Friendship Bread Kitchen

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Darien (FBK) — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:38:35 +0000

Submitted by: Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ)
Image (c) Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ)

Ingredients

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Directions

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add lemon extract.
Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Fold in lemon zest. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.

Image Gallery

From L to R: Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ); Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ); Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ)

May 2013 Kitchen Notes & News

Darien (FBK) — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:14:11 +0000

MAY 2013 KITCHEN NOTES & NEWS

Dear Kitchen Friends,

It’s May and I’m ready to spend more time in my garden which has been sorely neglected over these winter months. All the more reason to have something easy and on hand in the kitchen so I can spend more time outdoor

Our May FBK Photo Challenge is … FUN! Yup, this month’s FBK Photo Challenge is our most fun one yet. I’m challenging Kitchen Friends to forget the Amish Friendship Bread of the past to come up with one for the future … in other words, get creative with your 1 cup of starter! Instead of loaves, cakes and muffins, try scones, biscotti, cookies, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, pancakes, or whatever else comes to mind. We have a bunch of recipes for you to try from, or come up with one of your own.We had 26 (wow!) entries for our April Photo Challenge of Spices and Nuts. I’ve decided that there’s no way I can choose the winner, so I’ll be turning to our FBK community to help make the decision. Leave a comment and vote for your top 3 favorite photos (in order of your top favorites)! Voting is from May 1-May 10. I’ll tally up on May 11. Participants may vote as well, and it’s okay if you vote for yourself. Spread the word and let people know your photo is in the running!

>> Vote for the April Photo Challenge winner now.
>> Enter the May Photo Challenge now.

New Recipes! We added several new Amish Friendship Bread recipes in April. Newsletter subscribers, check your email for your monthly newsletter password with the links to the new recipes.

>> Go to the password-protected sneak peek new recipes page here.
>> Subscribe to our spam-free newsletter here.

Book News. The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society, the second novel in the Friendship Bread series, is now available on audio! Still haven’t read or heard the first book? Check them out at a bookstore near you, or online at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Download the audio from Audible.com.

>> Listen to an excerpt for Friendship Bread here.
>> Listen to an excerpt for The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society here.

Interested in becoming a Virtual Kitchen Assistant (VKA)? We have some new Amish Friendship Bread recipes and we’re looking for a few home bakers to test them for us. In exchange for testing the recipe and sending us 5 photos of the finished bread, we’ll thank you with a $10 Amazon gift card. Best of all, you get to share and eat the bread in the end! Email me at fbkitchen {at} gmail {dot} com if this sounds like fun and something you’d like to do. We ask that VKAs bake the recipe within two weeks of accepting an assignment, so make sure you have your starter ready!

>> Learn more about becoming a Virtual Kitchen Assistant here.

Please vote! We’re deciding on the cover art for our first official e-publication, Quick & Easy Amish Friendship Bread Recipes. Please leave a comment telling us your favorite below!
Accepting Amish Friendship Bread stories for an upcoming e-book publication! Have a good story to tell about Amish Friendship Bread and how it came into your life? We’re now accepting submissions for YOUR Amish Friendship Bread stories for an upcoming e-book publication, Stories from the Kitchen. We’re looking for funny, uplifting and heartwarming stories about how Amish Friendship Bread came into your life, led to a new or renewed friendship, or a funny starter or bread incident that will make us laugh.

>> Submit your story here.

Darien in Honolulu, Hawaii. I’ll be in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 18-19 for the 2013 Hawaii Book & Music Festival. I’ll be speaking and signing copies of my novels on Sunday at 2:00 pm, and I’d love to meet you if you happen to be there.

See you in the Kitchen!

FBK Photo Challenge of the Month: Fun Variations!

Darien (FBK) — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:07:58 +0000

This month is all about FUN Amish Friendship Bread variations. Put aside the typical loaves, muffins, and cakes and come up with something new and different using 1 cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter. Then snap a picture (or two or three) and submit it before 5/25/13.

The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and all qualifying participants will receive a copy of a recipe e-booklet when they’re available later this summer. Remember that we’re looking for creative, innovative, FUN entries to help other Kitchen Friends stay inspired!

