Shelley Shepard Gray's Blog, page 20

Mission: 7-Up Chicken

For almost the last year, I've been on a mission to make 7-Up Chicken. When Tom and I were invited to an Amish wedding last April (can't believe almost a year has passed!), 7-up Chicken was served at the reception luncheon. We loved it.

Correction~I liked it a lot. My husband Loved It.

He loved it so much that he talked about it all the time, and asked me to get the recipe.  The only ingredient that we knew for sure was in it was the chicken-and that the chicken had been soaked in 7-up the night before it was cooked.  

Getting the recipe sounded easy enough. I wrote the mother of the bride, thanked her for the invitation, etc., and asked, when she had time, if she could please send me the recipe. Then I waited. And waited. Two months went by. No response.

Hmm.

Not ready to give up, I asked my Amish friend Clara (who was the bride's aunt) if she knew how I could get the recipe. She very kindly wrote me back and told me that the only recipe they had served about 100 people. That was surely too many people for me. So, no recipe.

Feeling a little silly-after all, I make Great Fried Chicken, if I do say so myself-I reported back to my husband that the recipe was a no-go. He looked horrified.  He said he'd be happy to do all the math to reduce the recipe…just get that recipe. Please.

 Grudgingly, and kind of feeling a little foolish, I wrote another letter and  asked again.

Then I started worrying that this '7-Up Chicken' was a special 'family' recipe, kind of like my mother's chicken pie. Maybe the family didn't want to give out the recipe, they were just too polite to tell me that.  So when Amy, Vannetta, and I were on the Amish book tour and stopped at Clara's house for breakfast, I asked if that was the case.

Clara thought my latest question was very humorous. Turns out, no…it wasn't a secret, it was just that her sister hadn't had time to write it out. That made sense. These ladies are busy. 

And, well, there always comes a time when you know you're being a pain. I had felt that time had come with my asking and asking about that recipe. So I told my husband just to remember that meal and let it rest in peace. After all, we'd certainly done that with excellent restaurant meals!

Then, right before Christmas I got a Christmas card from Freida…With The Recipe For 7-up Chicken. Yay!! Big cheers here. 7-Up Chicken, Here We Come!

Then, of course, 'Life' happened. My mother passed away and off we went to California. Next, I came home to revisions on a book and had another book due. Tired of the Christmas mess, I put all the Christmas cards we received in a box and set them in the basement. And pretty much forgot about my recipe quest.

Until last night. I was watching American Idol and got kind of bored. Then I started looking through cookbooks…and then I remembered that recipe.  Yikes! Off I went into our storage room, dug out the box, sorted through all the cards…and found Freida's card.

Success!  I called up my traveling husband and told him to get ready-his favorite meal was going to be prepared on Saturday night.

But now that's not to be. When I reread the recipe, I discovered that  two of the ingredients (Emma Yoders Coating Mix and runion) were bought from the Walnut Creek Cheese Shop. Now the meal is on hold again until:

 a) I get a chance to go to Keim's Market in Adams County (in the Amish community an hour away) to see if they have these ingredients

 or

 b)I get back to Holmes County to the Walnut Creek Cheese Shop (four hours away) 

So, my husband is going to have to wait just a little longer, because by now I'm determined that there will be no substitutions!  I'm going to make this recipe exactly how it is written. We've waited this long, we can wait a little longer, for sure.

I just hope when I finally do make the meal, it tastes just as good as we remember. 

Between you and me? I kind of doubt it will. We had 7-Up Chicken on a prettily decorated table under a white tent alongside an amazing amount of wonderful side dishes.  The meal was served by friends of the bride wearing lovely green dresses.

Outside, it was warm and sunny, we had just watched a beautiful exchange of wedding vows, and everyone was teasing me about putting the wedding-and all of the attendents- in my latest book.

Tom and I were happy, laughing, and enjoyed every bite of that meal. That afternoon had felt just about perfect. It's going to hard to replicate, I think.

But I'm going to give it a try. My quest for Amish 7-Up chicken has actually been kind of fun. It's been a fun challenge to try so hard to get something just right.  

Has anyone else been on a recipe quest before? What was the recipe for? And, by any chance, did it turn out as good as you remembered?

with blessings to you,

Shelley

Mail Day

I finally went to my post office box on Saturday and picked up reader mail. As you can see, I had quite a bit! I had more fun reading all the notes and looking at the cards. Thank you to everyone who brightened up my day. As soon as I receive my new bookmarks for the Secrets of Crittenden County series, I'll be writing everyone back.  Spending an afternoon, sipping coffee and sending out bookmarks is always a sure way to make me smile. It's definitely one of those things I dreamed about when I was first trying to get published.

If you'd like a bookmark, you certainly don't need to write me first! All you have to do is privately email me your address. : )

I hope everyone is having a good week!

with blessings,

Shelley

Back to Work

Happy Monday!

I woke up this morning feeling like my usual self, which is such a gift. After spending the last ten days in a haze, I'm very thankful to once again be thinking about things to do. I know I'll still have quite a few rough moments ahead, but I do feel like I've turned a corner.  Yay!

I've got quite a few things to do, writing-wise. I need to finish up FOUND, get ready to do revisions on A Texan's Choice, and think of ideas for new books. Of course, I'm most excited about the new books! Recently, I was given a new contract for eight books over the next two years. Two will be Christmas novellas. The other six will be divided into two trilogies. It's fun to think of new settings and themes.

