Overflowing Friendship

Colin and I were at our friend's house and her daughter was making Amish Friendship Bread. The smell waffed from the kitchen to the back patio and it smelled delightful. When the bread was done she brought it out to share. It was so pretty and perfect. If it tasted half as good as it looked it was going to be great. It did indeed. We ate more than our portion sitting on the patio. So as we raved about it, it was explained how it's made and that it is a process. As you make it, you create "starters" for other friends to make it, then they make starters etc. You keep one for yourself and I suppose the idea is that you always have the bread or at least the option in about 10 days. 

So, my friend's daughter gave Colin a starter to the bread. In other words, JD brought me a bag of stuff with instructions and since it was from our friends I felt obligated to follow it through. It takes 10 days to make it from the starter. I'm not sure how exactly you start a starter and frankly, I don't really care. Because today, I made the bread and it was a complete DISASTER. 99% of it was because I didn't read the instructions carefully enough to get past the very important typo that caused the other 1% of the disaster. I should never try to cook when I'm tired, especially something new. Now I'm thinking surly it wouldn't have hurt the process to delay the bread making one more day. 

Basically, the recipe will make TWO loaves each time you complete the 10 days. I didn't read that part until it was too late. Until AFTER I had forced all the batter into one loaf pan, put in the oven and discovered the beginnings of the stalagmite/stalactite formation. Instead of a pretty loaf of friendship bread I have a something that looks like a creation at Carlsbad Caverns in my oven, I'm not sure what to do with it or have any idea of how to get it out, or if it will taste right. The friendship has overflowed into my oven that will now need to be cleaned. Wonder if my friend who gave the bag of stuff will come over and help with that. Now that would really be friendship. 

Regardless of the shape and taste of the thing, it did make my whole house smell wonderful. I did get it out and it has the consistency of pound cake instead of bread. Colin bravely took a bite and seems fine with the stuff, so all is not lost. Starters anyone? Makes 2 loaves of bread.