Friday Friend Recipes #'s 350 and 351

 

...about 24 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an

  e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.

I decided to count those down!

Why?

because one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."

The Handyman/Mayor, who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said "you'll never EVER do that."

Well, maybe I will!  Maybe I'll show him!

Which brings us to why I have a photo of Barb here.

Well--it's Barb's last appearance in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown. because

I ONLY HAVE 7 LEFT---SEVEN after this. 

Barb has been there since the beginning--she typed out the original.

Anyway---let's say goodbye (it always makes me so sad) to Barbara Brown.

(okay, there is a chance she might make a reappearance in the Grand Finale` but this is the last post/story about her)

And we have recipes #350 and 351

 Barb's Australian Breasts in Wine and

Mexican Chicken Casserole

There it is!  There is the original typed Friday Friend Cookbook in the upper left. 

It is worn and well used. Most pages splattered--all written in. 

Well loved. 

Australian Breasts in Wine

(the Handyman did ask how we were going to get some chicken from Australia) 

So, that my friends are 64 and 65 of Barbs recipes. 

It's been hard towards the end to think of a 65th story (and a 49th story, etc.) 

But I did it!  I did it. 

If you want to see all her recipes (and I'm sure you do) click here.

There are great memories of great friends!

How did our friendship begin?

You might remember that she was friends with my husband first. Very good friends.

They were career colleagues.  

I will give you her version and then mine.

Because I have the memories saved from the Friday Friend Forum times. 

Barb's exact words... (she was writing to me)

The first time we 'met' was in Konocti (near Ukiah, CA) when Rich and I went to our very first meetings as brand-new store managers.  Actually, I don't remember being introduced, but I vaguely remember a woman (that would be you) standing quietly by Rich's side that evening when some of us were being rowdy and playing pool. 

I do remember Rich as he was seated right next to me at that first manager's meeting, and I don't think he said one word to me the whole time. 

So, we made up for that at all the rest of the meetings in our JCP career--to the point that they had to keep us separated, because we had too much fun. 

But the first time I REALLY met you was at another meeting in Reno.  The store managers had gone to Susanville, and then the "males" stayed to play golf.  Rich let me and Ceci driver his car back to Reno and he got a ride with someone else later.  Anyway, Debbie and the 3 boys had driven from Winnemucca for some reason, and we met them in the lobby of the hotel. 

I remember staring at Luke and fascinated that he looked exactly like his dad (at that time, he must have been about 10) And then Debbie saw us and asked us to give Rich a card that she had for him---probably something all mushy--and that was that!

When they finally moved to Los Banos, CA is when we finally got to know (and love) Debbie.  Well...I know that Doug does. 

Me/Debbie again--

YES! Doug does love me.  And so does Barb, even tho that is a word she finds hard to use.  

Doug and me.

And these are the troublemakers below--the ones they had to separate at manager meetings.

Barb and Rich.

You know, they are not huggers either and it's weird, but I have tons of pictures when he has his arm around her.  

 

Like I said, weird. 

Now for my side of the story (taken from the same Friday Friend Forum files)

I first met Barbara Brown at the JCPenney meeting at Clear Lake, CA

And then I did run into her at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, while trying to deliver a mushy love note to Rich with my three little boys in tow.  It was very intimidating meeting two career ladies, who were dressed in business attire and then me in jeans and a T-shirt and snotty nosed kids, but I had wanted to surprise him with a mushy note. (I'm romantic like that. hahaha)

But the first GREAT memory I have of Barb was when we went to their house in Monterey for the weekend. 

We were pulling into the driveway, and I was wishing I were someone else (someone with much more personality and good looks) and she comes running outside of the house laughing and waving her arms!  (It's how she usually is--laughing). She was so happy because she had won the bet--they made a bet on what time we would arrive. That set the tone for this very good, very long friendship with the Browns.

Everything is always a game. 

Now... I also had asked her daughter Kim the exact same question (I asked all the Friday Friends at the time)

and this is what Kim said:

Oh jeez, you expect me to go back to when I was 6 or 7 years old and remember How I met you?  I don't!  But I think it was when you and your family came to stay with us in Monterey for the weekend.  I had to play with the boys while the adults played games all weekend long.  From the times I do remember, you seemed a little reserved to me, and not as "vulgar", per say, as Mom, Dad and Rich were. 

Okay,,, me/debbie again.

There you have it! 

Not as VULGAR! 

HA!

And it is proven by this photo below. 

Check out innocent me---just holding my golf club, looking adoringly at my husband.

And then look at the rest of them.

Vulgar!

Tasteless, crass and unrefined there were.

You can only imagine what they were saying.  Look how the guys are holding their clubs!  Tawdry!

And look at Barb---holding Doug's---

(shame shame)

And that's my story!

Innocent me.  Reserved me.

The me who thinks we need to make some more memories!

Goodbye Barb. 

(my heart is breaking just a little bit.)

BUT

7

seven

ONLY

SEVEN

more recipes to go. 

