~ A PTR for a CAMPING Trip That Might Never Be ~ *TR Started (link inside)*

[DisMomAmy]

Oooo... a postcard would be great - since we are telling the kids on Easter - we could incorporate your postcard as part of the surprise! I'll PM you my address. Thanks!!

 

[scottny]

Disney mail is the best.

I forget did you request a room? Mansion or AB?

 

[carissanboys]

Oooo... a postcard would be great - since we are telling the kids on Easter - we could incorporate your postcard as part of the surprise! I'll PM you my address. Thanks!!

It'll be fun!

Disney mail is the best.

I forget did you request a room? Mansion or AB?

We have to stay at AB because we're a family of five. I requested building 16 or 18.

 

[carissanboys]

I know a few of you are interested (well, Liz anyway!) in how the AFB came out. I thought I'd post some pictures along the way to explain the process.

So, 10 days ago, Chuck brought home this ziploc bag filled with goo. It came with a set of instructions and said it was a starter bag of AFB. Basically, for the next few days I was suppose to smoosh the goo around once a day and let any air that accumulated out of the bag. Easy enough.

On Day 6, I was told to add 1 cup each of flour, sugar, and milk. This is where I began to get nervous. We all know what happens to milk if it sits out and is not refrigerated. But, you want me to keep it in this ziploc bag for FOUR DAYS???

Against my better judgement, I went with it. "Think of this as a science experiment."

As the next four days passed, I once again was instructed to smoosh and let air out (which was building up quite often at this point). Every time I would open the bag, the smell of fermentation would hit my senses. I was starting to grow a bit skeered.

Finally, the big day arrived. Day 10 is the day you actually bake the bread. The first step was suppose to be adding more sugar, flour, and milk and then making new starter bags. I decided to skip this entire process. I figured one AFB experiment in my lifetime was enough and I didn't really know anyone I wanted to pass the goo on to.

The next step was to pour the goo into a bowl. The instructions clearly said not to use a metal bowl. So, I got out my large ceramic popcorn bowl.

Then came the rest of the ingredients.

I wish you all could have smelled the fumes coming off of this stuff! It was almost enough to get a person drunk.

With all of that completed, I poured the batter into two loaf pans, and into the oven they went. Oh - I should tell you that the instructions said to grease the pans and then dust them with a sugar/cinammon mixture. I should have realized that was a mistake. Do you know what happens when sugar heats up?

So, I take the loaves out of the oven. Visually, they look pretty good. I was still leery. I try to get the first loaf out onto the cooling rack and this is what happens:

It's okay. You can laugh.

I blamed it completely on the sugar mixture making everything stick to the pan. I decided not to attempt to take the second one out of its pan.

As you can see, it's really a quick bread.

Then came time to taste the AFB.

I took a very SMALL bite.

It tasted okay. I thought I could definitely taste the fermented flavor and didn't really want to eat more. It didn't taste bad, but mainly I was scared of getting sick. I mean come on! It sat out on my counter for 10 days!!!!!! With milk in it!!!!!!

(I have to throw a little side note in here. Are there any Maurice Sendak fans out there? For those that don't know, he's a children's author and his books are sometimes a bit "out there." We have the book In the Night Kitchen and you will really only understand this part if you've read the book. Owen and I love this story - it's silly and the illustrations are definitely unique. When I added the milk to the starter bag that first time, he and I sang together, "Milk in the batter! Milk in the batter! We bake cake and nothing's the matter!" Yeah - guess you had to be there.)

I decided I would let my children be the true test of this AFB experiment. I mean really - I should include my children in this science experiment, right?

I took a little video to show you their reaction to the bread.



*These are not actors. They are my children. Nor are they act-ING. This was their honest to goodness, real time reaction to tasting AFB for the first time.*

The boys ended up eating quite a bit of the bread. So, I guess they thought it was good. I still had my doubts.

A little later I began to feel a bit queasy. My queasiness then turned to indigestion. I started to really worry that it was the AFB (even though I'd only had a SMALL piece. ). I thought, "If I'm feeling this way and I only ate a little bit, what will happen to the boys???" I began having some very not so pleasant images running through my head.

However, I am happy to say that my tummy problems went away and the boys were totally fine. Phew!

Oh - and I figured out what the problem was with that first loaf of bread. Remember how the instructions said not to use a metal bowl to pour the batter into?? Well....

It never said not to use a metal loaf pan!

I only have two loaf pans - one glass and one metal. The thought never even occurred to me that I shouldn't use the metal one. Oh well. Live and learn. Later that evening I was able to take the other loaf out of the glass pan and it came out perfectly.

But, I'm still not going to eat any.

Up Next - Raglan Road Online

 

[pamouselover]

Those poor children being your guinea pigs.
I thought you were going to die when he asked you to make it again.
They sell in the grocery stores, a Pillsbury brand of quick breads that I love.

 

[carissanboys]

Those poor children being your guinea pigs.

What? Isn't that what they're for?



Chuck was gone to PA yesterday and last night so he'll get to try it today. But, he gets to try the loaf that actually came out properly.

