Love – and a Recipe – from the Amish

As many of you know who have read my columns through the years, I had a darling home in a community called Berlin, Ohio. A huge Amish community is located there, plus Mennonites and many religious groups. It’s a lovely place, and I had my home up there for a few months a year (while it was warm and pleasant). I lived in a condo in a wonderful small community where people worked together, helped each other, had front yard picnics, ate together occasionally, etc. My next-door neighbor, Karen Troyer, baked and cooked so beautifully that many of us hung around for cheesecake or pastries or anything else that smelled so wonderful. Evenings when everyone had eaten, we knew she would probably have some flavor of pie, and her husband, who was the coffee specialist, would have fresh coffee waiting for the neighbors who were looking to taste something special. They had a very popular house! One night they invited me over for dinner and served chicken so wonderful that I couldn’t stop eating!! Oh gosh it was wonderful. She called it Wedding Chicken. I call it Karen Troyer’s Wedding Chicken. Honestly, I’ve been to a number of Amish weddings in that area (the Amish family I hung around with were always so kind as to invite me to their weddings, and I would never say no). I just loved going, watching the young people get married, and then the celebration afterward. I will say they averaged about 450 people at each wedding. People would come from all over to celebrate with the new couple. The gifts were usually very practical things that people needed in their new home or to work in their yard such as lawn mowers, trash cans, hoses, wagons, rakes, kitchen appliances, washing machines, laundry equipment, stoves, refrigerators, camping gear, outdoor furniture, and everything you can think of that a new young couple would need to enter into their new life together in their new residence. At most of these weddings I remember the Wedding Chicken because it tasted so beautiful. That’s why I’m including that recipe within this column. It’s simple if you follow the instructions, but they aren’t exactly precise and leave a little room for guessing. They are usually served it with marvelous, whipped potatoes which they made right there while they were preparing the food in their shop. The weddings were usually in the barn, all cleaned up for a wedding, and had rows of benches and chairs for the elderly or handicapped so they could be a part of the event. The brides had no veils or white dresses or flowers. The husbands wore a nice Sunday suit, but no tuxedo’s, etc. The bridesmaids made their own dresses, but the bride picked out the colors for the dresses. The workshop in the barn was clean and sparkling and filled with tables and chairs for the dinner to be served afterwards. The colors matched the girl’s dresses in many cases. When you have 450 people all sitting together, you get pretty friendly, and most were part of the families of the bride and groom. Everyone helped in any way they could. One wedding they rented a hall and another they rented a gymnasium, which they decorated. Oh by the way, they had to have plenty of parking available for the cars and for the horses and buggies. They had a fenced yard for the horses so they didn’t have to stay tied up all day. The older family members didn’t stay late, but the young people DID, once the wedding celebration finished and after the gifts were opened. Then the young people would have time together away from the older folks. But, now I’ll get to the recipe. I could talk about these wonderful people all day, but this is enough for this time.

Karen Troyer’s Wedding Chicken:

I’m sorry I don't have exact measurements, so you’ll have to try and work it out until you like the taste and consistency. Here’s what she gave me… exactly!

Use Chicken Tender strips. Mix flour with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

In a frying pan use ½ stick of butter and about 1/3 cup olive oil

Fry until nice and brown

Use the drippings and grease in the pan to make a gravy:

Add 2 heaping Tbsp of flour  

2 ¼ cups water

Taste - it might need a little more Lawry’s salt

Either put it in a 13-inch baking dish and bake at 325 for one hour or place in a

Three-quart crock pot on high till done

Serve with whipped potatoes

Just ever so very yummy!!