>> To submit your photo or for more information, please go to the main Friendship Bread Kitchen Challenge page
>> View Our Submission Guidelines

Fun Variations in the Recipe Box (or come up with one of your own):

Try this! AFB Monkey Bread

Try this! AFB Waffles

Try this! AFB Cookies

Try this! AFB Pie Crust

Try this! AFB Soft Pretzel!

Try this! AFB Cornbread!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Amish Friendship Bread

Darien (FBK) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:28:38 +0000

Submitted by: Elizabeth Thums (Carpenter, WY)
Image (c) Elizabeth Thums (Carpenter, WY)

“A sweet, spicy and creamy bread that’s perfect for your next gathering.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 16
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1 small box cream cheese instant pudding (use vanilla or pumpkin spice if not available)
1/2 cup fresh pumpkin, mashed

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed.
Grease two large loaf pans.
Dust the greased pans with half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture on the top.
Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
ENJOY!

I made a few changes to the recipe:

Kitchen Notes

From Elizabeth Thums: “I used 1/2 cup homemade vanilla pudding. In place of cheesecake pudding, I beat 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream together and folded it into the batter. The spicy flavors of the bread were an excellent accompaniment to drinking cinnamon-infused Turkish coffee.”

Image Gallery

From L to R: (c) Elizabeth Thums; (c) Elizabeth Thums; (c) Elizabeth Thums;

Hazelnut Amish Friendship Bread

Darien (FBK) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:08:56 +0000

Submitted by: Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ)
Image (c) Diane Siniscalchi

“Bold and smoky hazelnuts give this Amish Friendship Bread variation a healthful, sophisticated flavor boost.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 16
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1-2 small boxes instant pudding (any flavor)
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped and untoasted to top

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed except for untoasted hazelnuts.
Grease two large loaf pans.
Dust the greased pans with a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Reserve and remaining cinnamon-sugar.
Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the top with untoasted hazelnuts and cinnamon sugar.
Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
ENJOY!

Kitchen Notes

From Diane Siniscalchi: “I sprinkled the tops of the loaves with untested hazelnuts and cinnamon sugar. I was afraid that if I toasted the hazelnuts, that they might burn during baking. The nuts browned nicely.”

Amish Friendship Bread Starter (Paleo)

Darien (FBK) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:49:19 +0000

Submitted by Beverly Horner (Ulysses, KS)
Image (c) Beverly Horner

“An Amish Friendship Bread starter for bakers following the Paleo (Paleolithic/Caveman) diet.”

Ingredients

1 cup almond or coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch/flour

Directions

In a 2 quart glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine the flour and sugar and mix thoroughly.
Slowly add the milk.
Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly.
This is day one of the ten day cycle. For the next ten days, follow directions for Amish Friendship Bread starter using the above ingredients, and on Day 10, feed with 3/4 cup each of almond flour, arrowroot starch and sugar, but 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk.

Kitchen Notes

From Beverly Horner: “I used homemade vanilla almond milk in the starter because that’s what I had on hand. If you use almond or coconut milk with added ingredients, it may change the recipe. Homemade is so easy so I highly recommend it. On Day 6 use same amounts as in original starter. On Day 10 use 3/4 cup almond flour and arrowroot, raw sugar and almond or coconut milk. On Day 10 use the coconut milk.”

Image Gallery

From L to R: Beverly Horner (Ulysses, KS)

Amish Friendship Bread Dump Cookies

Darien (FBK) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:29:36 +0000

Submitted by: Sonya Adams (Gardnerville, NV)
Image (c) Sonya Adams (Gardnerville, NV)

“These make a lot of cookies and you can add anything to them!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 100
Yield: 100 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
1 cup butter
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
2 cups coconut, shredded
11 ounce bag of butterscotch chips
12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C).
Cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs.
Stir in rest of ingredients.
Drop tablespoon size dough onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes.
ENJOY!

Kitchen Notes

From Sonya Adams: “I use my Kitchen Aid mixer and finish by hand as the batter gets thicker. This is very versatile and you can add anything to them. I hope you enjoy them!”