 

[winkers]

that was fun!
at least your boys liked it. I'd be a little leary of eating it too! I remember my mom having the starter for it on the counter but I don't think we ever ate it.

 

[carissanboys]

that was fun!
at least your boys liked it. I'd be a little leary of eating it too! I remember my mom having the starter for it on the counter but I don't think we ever ate it.

Well, I just had a piece. It was a piece of the "good" loaf. It still had a funky taste to it, but it was pretty good. We'll see if I feel any ill effects in a little while.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

MMMM....Amish Friendship Bread, LOL! I remember my mom doing this when I was a teenager, but I don't ever remember seeing the process all the way to the end! Your boys' reaction was great....they didn't even hesitate! Ahh, the innnocence of youth!

I will post pics of my Target goodies on my PTR later. Thanks to Winkers for the heads-up! (Gotta give credit where credit is due!)

 

[carissanboys]

MMMM....Amish Friendship Bread, LOL! I remember my mom doing this when I was a teenager, but I don't ever remember seeing the process all the way to the end! Your boys' reaction was great....they didn't even hesitate! Ahh, the innnocence of youth!

The crazy thing is they SAW the goo on the counter for all of those days. But still they eat the stuff! They must really trust their Mama - oh those silly boys.

*Pin/Ebay Update*

So, I emailed the lady a second time and told her if I didn't hear back from her, I would dispute the charge. Didn't hear back from her.

Today I put in a dispute at paypal (I didn't even bother with ebay because the listing isn't there anymore and when I tried putting in her seller name, I couldn't find it). Lo and behold, a very short while later, I got notification that she had left a message at paypal AND had refunded me the money. She said ebay cancelled it because of the wording she used and she was mailing everyone pins who had bought them. She said she'd refund me my money if I wanted so I could rebuy on a different sale. Sounds a bit fishy to me. If she was able to respond so quickly to a dispute, why couldn't she respond to my email?? And she didn't give me a chance to say I still wanted the pins - she just refunded me the money, which is totally find by me. Over and done with.

I'm just glad it ended up being pretty simple to take care of the problem.

 

[MeMom]

- she just refunded me the money, which is totally find by me. Over and done with.

I'm just glad it ended up being pretty simple to take care of the problem.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

I'm sure that is a big relief!

The video of the boys is cute. I'm glad they liked the bread, so that all of your effort didn't go to waste.

 

[pamouselover]

Yes it is!
CHUCK STAY IN PA.!

What? Isn't that what they're for?



Chuck was gone to PA yesterday and last night so he'll get to try it today. But, he gets to try the loaf that actually came out properly.

 

[carissanboys]

I'm sure that is a big relief!

The video of the boys is cute. I'm glad they liked the bread, so that all of your effort didn't go to waste.

Definitely. It was fun. Good times.

Yes it is!
CHUCK STAY IN PA.!

He came home and had a piece. He said it was good and he didn't think it tasted funny. This from a man who has no sense of smell and is partially deaf.

 

[liznboys]

Yippee for Disney mail!

The bread looks yummy! The video was cute, I wish I could hear it though...my computer only plays certain sounds right now-I need to call for help.

That's so great you got the pin money back.

Did you get my email about Boatrights? I can't remember if you were planning breakfast there...not sure if that rumor is even true anyway.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Okay, I was so laughing through your description of making the Amish Friendship Bread!!! I would have been the same way -- in fact, the other day the kids and I ate an entire king size box of Reese's pieces and I was convinced that my queasiness was the result of impending salmonella. I was fine thought.

Your boys are so precious shoveling in that AFB!

 

[carissanboys]

I need to call for help.

That cracked me up for some reason.

Did you get my email about Boatrights? I can't remember if you were planning breakfast there...not sure if that rumor is even true anyway.

Yes I got your email. I haven't read the link yet. Boatright is the TS restaurant at POR, right? We weren't planning on eating there anyway. As long as the food court is open, we're good.

Thanks for thinking of me.

 

[liznboys]

That cracked me up for some reason.

lol glad i gave you a laugh. I really need to call though, boy it's so annoying that some sounds play and others don't. I hate it when things don't make sense and I can't figure them out myself.

Yes I got your email. I haven't read the link yet. Boatright is the TS restaurant at POR, right? We weren't planning on eating there anyway. As long as the food court is open, we're good.

Thanks for thinking of me.

Yeah that's what it is. That's good you weren't eating there anyway.

 

[Disneyfan71]

I'm on board Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun. When are you going? My DW and I are going 4/3-4/12 and staying at Pop Century

 

[carissanboys]

lol glad i gave you a laugh. I really need to call though, boy it's so annoying that some sounds play and others don't. I hate it when things don't make sense and I can't figure them out myself.

It was just the way you worded it that made me laugh for some reason. That is very frustrating! I can ask Chuck if he has any idea on what's going on with it.

I'm on board Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun. When are you going? My DW and I are going 4/3-4/12 and staying at Pop Century

You'll be arriving just as we're leaving. We'll be there March 27th - April 4th. Glad to have you join in!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Not too sure how I feel about that Amish bread...

But that's great news about the pins you "bought" on ebay. I'm glad it worked out fairly easily.