It’s true what they say—there’s no accounting for Miracles. But there is accounting for love and there is accounting for goodness. And in Glimmer Creek, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn
a snack that’s sure to sweeten any day
ingredients:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons melted butter
directions:
Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl.
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Drop two test kernels into pan and cover. Once test kernels pop, pour 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels into pan and cover. Shake occasionally to prevent burning. Turn off the heat when popping slows.
Transfer popcorn to large bowl. Pour melted butter over popcorn and toss to combine. Shake sugar, cinnamon, and salt mixture over popcorn and stir while popcorn is still warm.
Chocolate-Cherry Muffins
a muffin capable of curing all manner of maladies
ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or use muffin liners.
In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla until well blended.
Toss cherries and chocolate chips with dry ingredients. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide batter between muffin cups. Bake for 5 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower heat to 400 degrees and bake for 12 more minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Potato-Chip Sundaes
a dessert best saved for special celebrations
ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Potato chips
Vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream (optional)
Maraschino cherry (optional)
directions:
Add the water and sugar to a medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar dissolves and begins to bubble.
Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Do not stir the sugar as it boils. Let mixture continue boiling until it turns a light-brown color. This takes about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Pour cream into saucepan while whisking. Then whisk in butter, vanilla, and salt. Set caramel sauce aside to cool.
To assemble, place three scoops of vanilla ice cream in a bowl. Top with potato chips broken into smaller pieces. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Whipped cream and cherry are optional but encouraged.
Pecan Pancakes with Strawberries
a perfect treat to serve with Saturday-morning movies
ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 3/4 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter + butter for cooking and
serving
sliced strawberries
maple syrup
directions:
In mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and chopped pecans.
In separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. Blend with dry ingredients until just combined.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop batter by 1/4 cups onto hot skillet. Bake until both sides are golden.
Serve hot with butter, sliced strawberries, and maple syrup.
Bacon-Chocolate-Chip Cookies
a cookie with amazing powers of persuasion (they even work on hermits)
ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped bacon—about 7 pieces, cooked and cooled
1 1/4 cup milk-chocolate chips
directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In separate mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and vanilla and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.
Beat in flour mixture gradually until well combined.
Stir in bacon and chocolate chips.
Drop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 9–11 minutes until cookies are golden around the edges but still soft.
Hot Chocolate with Raspberry Syrup
a drink guaranteed to comfort during stormy weather
ingredients:
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup + 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk + 4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
directions:
Bring 2/3 cup water and 2/3 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in raspberries. Mash mixture using a fork. Allow to seep for one hour. Then drain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, discard solids, and refrigerate raspberry syrup until needed.
Combine cocoa, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup milk in a medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture boils. Cook for another two minutes.
Stir in 4 cups milk and heat, but do not boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and 3/4 cup of raspberry syrup.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
a cake to share with friends, both new and old
ingredients:
for the cake:
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 cups blueberries tossed with 1 tablespoon flour
for the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and beat until combined.
Beat in flour mixture gradually, then beat in sour cream.
Fold in blueberries gently.
Spoon into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan before removing.
In mixing bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the milk and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake until it drips down the sides.
ACKNO
WLEDGMENTS
Thank you to my agent, Katie Grimm. You saw what this book needed to be long before I did and never gave up on me. I am beyond grateful for your brilliance, your fierce dedication, and your friendship.
All the thank yous in the world to my editor, Krista Vitola. Your guidance and passion for this story made it so much better. You are an utter joy to work with. To Justin Chanda, Catherine Laudone, Krista Vossen, Katrina Groover, Martha Hanson, Penina Lopez, Christina Pecorale, Victor Iannone, Emily Hutton, Chrissy Noh, and the rest of the team at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, I’m thankful for all your hard work and still pinching myself that I get to work with you.
To Jen Bricking for your beautiful art that captures the story perfectly. To Juliana Brandt, PitchWars, Cara Bellucci, Alechia Dow, and my fellow Roarers for making me a better writer and cheering me along. To my pals on Briardale for sparking my imagination, to my girlfriends from Wake Forest for listening to it all, to my friends in Richmond for giving me a home, and to the beautiful Northern Neck for endless inspiration.
To Ashby, Lori, Alston, Claire, Parker, Jeff, Lucas, Scarlett, Miles, Pope, Erin, Gus, and Benny for brightening my life in a thousand ways. To Barry and Ginna for always treating me as their own daughter. To Uncle Glenn for giving me a regular dose of laughter. To Grandma, whose grace and love have lifted me in times when I needed it most. To Pop Pop, who shows me the true meaning of goodness simply by being himself. And to Dad for telling me stories, encouraging my hopes, and giving me a most magical childhood.
To Sarah, my sister, my confidante, my dearest friend, this book would never have happened without you. As with most things, I told you about this dream first, and your belief in me never wavered. That has meant more than you could ever know.
To Gray, Colter, Bo, and West, I adore you boys with every bit of my heart. You have brought more wonder and joy into my life than I thought possible.
Finally, to my husband, Roby, I could go on for pages about how you make me laugh at the exact right time, refuse to let me quit, and create space in our life for me to do this. Yet in the end it all comes down to one thing—finding you was my real-life Miracle, and I’m grateful every day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PHOTO BY STACY CHIZUK
STACY HACKNEY grew up in Virginia, where she spent her early years reading everything she could get her hands on and singing in the school choir. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law. Along with her husband, four sons, and their rescue dog named Albert, she currently lives in Richmond. Forever Glimmer Creek is Stacy’s debut novel.
Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids
www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Stacy-Hackney
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Simon & Schuster, New York
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2020 by Stacy Hackney
Jacket illustrations copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Bricking
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Jacket design by Krista Vossen
Interior design by Hilary Zarycky
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hackney, Stacy, author.
Title: Forever Glimmer Creek / Stacy Hackney.
Description: First edition. | New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2020] | Summary: When future filmmaker Rosie, age twelve, decides to make a documentary about the miracles in her town in hopes of connecting with the father she never knew, she discovers what true magic is. Includes recipes.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019004388 | ISBN 9781534444843 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 9781534444867 (eBook)
Subjects: CYAC: Documentary films—Production and direction—Fiction. | Community life—Fiction. | Mothers and daughters—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Miracles—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H1516 Mys 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019004388
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