One of the reasons it's so easy to get back to work is that the kids left on Saturday and Sunday-and the puppy did, too! I love having the kids home, but I don't get much done when they're here. And I really don't get much done around Rudy! My son taught his pup how to 'ring bells' when he needed to go outside. Rudy got a little half of a dog biscuit when he did what he needed to do. I had to laugh…soon Rudy got the hang of things and knew bells+business=dog treat. Before we knew it, those bells were ringing nonstop. I couldn't help but smile at my son's dismay, and the puppy's happiness!

Here's a photo of Rudy ringing those bells. (I have to admit that I made sure the bells went in the car with my son!)

Shelley

The 'Sisters' Trilogy

 I have a fun cover to share~the cover of the Sisters of the Heart Trilogy! I believe it went on sale this week. I heard a few months ago that this book was even supposed to be on the shelves in Target-I can't wait to go to our local store and look for it!

For those of you who might not be familiar with the 'Sisters' books, these were my first three Amish novels. They are Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. In October of 2010 (which feels like only last month!) GRACE came out, which took place one year after Forgiven. So, if you've read GRACE, these books go with that series.

This series is special to me not only because of their publication, but also because the inn I based the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast on is just an hour from my house. My writing girlfriends and I go on retreats there. And though the 'real' inn isn't Amish, it's right in the middle of an Amish community.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your kind notes regarding my mother's passing. It has been a very hard ten days, but like so many other things, I know time will lessen the pain. Once again, I am giving thanks for my husband and children, for my brother and sister, and for my readers. I truly love to write, and I am so grateful for all of you. Thank you for reading my books, sharing them with your friends, and asking your library and local bookstores to carry them as well. Your support means the world to me.

Tomorrow, I will visit a book club. All the ladies read The Caregiver, and I'm going to discuss the book and writing with them. It's been so nice to have this event to look forward to!

I hope you all have a good weekend, too.

Shelley

Grieving

  Even for a writer, sometimes there are just no words. My mother passed away suddenly this week. We're heading to California tomorrow, and I'll be back the middle of next week.

  God bless you all, and may God bless you and your families as well.

   Shelley

New MISSING Cover

We're leaving for Chicago in a few hours to visit my husband's family, but I wanted to pop in and share the final version of the cover for MISSING! The series begins in March.

Blessings to all of you~

Shelley

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I've been taking a few days off~taking time to watch old movies, complete a Christmas puzzle, chase a very busy puppy, bake a Red Velvet Cake with my daughter, cook two very big holiday meals, sleep, and read books I didn't write!

I hope all of you are finding time to enjoy a day or two off as well!

As always, I count my family, my faith and my readers in my many blessings. Thank you for your many notes, hugs, and smiles!

With Christmas blessings to you,

Shelley

FREE on Kindle!!

Popping in quickly to let y'all know that my western historical novel, A Texan's Promise, is being offerred FREE on Kindle!

If you have a Kindle, and you've ever wondered what that book is about , I hope you'll give it a try.

A Thursday hello

First, congratulations to Gwenda! Please contact me privately with your mailing address and your preference for which book of mine you'd like signed.

I'm still trying to get a winner for Monday's drawing of a signed book and Amish-made potholders. Our new winner for that is Nancy Lynn. Nancy, please contact me privately, too.

These contests have been keeping me busy, but not too busy to write! I'm near the very end of my last book of the Secrets of Crittenden County series. It's actually a pleasure to write it now-I know what's going to happen and just need to get the words on paper! Yesterday I wrote a little over 5000 words, which was 22 pages, I think. Yay!

Last night we drove down to Lexington and picked up our daughter-and a whole lot of her stuff!  She's going to be moving into her sorority house next semester, which meant everything had to be out of her dorm room. Those of you with daughters could definitely relate to the amazing amount of 'stuff' she has managed to accumulate since August. For a while, I didn't think we were going to fit it all in the car! I couldn't be too hard on her, though. She took two finals yesterday and already found out she got an 'A' in Latin. I'm very sure I would not have survived college Latin~let alone make an A in it! I barely got through high school French. : )

Now I'm planning to try to work a little less and bake, shop, and relax a little more. My son should come home on Saturday or Sunday, puppy in tow! I'm hoping to stop by tomorrow or Saturday, but if I don't, please be on the lookout for Monday's drawing!

If you have time, tell me what holiday plans you have for the rest of the week. Is your shopping done? I've barely started! And, have you ever studied another language? Do you remember any of it?

with blessings to you all,

Shelley

An 'Amish Cake Tester'

Amish cake tester and poem!

I bought this 'Amish Cake Tester' at the Amish Experience Theater in Lancaster County while on tour. I thought it was so cute, and I loved the poem!  Here's the first verse:

Look at this gift you've just received

A round whisk broom, you say…

Or maybe it's a clothing brush.

To this, I must say nay.

To be fair, I think this is one of those items I think my Amish friends would smile about. I've actually never seen one of these in my friend's kitchen, but who knows? Maybe lots of other Amish women do have one of these nifty cake testers on their counters!

I bought two of these and I'm trying very hard to keep them as gifts or giveaways. I think having one next to my stove would be terrific!

Would you like to be entered in today's drawing? The winners will receive the Cake Tester, poem, an Amish Country Tour bag, and a signed copy of one of my novels.

All you have to do to be entered is tell me what kind of cake you'd use the cake tester for. I would definitely used it for a sour cream pound cake. I make it in a bundt pan, and a regular toothpick is too short to test for doneness!

Best of luck to all of you. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Shelley