RECIPE FOR ELLA’S FRIENDSHIP BREAD
1 cup starter (see recipe below)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dates, and/or apples
Combine all ingredients in a nonmetal bowl and mix well. Place batter into two well-greased, lightly floured 9 1/2x5 1/2x3 1/2 baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Place on a rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool bread thoroughly on racks before cutting into slices and serving.
STARTER
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unbleached white flour
Combine all ingredients in a large, nonmetal bowl. Stir with a nonmetal spoon. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap. Do not refrigerate. Store at room temperature. Stir the mixture every day for 17 days. On day 18, do nothing. On days 19, 20, and 21, stir the mixture again. On day 22, stir and add the following ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unbleached white flour
Stir again. On days 23, 24, 25, and 26, stir the mixture. On day 27, add the following ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unbleached white flour
Stir well. You should now have about 4 cups of starter. Give 1 cup of the starter to each of two friends and keep the remaining 2 cups for yourself. Use one cup of the starter to make a loaf of friendship bread. Keep the other cup for your own starter.
TO KEEP THE STARTER GOING
Do not refrigerate the starter, and do not use a metal bowl or spoon. On day 1 (the day you receive the starter), do nothing. On days 2, 3, and 4, stir the mixture. On day 5, stir in:
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unbleached white flour
Pour the mixture into a large, nonmetal mixing bowl; cover lightly with plastic wrap. This mixture will rise. On days 6, 7, 8, and 9, stir. On day 10, stir in the following ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unbleached white flour
Give 1 cup of the starter to each of two friends to make their own bread, keep one cup for your own bread, and keep one cup as your own starter for future breads. Be sure to give the recipe for the starter, as well as the directions for making the bread, to each of your friends, too.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. At first, some people in Jolene’s family saw her deafness as a handicap. What are some ways we can help others who have physical limitations to see that they can live a useful life?
2. When Lonnie lost his hearing, he became bitter and angry at God. Why do people often blame God for the bad things that happen to them? If God can prevent bad things from happening, why doesn’t He?
3. Everyone deals with death and other tragic losses in different ways. When Ella’s father died, Ella dealt with her grief by staying busy and looking out for others’ needs instead of her own. Is there ever a time when it’s okay to hide our true feelings when going through grief? Is it healthy to overlook one’s own needs in order to minister to others?
4. When Jake returned home after his father was injured, he did his best to help out, even though he didn’t enjoy shoeing horses. Why didn’t Jake’s father seem to appreciate the sacrifice Jake had made? Have you ever felt that a sacrifice you made was unappreciated? How did it make you feel?
5. When Jolene’s family realized that they needed to learn how to communicate with Jolene, everyone in the family made an effort to learn how to sign. Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve had to learn something new in order to help someone with a disability? Did it make you feel closer to that person?
6. A lot of misunderstandings occurred in this story. Misunderstandings are the biggest cause of dissension among family members and friends. What are some ways we can deal with misunderstandings that occur between us and our friends or family?
7. Lonnie was afraid of making a commitment to Jolene because he thought their hearing loss would be a determent to marriage. Have you ever been afraid of doing something because you felt as if you were hindered by something? Did you shy away from it, or did you decide that with God’s help you could overcome any obstacle?
8. Too often, children tease others with a disability. What are some ways we can teach our children to have more understanding toward someone who is physically or mentally challenged?
9. Were there any verses of scripture in this book that spoke to you personally? Did any of the verses help you see things in a different light? Without being preachy or pushy, how can we use scripture to help someone going through a difficult situation?
10. While reading A Cousin’s Challenge, did you learn anything new about the Amish way of life? How can we incorporate some things that the Amish do into our own lives?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Image I
WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER enjoys writing about the Amish because they live a peaceful, simple life. Wanda’s interest in the Amish and other Plain communities began when she married her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Learning about her Anabaptist great-great-grandparents increased Wanda’s interest in the Plain People. Wanda has made numerous trips to Lancaster County and has several friends and family members living near that area. She and her husband have also traveled to other parts of the country, meeting various Amish families and getting to know them personally. She hopes her readers will learn to love the wonderful Amish people as much as she does.
Wanda and her husband have been married over forty years. They have two grown children and six grandchildren. In her spare time, Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, reading, stamping, and having fun with her family.
In addition to her novels, Wanda has written two Amish cookbooks, an Amish devotional, nine Amish children’s books, several novellas, stories, articles, poems, and puppet scripts.
Visit Wanda’s Web site at www.wandabrunstetter.com and feel free to e-mail her at [email protected].
OTHER BOOKS BY WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER:
INDIANA COUSINS SERIES
A Cousin’s Promise
A Cousin’s Prayer
BRIDE’S OF LEHIGH CANAL SERIES
Kelly’s Chance
DAUGHTERS OF LANCASTER COUNTY SERIES
The Storekeeper’s Daughter
The Quilter’s Daughter
The Bishop’s Daughter
BRIDES OF LANCASTER COUNTY SERIES
A Merry Heart
Looking for a Miracle
Plain and Fancy
The Hope Chest
SISTERS OF HOLMES COUNTY SERIES
A Sister’s Secret
A Sister’s Test
A Sister’s Hope
BRIDES OF WEBSTER COUNTY SERIES
Going Home
On Her Own
Dear to Me
Allison’s Journey
White Christmas Pie
NONFICTION
The Simple Life
Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Cookbook
Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Cookbook, Vol. 2
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Rachel Yoder ... Always Trouble Somewhere, 8-book series
The Wisdom of Solomon
If you enjoyed
A COUSIN’S CHALLENGE,
then read the
INDIANA COUSINS SERIES:
A Cousin’s Promise
Image II
A Cousin’s Prayer
Image III
Available wherever books are sold.
Back Cover Material
Listening FOR THE VOICE OF LOVE
&nb
sp; After a serious van accident leaves Amish school-teacher Jolene Yoder profoundly deaf, she leaves home to learn how to read lips and communicate with sign language. But two years later, a family with children who have been deaf since birth moves to Jolene's hometown, and she is asked to return as their teacher.
Lonnie Hershberger has lost faith in God and in women ever since his girlfriend broke up with him when he lost his hearing during an explosion. When he starts falling in love with Jolene, he worries how he can ever protect her if he can't hear. Besides, Jake Beechy seems to spend all his spare time with her.
Ella Miller knows Jake's history with girls and fears he will break her cousin Jolene's heart. What she doesn't know is that Jake is fighting his growing attraction to Ella.
What drastic measures will God take to break the barriers between these young lovers—and teach them to hear the voice of love?
Award-winning, bestselling author WANDA E. BRUNSTETTERand her husband live in Washington State but take every opportunity to visit friends in Amish settlements throughout the States.
Cousin's Challenge Page 28