FBK Photo Challenge of the Month: Nuts or Spices!

Darien (FBK) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:23:07 +0000

The winner of the Spices or Nuts Challenge is photo #25, the Pistachio Pecan AFB with White Chocolate Drizzle by Kristen Petersen from Palmdale, California. Congratulations, Kristen!

Kitchen Friends, help choose the winning photo!

Leave a comment here (or on our Facebook Wall) and vote for your top 3 favorite photos (in order of your top favorites). You can choose the photo you like best, or the recipe you’d like to try. Your reasons for your favorites are totally up to you, but let us know which ones you love! Click on each thumbnail to see the full image.

Voting runs from May 1 to May 10. I’ll tally up on May 11, 2013 (if you’re tallying up, too, be sure to incorporate votes from the Facebook wall posts, too). Each person can leave 1 comment (with your top three) here AND on our Facebook wall. So you get to vote twice, once in each place! Any multiple or additional comments will be deleted. Participants may vote as well, and it’s okay if you vote for yourself. Spread the word and let people know your photo is in the running!

Bake one of these recipes or come up with your own variation (remember that all recipes must include 1 cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter). Then snap a picture (or two or three!) and submit it before 4/30/13. The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and all qualifying participants will receive a copy of a recipe e-booklet when they’re available later this summer. To submit your photo or for more information, please go to the main Friendship Bread Kitchen Challenge page.

Nut Variations in the Recipe Box:

Amish Friendship Bread Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Muffins
Amish Friendship Bread Good Morning Tropical Muffins
Amish Friendship Bread Nutty Cookies
Apple Cranberry Nut Amish Friendship Bread
Date Nut Spice Amish Friendship Bread
Maple Pecan Amish Friendship Bread Biscotti
Pineapple Macadamia Nut Amish Friendship Bread

Spice Variations in the Recipe Box:

Apple Spice Amish Friendship Bread
Coriander, Sweet Basil and Sea Salt Amish Friendship Bread

Good luck!

Here are the qualified entries so far:

1. AFB Dump cookies submitted by Sonya Adams (Gardnerville, NV). “This makes a lot of cookies and is very versatile…you can add anything to them! This is just what I tested on my family. I hope you enjoy them!”

2., 3. & 4. Paleo Pecan AFB submitted by Beverly Horner (Ulysses, Kansas). “This is a brand new experiment with Paleo cooking. I would reduce the coconut oil to 1/4 cup next time. For a first attempt it was very yummy, but not too sweet since I reduced the sugar. My son, who usually eats my gluten/casein free bread thought it was really good.”
>> Get the recipe for Beverly’s Paleo AFB starter here.

5., 6., 7. & 8. Gluten/Casein Free Pistachio AFB with Chocolate Sprinkles submitted by Beverly Horner (Ulysses, Kansas). “I made these goodies to share at church for St. Patrick’s Day. My family also enjoyed them after their meal on St. Patrick’s Day.”
>> Get the recipe for a GF/Casein Free AFB starter here.

9. Amish Friendship Bread muffins with raisins and walnuts, submitted by Tammy Deatrich (Mercersburg, PA). “I love having muffins around for a snack. These are packed with raisins and walnuts and the great cinnamon AFB taste!”

10. Hazelnut Amish Friendship Bread, submitted by Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ). “Instead of adding 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, I added 1 full teaspoon of hazelnut extract along with the cup of toasted chopped hazelnuts. I also sprinkled the tops of the loaves with untoasted hazelnuts and cinnamon sugar. I was afraid that if I toasted the hazelnuts, that they might burn during baking. The nuts browned nicely.”

11. & 12. Amish Friendship Bread with raisins and walnuts, submitted by Nancy Hubbard (Walla Walla, WA). “I gather all of the ingredients in one place. I have my wet items mixed in one bowl and all the dry ingredients in another, and then I begin to combine them. I do have the loaf pans greased and dusted before, so they are close at hand as well. A sinkful of hot, soapy water is made before-hand so that I just drop each utensil in the water as it has been used. I set the timer do the dishes and clean up, which takes about 15 minutes. Then I grab a glass of ice water, a quilting magazine and the aroma wafts through the house…it’s just a warm, fuzzy, baking day!”

