If you've ever driven through Mississippi, you may recall hillsides which have been transformed from individual trees and bushes into one amorphous green undulation of Kudzu. Kudzu is a vine that literally envelopes everything in sight and takes it over. Friendship bread has had that same effect on me.

First of all, it literally sucks the life away from you as it requires SO many ingredients that you have to go to the store immediately after you make it just to make it to the next day. I'm talking vast quantities of eggs, sugar, milk, flour, oil, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla pudding...not to mention Ziploc baggies required to support the spawn of Friendship bread, as it reproduces faster than rabbits. And either you give it away to some poor, unsuspecting "friend" so it can also rule their life, or you flinch and pour it down the drain, trying not to think about the milk and sugar you're wasting.

And it keeps you on a schedule. On day 5, you must add stuff. And then keep on mashing that bag. And on the final day, well, get ready. It's time to pull out the baking pans (or borrow if you don't own that many) or bundt pan and your largest mixing bowls and then surrender the contents of your pantry to the bread which must be made or LOST!

I remember growing up and my mom CONSTANTLY making this stuff. I also remember bowls lined up on her counter containing the cup of mixture, oil, 3 eggs, etc...and yes, it tastes fabulous (unless you realize suddenly that you haven't been using the large vanilla pudding packet that you thought you were and it was also fat-free, sugar-free and therefore, just missing that little something), but even Jesus realizes that man can't live by bread alone! And if you continue to hang on to a "starter", you might as well kiss your independence goodbye and plan on eating nothing but bread.

Ok, I'm exaggerating slightly here, but only slightly. It is consuming and demanding and while delicious- perhaps this last batch might be my last for awhile.