Friday friend recipe number 349… Theda's Easy Chicken

 

and you know all the whys and wherefores of this countdown, right? Homemade cookbook, friends contributed, Handyman said I couldn't/wouldn't do it, I'll show him, yadda yadda yadda....

...and the rest is cookbook history!

Just remember, the countdown is not all about pretty food and food design---it's about the people and the stories.

And (the most important thing) proving my husband wrong--and that I can and WILL make every recipe in this cookbook.

Which brings me to recipe #349

Theda's Easy Chicken

This is Theda's 19 appearance in the Cookbook Countdown.

You can check out all her recipes and my stories about her by clicking 

here.  Go ahead--click here.

Now for the sad part--this is Theda's last recipe. And remember how I always complain about not having any more stories about my friends? Well, all of the sudden--I have TONS of her that I want to tell. 

Tons!!

But first, here are some photos of us this past summer (June 2023) when we met at our cabin for a retreat.  A Family Tree/Ancestry retreat.

Why? Because we might be a bit nerdy. But honestly, we are just really into Family History.  And I wanted her to show me all she has done and how she keeps track of things.  She's much mo betta than me 😁

when it comes to technology, researching and the organizing of files and photos on the computer. 

She's got quite the complicated family history, but I know it all and I love to hear her stories and see all she has found out as she tries to uncomplicate some things. 

We had the best time--we visited cemeteries (to find ancestors) and old neighborhoods and went thru notebooks and family ledgers, Letters, yearbooks, old newspapers and told stories and looked thru memorabilia.

It was a great retreat!

But again--I am sad to be 'ending' her story in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown. 

It's like a little death.

Okay, I'm being a bit dramatic. 

But all the memories I won't get to write about! 

I mean I was there with her, trying to ditch work when we were 16 (we both worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken), and she called (we had to find a phone booth) and told our boss that we were stranded at Sacajawea Park because her mom had dropped us off on her way to Walla Walla to get her uncle's teeth and she hadn't come back yet.

Seriously have you ever heard a better fake excuse?!

It was the greatest of all fake excuses for calling into work ever!

To get her uncle's teeth---hahahaha!!

The truth was---we were with BOYS and having a fun picnic at Sacajawea Park in Pasco, Washington.  We were playing games--Frisbee, and all of the sudden we look up and there is our boss driving in --he had come to get us, to go to work. He thought he was helping, rescuing...since we were stranded and all.

One time we snuck out of our houses at night to go see the movie Carrie with boys--the same boys we were playing frisbee with in Sacajawea Park--Danny and Wayne.

She had to sneak her dog Fifi (yes, Fifi was a poodle) out too, so that Fifi didn't wake her mom.  This was back when all the movies and showings at 5, 7, 9 and 11.  

We went to the 11pm one. 

Fifi stayed in the car. 

Theda's mom woke up.  Theda's mom called the police.  Police called my house and woke up my grandparents (my parents were in Hawaii and my grandparents were staying at my house).  Police called Danny and Wayne's parents.

We ate popcorn and milk duds and red vines and chocolate covered peanuts and drank cokes...and watched Carrie.

Fifi stayed in the car.

When we drove up to Theda's house at 2am, the lights were on, cars in the driveway. 

We were BUSTED!!

Theda is my partner in crime...we committed a felony together. 

I got a speeding ticket.  She went to court with me.  I wanted to get the ticket reduced.  While the judge was busy calling up other defendants, we began to clean out our purses.  We were 17, so...???

Theda was done with her purse before I was---they called my name, but I was in the middle of purse cleaning!  I looked at her and raised my eyebrows, she shrugged and walked forward and got "my sentence".  By the way, she DID NOT get my ticket reduced.

Anyway--it is a FELONY to impersonate another person to a judge. 

Who knew?!

We never did get caught for impersonation, but my parents did find out about my speeding ticket.

You might be able to pull one over on the old judge, but not the old parents!

I haven't even got to the "she taught me everything I ever needed to know about sex" story!  

The one where she illustrated with a Kleenex box and a tennis shoe.

(we were 16 and not quite as savvy in the 1970's as teenagers are today)

But when she showed me, the Kleenex box was on top, and I was confused for years.

The point is, tho, that I could go on forever and ever!  And I'm sad that I can't. She only turned in 19 recipes and this is it!

Oh...the chicken?  Yeah, it's good.  And Easy--hence the name.  But again--what do you think this is, a recipe countdown or something.  You want info on the recipe?!

It was good Okay!

I am so lucky to have her as a life-long friend.

Blessed is more like it.

Here's to many more adventures Theda--funny though how it went from committing felonies to strolling thru cemeteries.  

In the blink of an eye.

Look how close I am!

2023 will be the year!!

Will it really tho?

(I'm slow going) (soooo  slow)

But maybe, I am feeling the challenge!

That above ꜛ

 I copied and pasted it from my last post.  😕

As you might have guessed, it won't be a goal that I'll meet this year. BUT--January?  You betcha!

Oh my gosh!  Not even January--it is now the middle of February 2024!

But the good news is--- this is recipe 349 out of 358!

9 more to go!!

Maybe it's taking me so long because I don't want it to end?