13. & 14. Paleo Caramel Toasted Nut Amish Friendship Bread, submitted by Beverly Horner (Ulysses, KS). “The secret to the caramel taste is dates, soaked and blended with coconut milk and vanilla creme stevia…yummy!”

15., 16., 17. & 18. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Amish Friendship Bread, submitted by Elizabeth Thums (Carpenter, WY). “I discovered the spicy flavors of the bread were an excellent accompanyment to drinking cinnamon-infused Turkish coffee.”

19., 20., 21. & 22. Cherry Pecan Amish Friendship Bread Cupcakes, submitted by Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ). “These cupcakes taste perfectly fine without the frosting, but the cherry frosting enhances the flavor of the cupcakes. I have a family of frosting lovers!”

23. & 24. Chocolate Almond Surprise Amish Friendship Bread Cupcakes, submitted by Diane Siniscalchi (Ringwood, NJ). “The melted chocolate [in the middle] and the surprise crunch of the almond make this cupcake a little more special.”

25. & 26. Pistachio Pecan Amish Friendship Bread with White Chocolate Drizzle, submitted by Kristen Petersen (Palmdale, CA). “I used a regular Amish Friendship Bread recipe, substituting the vanilla pudding with two small boxes of pistachio pudding, omitting the cinnamon. I added about 3/4 c. chopped pecans and about 1 c. white chocolate chips to the batter. I coated the white chocolate chips and pecans in flour, in hopes that they would not all sink to the bottom. Before baking I topped with cinnamon and sugar mixture and some more chopped pecans. After it baked and cooled, I drizzled with white chocolate chips!”

1. AFB Dump Cookies by Sonya Adams

2. Paleo Pecan AFB by Beverly Horner

3. Paleo Pecan AFB by Beverly Horner

4. Paleo Pecan AFB by Beverly Horner

5. GF Pistachio AFB by Beverly Horner

6. GF Pistachio AFB muffins by Beverly Horner

7. GF Pistachio AFB by Beverly Horner

8. GF Pistachio AFB by Beverly Horner

9. Original AFB muffins by Tammy Deatrich

10. Hazelnut AFB by Diane Siniscalchi

11. Original AFB by Nancy Hubbard

12. Original AFB by Nancy Hubbard

13. Paleo Caramel Toasted Nut AFB by Beverly Horner

14. Paleo Caramel Toasted Nut AFB by Beverly Horner

15. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake AFB by Elizabeth Thums

16. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake AFB by Elizabeth Thums

17. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake AFB by Elizabeth Thums

18. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake AFB by Elizabeth Thums

19. Cherry Pecan AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

20. Cherry Pecan AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

21. Cherry Pecan AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

22. Cherry Pecan AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

23. Chocolate Almond Surprise AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

24. Chocolate Almond Surprise AFB Cupcakes by Diane Siniscalchi

25. Pistachio Pecan AFB with White Chocolate Drizzle by Kristen Petersen

26. Pistachio Pecan AFB with White Chocolate Drizzle by Kristen Petersen

Kitchen Friend: Nancy Hubbard + Giveaway

Darien (FBK) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:14:25 +0000

“Making Amish Friendship Bread has ignited my interest in cooking and baking again. Since my children are all in their own homes, I had lost the need to be creative. It was always the same old thing and I detested the question, “What are we doing for dinner tonight?” Now during the day I look through old cookbooks, Pinterest, or Facebook feed for a dinner idea, and I also anticipate what to make on Day 10 of my starter. My husband knows there will be a goodie that day!”

Meet April 2013 Kitchen Friend Nancy Hubbard from Walla Walla, WA. Read on to learn about how she’s been able to blend together two things that she loves — Amish Friendship Bread and quilting.

How did you first learn about Amish Friendship Bread?
From Darien’s first novel, Friendship Bread. I’d seen the book and it piqued my interest, and then my journey started with the starter.

Any AFB mishaps you’d like to share?
Only when I first started out. I should have made more than one recipe that first time — the two loaves went way too fast.

