Friday Friend Recipe #136 -- Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

Come with me as I continue to countdown my Friday Friend Cookbook!

What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell...
About 17 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--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 me to recipe #136  Darleen's Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

Easy, tangy and good!  I love to be able to put things in a crockpot in the morning and come home to a meal all ready.

Sweet and Sour Ribs

Darleen Evans

Kennewick, WA

Boneless, country style pork ribs

1 bottle of BBQ sauce, your choice

1 small can of frozen lemonade

Thaw lemonade & mix with bbq sauce.  Pour over ribs in crockpot.  Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Serve over rice.

If Auntie Darleen had a nickname, it would be Darleen the illusive! Finding a photo of her is hard.  I don't think she likes her picture taken much.

This is Darleen's 4th appearance in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown, you can see them all here--just click.

Perhaps Auntie Darleen doesn't like her picture taken, because she is so old!  She is over 21 you know---her life is over!

At least  that's how I understand it.  It's a family known fact, that when Darleen turned 21, she was very depressed and cried, because she thought the best part of her life was behind her.

I do believe tho, she's had some very good times since then.  She hadn't even met the love of her live yet...

Her nephew, the Handyman, had a similar meltdown when he approached his 25th birthday-- the term QUARTER OF A CENTURY, kept him awake at night.

My husband and my favorite Aunt-in-Law,

Were kind of silly.
(There is only 3 years between the two of them)
I haven't been bothered by a birthday yet...and as far as I know, these 2-- 21 and 25-- have been the most traumatic for them both, so far.
40 and 45 years ago....

That's my Darleen story!

Old, not so old!

AND---I have some great news!  I was looking thru the FF cookbook as I often do and I noticed that there are a couple of double recipes. Same exact recipe turned in by the same person, accidentally put in 2 different categories.  I found 4. So I am closer to being done than I thought.

This was recipe #136 out of 298

minus the 4 doubles makes that 294.

So I now have 158 to go!!

WOO HOO!

Friday Friend Recipe #129 -- Tortilla Crisps

My Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown #129!

(#willreallyfinishthissomeday)

Darleen's Tortilla Crisps

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!

Let me just say YUM!  I don't really need to say anything else, right?   We've all had these, we all like these--cinnamon and sugar and something fried?  How can you go wrong?

My edges got a little bit overdone, but they did not taste burnt, they just look really brown. So watch these carefully as they fry up fast.

Tortilla Crisps

Darleen Evans

Pasco, WA

Heat oil in a deep skillet to 375.

Cut tortillas into pie shaped wedges.

Fry till crispy and golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.

While still hot, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

This is Darleen's 3rd time in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown!

You can see all her recipes here (just click)

Darleen is my favorite Aunt-in-Law.  She was only 3 1/2 when the Handyman was born.  He calls her Auntie--more to be ornery than anything.

Once upon a time when the Handyman and I were living in Los Banos, California, he got a ticket.  It wasn't for speeding or doing anything reckless--it was for not wearing a seatbelt. This was right at the start of when the seatbelt law was taking effect across the states, so I'm sure he wasn't the only one who got ticketed.

A few days afterwards, he receives a phone call from his Auntie Darleen, who worked for Border Patrol in Southern California at the time, and she says,  "why were you pulled over the other day?"

Handyman says,  "Why?  Are you 'running' me?"

running--I guess that's slang talk for what law enforcement does to check up on people.  To see if they have any prior law breaking activities or any warrants out for their arrest, etc.

Auntie Darleen says, "Well, yes I am.  I periodically run everyone in the family.  Just to make sure you're all on the straight and narrow!"

BUSTED HANDYMAN!!

You can never hide from  Auntie Darleen.  She knows all!

I know this isn't a great photo of Marv -- but he was on the verge of laughing at something very funny, so it makes me smile.

Marv passed away about 8 years ago.  We all miss him a lot.

And that my friends is Recipe #129.

169 more to go!

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

Barbara Brown, my editor and original publisher, told  me  her friend Linda Pederson (Hi Linda) is a fan of the blog --  because she likes my wit.

This has put so much pressure on me! 

I can't wait till there's a Barbara Brown Recipe (only 2 more to go in my drafts until I get there),  I'm going to be really witty and fun then!
Cuz...man do I have a story!!

Friday Friend Recipe #94 -- Guamainian Chicken and Rice

 

Friday Friend Recipe #94 -- Guamanian Chicken

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook: I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county). 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."
WELL---maybe I'll show him!  Maybe I will.

Which brings me to this... recipe #94

Darleen's

Crockpot Guamanian Chicken and Rice

 

 

Again,  it's not about the pictures---it's about the STORY!

The story of my family and friends and this little (not so little) cookbook they put together.

 

Food from Guam is a bit tangy.  Vinegars and fruit juices abound.

I know, because my sister-in-law is from Guam, and my Favorite Aunt-in-law, Darleen was stationed there while she and her husband were in the Navy.

(they never met)

I  was skeptical about Darleen's recipe when she sent it in, because I got a tad bit elitist--after all my brother's wife is from Guam you know!  But when I saw Darleen's recipe and saw that  it's exactly the same as my brother uses for his BBQ marinade, I thought perhaps Darleen does know what she's doing. 

