass along to your friends.  If you like, you may keep one for yourself.  If you keep one for yourself, you will be baking bread every 10 days.  If you don't keep one for yourself, you will have to wait until you receive another starter from a friend, or remake the starter from the recipe below.  
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
5. To the remaining batter, add: 

3 eggs
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce)
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

      6. Grease the bottom and sides of two large loaf pans with Pam.  Mix 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl.  Dust sides and bottom of pans with half the mixture.
      7. Pour batter evenly into pans and sprinkle remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
      8.  Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool until bread loosens from the pan easily.  Serve.

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STARTER RECIPE
This is the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe that you’'ll need to make the Amish Friendship Bread (above). 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°F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110°F)

INSTRUCTIONS
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 lid or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive the starter.
For the next 10 days handle starter according to the instructions above for Amish Friendship Bread.