I’m sure that after Thanksgiving, the last thing on your mind is cooking. Like my family, your fridge is probably crammed with leftover turkey and an assortment of pies. Nevertheless, I have another recipe for you to try. Fortunately for you and your refrigerator, this recipe doesn’t need to be kept cool.

Inspired by the holiday season, I decided to use a recipe from the Spread the Bread cookbook. This cookbook is a collaboration of recipes that Wayland and neighboring towns submitted. The idea of Spread the Bread is to give back, and there is no better way of thanking, welcoming or consoling a person than baking.

The recipe is called Friendship Bread. Not only do you get to enjoy a delicious baked good, but you get to pass it on as well.

You begin by mixing batter in a plastic bag and then split the original batter into three separate bags. Next, you give them to three different people to finish and then continue the chain. My mom received the starter batter from a colleague and we passed along the tradition.

The recipe continues for a span of ten days and each day you either add an ingredient to the bag, or mix the original ingredients. As kids, we would look forward to what we were going to do to the bag next. This was an amazing way for me to learn the impact you can have on a person by doing something so simple. It was the perfect way to let someone know that you were thinking about them and that you care.

I challenge you to start this tradition up with your friends, family, people you work with or anyone you care about. You simply attach the directions to a plastic bag and pass it on.

To begin, make the starter mix below and then follow the directions for the following ten days. After ten days, pass the mix along to the next people, and hope that they too will pass along the recipe.

Starter Mix:
Mix the following in a one-gallon resealable bag. Don’t use spoons or bowls for mixing. Squish to mix.
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Day 1:
You have just made your own starter batter or have received fermented batter in a one-gallon resealable bag from a friend. Do nothing! Just place the bag on your kitchen counter. Do not refrigerate. If air gets in the bag, let it out. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble, and ferment.

Days 2-5:
Squeeze the bag several times each day.

Day 6:
Add:
1 cup of flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Squish to mix.

Days 7-9:
Squeeze bag several times.

Day 10:
In a large plastic bowl, combine the existing batter with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Mix with a wooden or plastic spoon.

Put 1 cup of batter in each of three one-gallon resealable bags (there should be batter remaining). Give these starters away to others with a copy of the following instructions.

Add the following ingredients and mix well together to the remaining batter in the bowl.

1 cup canola or other oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup of milk
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 small boxes of instant pudding (your choice of flavor)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, or coconut (optional)

In a separate bowl, mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Next, pour in the batter.

Bake at 325 F for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!