Who do you bake AFB for and do you have any creative ideas on how to share it with others?
I bake for my family, next door neighbors, and friends. Since I’m a quilter, I’m going to make a drawstring bag that can hold a Ziploc bag of starter or a dozen AFB cookies. I’ll also attach a hole-punched recipe card with the 10-day starter instructions and starter recipe.

What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
Getting all the regular chores done in my home — laundry, dishes, sweeping/mopping/vacuuming — and then either stirring my starter or baking on Day 10. All the while having a quilt loaded on the long-arm to do some quilting. Yep, that’s a good day!

What trait do you most value in your friends?
Honesty and integrity. Without those two things, there isn’t much value in any relationship.

What else can you tell us about yourself?
I like laughing. I like to laugh and make other laugh — it doesn’t matter if it’s with me or at me, laughing is all good. I prefer spur of the moment activities or decisions to ones made in advance — I just agonize about them if I commit ahead of time! If it’s spur of the moment I don’t over think it or wonder how I got myself into the situation — I always end up having a good time (or I make it into a good time)!

THE KITCHEN FRIEND GIVEAWAY!

This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Patricia Kelly from Ashland, Arkansas. Congratulations, Patricia!

This month we are welcoming spring with a 20-pack, 2.5″ x 42″ cut jelly roll from Fabric Palette. No, you cannot eat this nor will adding starter do anything other than make a mess! A jelly roll (or jellies) are coordinated designs and colors in pre-cut strips for easy use and convenience. You’ll receive one jelly roll of high quality, 100% cotton fabric to play with and be inspired by. The pattern may vary from the photo depending on availability, but you will receive a springtime palette as chosen by me and/or Nancy. Not crafty? You can also choose to have one of Darien’s books, Friendship Bread or The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. US residents only, 18 years and up.

To enter, please leave a comment below welcoming Nancy to the Kitchen and telling her about your favorite sewing or quilting projects. This contest ends on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 11:59 pm PST. Good luck!

View some of Nancy’s wonderful creations below, including a quilted binder cover she made for her AFB recipes: “I had been printing off the recipes and they needed a home. I had the idea to make one of these when a friend of mine sent a magazine to me that had a ‘quilted’ binder cover pattern. The most difficult part was choosing the fabrics. I am a red fabric fanatic, so there had to be red of course, and I wanted to honor the Friendship Bread Kitchen color scheme as well.” Also shown is the long-arm quilting system that her husband bought for her (with her starter hovering nearby) and chocolate Amish Friendship Bread, one of her many Amish Friendship Bread creations.

Thank you for answering our questions and being a part of the Kitchen community, Nancy!

Front

Close-up

Inside pocket

3-ring goodness

Back

Quilt in progress

Quilts and a starter

Nancy with her starter!

Nancy’s Chocolate AFB

April 2013 Kitchen Notes & News

Darien (FBK) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:28:39 +0000

APRIL 2013 KITCHEN NOTES & NEWS

Dear Kitchen Friends,

It’s April, and I am embracing the tradition of spring cleaning in the Friendship Bread Kitchen! If you only have a second, skim down to the bottom to read about announcements and other news.

The Kitchen was founded with the intention of supporting readers of my Friendship Bread novels who wanted to bake Amish Friendship Bread recipes for their book club, friends or family, and to give other Amish Friendship Bread aficionados a chance to find new uses for their bag of starter. I wanted the Kitchen to be a place where people could share ideas, swap recipes, offer a kind word, and help troubleshoot AFB or other baking challenges. I wanted the Kitchen to be a one-stop shop for all things Amish Friendship Bread.

