The end

 

...about 25 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 recipes #355, 356, 357 and 358

THE END!

I did it! I showed him, didn't I?

What exactly did I show him?

Hmmmm--well, lots of good food and fond memories for a couple things.

And remember how I said that thinking of stories was so hard to come by and I struggled with it after recalling so many of them thru the years?

Well--now tons more memories come flooding back into my brain.  I have so many stories left to tell!

I am relieved and sad... but more about that later. 

For now, here are the last four recipes of the whole cookbook.

I held these until the very end for my own reasons.  They are from 

Traci Marques--because her's was the very first recipe I made for the cookbook.

Shelly Noble--because she has made me beautiful 'cookbooks' of all these blog posts from Shutterfly

and

Barbarba Brown, who typed up and printed the original Friday Friend Cookbook.

(she was the editor and chief) 

Let's start with a little appetizer from our Editor Barb.

Barb and her husband Doug.

I was going to say Barb and her better half, but everyone knows that Barb is the better. 

(sorry Doug)

All of Barb's recipes can be found if you click here

Do it now!

And then we'll also have some beverages to go with our appetizers,

 Traci Marques' champagne punch.

(and yes, we had this entire menu as our meal--it was great)

Traci and her husband Larry.  She too is the better half. 

Larry has to know that, right?

LOL

All of Traci's recipes can be found by clicking here--right here!

Do it now!

  

And the main dish--spaghetti from Shelly Noble!

Which in a way is fitting because we have a total of 26 spaghetti sauces in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown.

Twenty-Six!  

I begged the Friday Friends to turn in their spaghetti sauce recipes.  I've always found it funny, how you can take the same basic ingredients, and they all turn out so different.  And they did.   All were good--but how can you go wrong with pasta and sauce?

But Rich (I just said his name!  I've called him the Handyman or the Mayor during the past 11 years of this project.) and I do have a couple that stand out as the best for us. 

We don't feel we are prejudiced, but his mom's and my mom's spaghetti are it for us!

And finally, Lorin and his better half Shelly!

I got that right, didn't I?

And you can find Shelly's entries right here--click now.

And to end this fabulous meal we have some of Traci's 

Saltine Cracker Cookies

(which I call Toffee with a Twist)

Wa-Lah!

I'm done.

No more!

I can't even think of a funny story right now.

I think I deserve a prize!

That was a lot of stuff to make-- and a lot of $$$ just to prove my husband wrong.

It's only taken me 11 years.  My first post was in September of 2013.

I wrote this:

I know that my blog has an interesting name.  A name/title that no one gets, because there are no 'friends' writing posts every week. There is only me. 

Long before I knew what a blog was, I had a group e-mail forum that included my friends from near and far...and originally I would ask them a question on Fridays, cut and paste their answers and  share with all.

So there is the history of my name.  Well, not MY name, (that would be 1950's Debbie Reynolds popularity) but rather my blog's name.  It started as a joke, when I thought that only they would be reading this blog.  Now, over 800 posts later, a few other people do read my blog.
It's nice to have made other friends thru this.  But too late to change my name (my blog's name ) to something catchy like " Debbie's Dishes"  or  "Dining with Debbie" or even "Debbie is a hot dish".   Okay, we can leave the last one out, but you know what I mean....you are stuck with the Friday Friends.

I have about 50 of my closest friends on the e-mail forum.  At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 15 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions,  exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts,  had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.
AND,  we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

I was looking at the cookbook the other night and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman--who knows me better than I know myself (this happened to be a question on the Friday Friend forum once---does your spouse/partner know you better than you know yourself? said, "you'll never, EVER do that."

The reason I said I was relieved and sad at the same time is because

1)  Relieved that I hit a goal

2) Sad because it was fun to 'remember' all those fun times and write them down.  No what'll I do?

3) Sad because a few of my FRIDAY friends and family are no longer with us.  But what great and fun memories I have.

I'm going to pick a new goal.

I think I mentioned that I stole my mother-in-law's recipe box when she passed, and we were cleaning out her home? 

She has index cards with menus on them!

Maybe I'll make the Mayor some of his childhood menus!

They were written back in the day of four:

1. main dish/meat

2. veggie

3. a starch -- potatoes, rice or noodles with every meal.

and 

4. a salad.  My MIL would write 'green' salad or 'tossed' salad

I wonder if she had a difference.? 

I am meandering now....

but this is it--I'm going to recreate and modernize my mother-in-law's menus 😁😁

As I've said before---this feels like I'm saying goodbye to my friends.
I am so sappy sentimental!!

It's ridiculous.

Anyway--this has been fun!

Bye!

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 Recipes #345, 346, 347, Barb's Chicken Penne, Cheese Chicken Enchiladas and Easy Oven Lasagna.

I must get this done!  At least to prove something to myself if not the Handyman...

 because...

...about 23 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 recipes #345, 346 and 347 

 Barb's Chicken Penne di Genoa

Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

and

Easy Oven Lasagna

(and please remember--I'm NOT a food photographer.  And it's not about the photos but about the friends.)

Pasta is my friend.  My heart's friend anyway--- not my thighs friend OR not my literal heart's friend---but my emotional heart's friend. 

Pasta is my emotional support food!!

Yeah, that's it.

Moving on to some cheesy chicken enchiladas. 

So... as you know, the Handyman had a heart attack in March, and he's been eating a pretty good diet since then.  Mostly chicken, beef once a week, more salads, getting more exercise, etc.

But he sees the word chicken in this recipe and thinks it's fair game! 

It's not Handyman--it's not.

So,

 thanks Barb--- his bad eating habits for the evening are on your shoulders. 

It's really hard when you are not a food photographer--to take food photos in the evening on a cold winter's night. 

Really hard.

But you know what wasn't hard? Eating this lasagna.  It was yummy and went down really easy. 

There are 62 posts with Barb's recipes (you can click here to check them out) but since there are 2 and sometimes 3 (like today) recipes on each post, there is not telling how many recipes you are going to end up with. 

So, imagine trying to come up with 62 or more stories about Barb!

It's impossible!

So, I was looking thru some old FF Forum correspondence and saw this, from Barb's family.   I had asked what everyone was doing for Christmas.  

Christmas 2004

From Mike Erovick, Barb's son: 

This year I shall spend Christmas alone. Thanks for depressing me. 

From Kim Brown, Barb's daughter (who was working at Disney World in Orlando at the time): 

I'll be working 12-8.   And constantly asking, "would you like a pretzel/turkey leg to go with your holiday beer?"   Merry Christmas Everyone!

And from Barb herself, who was working at Walgreens at the time:

I will be working 9 til 5.

Joy to the World.

DO NOT feel too bad for any of them.  They all worked on purpose and then got together for "after Christmas."

Mike would give me a bad time no matter what I had asked. 

Kim LOVED working at Disney World--a dream come true for her.

And Barb?  Barb began working at Walgreens part-time for something to do after she retired.  AND since she and Doug (who must have been golfing and didn't answer me) didn't have any kids at home, VOLUNTEERED to work Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so someone else could stay home with their children.  

*********************

You know... after 62 posts of Barb--and not having seen Barb in person for a few years now--- I don't have many photos that are new or unseen on this blog.  So sometimes I stalk her Facebook page to steal a photo or two.

I've had good luck in the past doing this. 

But now...all I can find are pics like this:

😍😍😍

It's a good thing!  Fun to see her enjoying her cute as can be granddaughter!

So, friends, My friends!  These are recipes #345, 346 and 347 out of 361. 

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!