Tenney’s Hot Chicken Truck Food

Now that American Girl Tenney Grant’s Tennessee Hot Chicken Truck is decorated and stocked with paper food trays and to-go boxes, it is time for Georgia to get cooking.  Inspiration for the Hot Chicken Truck menu and food came directly from the American Girl Tenney Grant books 1 & 2 and her journal.  Inspiration also came from Tenney’s picnic set.  I also spent time researching different actual real-life Nashville restaurants that serve hot chicken and sides.  Today I will share with you either where to buy these food items or make suggestion on how you can DIY them yourself.  Check out this doll sized chicken dinner.

I absolutely LOVE how doll food really makes a display scene pop!  Plus, it is really fun to play with!

This menu comes in a pdf printable and can be found here:  http://brandyshappyhome.com/tenneys-tennesse-hot-chicken-truck/

The coleslaw and macaroni sides pictured are from Dolly’s Dining Room; inspiration for these items came from researching local Nashville restaurants.   You can also get potato salad from Dolly’s Dining Room which is not pictured.  The watermelon slices are mini erasers that were purchased as party favors; inspiration for this came from AGs Tenney’s picnic set.    The Crispy-Gooey-Crunchy Bars were inspired from a recipe found in Tenney’s journal.  These doll sized bars were a diy project from years ago for Doll Diaries; you can find the instructions here: http://dolldiaries.com/camp-doll-diaries-stock-the-doll-coffee-shop-with-treats/ .  Not pictured are doll sized blueberry muffins;  Tenney’s love of her mother’s blueberry muffins with brown-sugar topping is mentioned several times in her books.

NOW for the most important menu item….the Tennessee Hot Chicken.  This dish is served over sliced white bread.

To create the bread I used Sculpey III polymer clay.  I ran it through my pasta roller on the widest setting.  I folded this layer over to make it twice the thickness.  I used a square fondant cutter that measured 1-1/4 inch.  I then took a large round cutter and placed over the square clay to round the top corners.  Next I took a pointed tool to cut grooves into each upper side to give the slice a loaf look.  I then took a toothbrush and textured sponge to the clay to give it dimension and the look of bread.  I baked the clay according to package instructions.  When cooled, I used dampened brown chalk and a brush to add brown color to the edges for crust.  I added a thin layer of matte ModPodge when done to seal.  This size of bread fit perfectly in the paper food tray provided in a previous post which you can find here:  http://brandyshappyhome.com/tenneys-paper-food-trays-and-to-go-box/ .

You could also make bread out of thick white craft foam paper with a tan foam paper boarder.

Over the bread goes the chicken!  This AMAZING set of realistic chicken is from the very talented Dolly’s Dining Room and can be found here:  http://www.dollysdiningroom.com/product-page/fried-chicken-5-piece-set .  Other Etsy shops that carry doll sized chicken dinners are: Ann’s AG Miniatures found here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/92556201/bucket-fried-chicken-meal-for-18-dolls and Hammy’s Clay Creations  https://www.etsy.com/listing/292266139/chicken-dinner-plate-for-18american-girl.  I can’t believe the crafter of Hammy’s Clay Creations is only 12 years old!

If you want to DIY your doll’s chicken, check out this great video tutorial:  https://youtu.be/g5UZxS-5Yps

The Tennessee Hot Chicken is topped with pickles!  My daughters and I decided to give making clay canes a try.  We made two different versions; one with ridges and one smooth with seed indentions.

We used three different clays, dark green, wasabi colored green, and translucent.  The translucent was used the most.  A small amount of each green was added to a separate amount of translucent.  If clay was really tough I added a very small amount of clay softener…do not over add.  Really work the colors together; it will take a bit of time but the colors will blend really well.  Roll out the darker shade in your pasta roller at desired thickness.  Shape the lighter green into a cylinder and place over the darker green and wrap around.  When together, roll the cylinder into a cane to desired size.  If clay has become too warm and soft to cut with blade, you can partially bake to firm or you can place in freezer to firm.  Cut desired thickness with razor blade or crinkle cutter.  Use a tiny round clay tool or toothpick to add depressions for the seeds.  Bake according to package instructions.  These pieces were fairly small and thin and I only backed for 6 min.  Once cool, I covered in a thin layer of gloss ModPodge for a wet look.  There are many You-Tube videos out there on how to make clay canes.  I initially found them while researching nail art.

My daughter’s were tickled with how cute their attempts came out.  You could also make DIY pickles from light green foam paper and a darker green sharpie marker.

In the second book, Tenney helps Jaya raise money to help a destroyed Bangladesh school by having a decorate your own cupcake stand.  I decided to incorporate this scenario into the Chicken t

ruck.  These cupcakes and sprinkles were recycled from the Our Generation Ice Cream Truck and Diner.

UPDATE!  Thanks to one of my favorite Instagramers, @mrsjshomeforimaginarygirls, for sharing with me that the little taster cups from your local yogurt shop make great containers for Tenney’s Chicken Truck side items.

Up tomorrow is how I created the canning jar ice tea mugs and tea!  Craft on!