It gives me great joy to look back and see that I’ve done what I set out to do. And now it’s time for some re-visioning with the Kitchen. Here are some of the changes you’ll see in the coming months:

Streamlined website. It’ll be easier to navigate and find what you want, but since I’ll still be managing it, there won’t be any bells or whistles, just a little more simplicity.
New logo and seal. Getting the “look” right is like a job in itself! “Look” for something new, soon!
The Kitchen Table forum is officially moving to Facebook. I’m closing the forum here because there’s not enough traffic to self-regulate and I’m moving back to a busy writing schedule and unable to answer and maintain. Feel free to leave comments on posts and I’ll do my best to answer them, but general questions about the bread and what’s working and what’s not can always be posted on our Facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/fbkitchen. There are over 73,000 Kitchen Friends there who would love to help you out. And also remember to check the FAQs, too. If you need to reach me for any book-related things, find me at http://www.dariengee.com.
Easier access to new recipes for newsletter subscribers!
More free printables!
The Kitchen Store opens soon with recipe e-booklets to help you manage your growing Amish Friendship Bread recipe collection.
Healthier AFB variations. With so many food sensitivities (and people watching their sugar intake), I’d like to bring more healthful AFB options into the Recipe Box so we can still keep the spirit of giving and sharing alive through the starter and the bread, but not have our health or well-being suffer for it. You should eat your bread and enjoy it, not feel guilty about it.

If you have any thoughts or feedback about the Kitchen, please let me know! Leave a comment below or email me at fbkitchen [at] gmail [dot] com.

I also want to take this time to thank the Virtual Kitchen Assistants who have been a part of the Kitchen since its inception. Big thanks to Susan Buetow, Jill Justice, and Alana Haitsuka, along with those who baked with us as part of our VKA team: Rachael Barna, Danielle Broman-Luton, Tera Huff, Jacqui Rossetter, Debbi Smith, Kathy Wooden Humphres, and Wai Chan.

With all these wonderful things in the works, April is shaping up to be a very promising month for the Kitchen. Here’s what else is going on:

March Chocolate Winner! Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup AFB

April FBK Photo Challenge is Spices or Nuts. The March FBK Chocolate Photo Challenge had 15 entries. Congratulations to the winner, Tammy Deatrich from Mercersburg, PA, for her Double Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread with Peanut Butter Cups. She’ll receive a $10 Amazon gift card. Everyone who participated will receive our Chocolate AFB recipe e-booklet, available in the summer of 2013, as a special thank you.

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy! All you have to do is (1) Bake any AFB recipe using spices and/or nuts, (2) Take a picture, (3) Submit it. That’s it! One winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card, too.

Meet quilter, baker and Kitchen Friend Nancy Hubbard!

April Kitchen Friend Nancy Hubbard + Giveaway. This month I’m thrilled to introduce you to Nancy Hubbard from Walla Walla, Washington. She’s found a way to combine two things that she loves: quilting and Amish Friendship Bread! In celebration of this, this month’s Kitchen Friend giveaway is a bright and cheery 20-pack jelly roll of bright, springtime fabrics! Newsletter subscribers get an extra entry by leaving their name, saying hi to Nancy, and letting us know you’re on the mailing list! (Be sure to leave your welcome and comment on the Kitchen Friend post.)

Bake and Take Winners. The winners are Cheryl Olson from Indianapolis, IN and Alyson Krumwiede from Severn, MD. Thank you for sharing Amish Friendship Bread with others and taking part in our Second Biennial Bake and Take. Ladies, please send me an email at fbkitchen {at} gmail {dot} com so I can confirm your email and mailing addresses!

Off the Wall. On our Facebook wall we asked what foods instantly lift your spirits when you’re down and this is what you told us (try not to drool on your keyboard):

@Nancy Bulton: “Bacon! Ok …that’s awful …bacon!”
@Tonya Childers: “My mother’s sweet potato pie!”
@Melia Clark Nichols: “Chocolate!!!”
@Janet Edson: “Bread…and cinnamon rolls.”
@LaDonna Steinlicht: “Chicken pot pie and my dad’s stew.”
@Jill Adams: “Artichokes!”
@Diane Cranford: “Macaroni & cheese.”
@Charlene Selby Britcher: “Potatoes – mashed, baked, boiled, hash browns, any way they can be prepared!”
@Viola Pilkington: “Fresh baked bread, mmmmmm…….”

Here’s to April showers bringing May flowers!
Darien

Protected: Sneak Peek New Recipes!

Darien (FBK) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:57:06 +0000