(just teasing, she always knows what she's doing)

 

Taking photos of baked chicken is --- well,  not the most exciting thing in the world.  Baked chicken and white rice?

Oh well, the thing is, it tasted good.  I have always loved it.

My brother does his on the bbq, uses the sauce as a marinade, but Darleen does it in the crockpot which is perfect for winter!

 

 

Guamanian Chicken and Rice

FF Darleen Evans

Pasco, WA

 

1 cut up chicken

1 large onion or 2 medium

equal amounts of soy sauce and white vinegar to cover chicken.

salt, pepper, garlic

 

Cook 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

Serve over white steamed rice.

 

 

 (this is not my photo.... I Googled FREE photos of Guamanian chicken.  It does not give a credit. But this could easily pass for my bro's bbq chicken)

 

 

 Now for the most IMPORTANT part! 

The story of my Friday Friend!!

My lovely Aunt!

 

Darleen is the Handyman's aunt, but she is only a couple of years older than him.   2 1/2  or  3 years older.  He is closer to his aunt in age than he is to his first sibling.  She is more like another sibling actually.  She even lived with her sister Teresa and family when the Handyman was a teenager.

But that's beside the point.

 

This is Darleen's story.

 

***Before I go any further, let me just say that I got permission to tell this story from all parties involved.***

 

To make a long story short  Darleen gave a baby up for adoption in 1969.

This baby girl had a wonderful life, let's first get that straight.  It was the right thing to do---for everyone.

But, of course, you always wonder.  Even those of us 'in-laws' (well, okay probably only me, because I love family history and mystery and knowing everything!)

I remember one summer evening out on the patio talking with my mother-in-law, Teresa a few years ago and she said wistfully, "I always thought Mary might try to contact us.  I would like to know about her before I die."

(Mary was what the family called her)

 

Well GUESS WHAT???

 

Mary, who is really Michelle, did!!

She contacted the family and Darleen a couple of years ago.

 

Here is a photo of my FAVORITE Aunt-in-law, Darleen,  Michelle and my fav MIL, Teresa.

 

Darleen        Michelle         Teresa

 

 

Of course I don't know all the details, nor do I need to, but what I do know is that it's so exciting and fun.

And a blessing.

Michelle.

Her birth-mother Darleen, her aunt, the Handyman and other cousins never forgot about her.  She was mentioned at all family reunions!

 

I have actually never met her, but talked thru Facebook a few times.

Someday I hope to meet her in person, but for now it's enough to know that she is happy and has a nice life. 

 Michelle was beyond excited to find her birth mother. She and Darleen have met and are getting to know each other.

And that's enough for now.

 

** a fun fact---kind of like Ripley's Believe it or Not---  Michelle is a barber and Darleen had gone to barber school!

Weird and cool, huh?

 

 

 

Darleen joined the Navy shortly after giving her baby a new life with a new family, where she eventually met her husband Marv and ended up in Guam, where she learned to make chicken! Guamanian Chicken! 

See?  Things are always connected somehow.

 

 

 

 This is Darleen's 2nd recipe in the Friday Friend Cookbook  Countdown.

See them both here. (just click --one click away--for those of you who don't know links)

 

And I'm still cooking away on this book! 

(I look EXACTLY like this too!!)

 

 

 

I am going to link up with Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads!  YOU can too!

 

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

Whatever Sauce (Spaghetti Sauce #4) --Friday Friend Cookbook Recipe #56

Friday Friend Recipe #56: Whatever Sauce-- Spaghetti Sauce #4

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook: I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county). 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.

Which brings me to this... recipe #56

Aunt Darleen's

Whatever Sauce

Before I get to the jist of the post--- featuring recipe and photo/story of the FF who turned in this recipe, I just need to vent for one moment.

We are the Beverly hillbillys of computers!

I have an old one. Handyman had an old one.  (which he has rigged up in his man camp/garage--an old laptop where the screen doesn't work, so it's hooked to a monitor somehow??? )

We have my mom's old one.  Which I am using because mine needs to go into the shop.

And we have this one.  I have no idea what, when, where it came from, but probably from our old dry cleaning business.

It's old, but it works, altho I am out in the man cave/garage/sweat shop!!

Because somehow I managed to break my mom's computer this morning too!!

So now, we have 2 computers waiting to go to the shop, and one hooked held together by duct tape (sarcasm) and this one, which is old.

Sigh... the Handyman LOVES to 'fix' things, but I say, I'm on my way to get myself a new computer.

The end.

And now... on to a recipe from my favorite Aunt-in-law!

Whatever Sauce

Darleen Evans

Pasco, Washington

In the words of Aunt Darleen:

Since I have only made spaghetti 4 times in 26 years of marriage, I guess I would use Ragu or Prego--whatever comes in a jar.

*******

The Handyman and I were at our cabin in Oregon when I made this.  It rained the whole weekend, which was glorious for me!  I read 2.5 books.

I looked like this:

Even tho the spaghetti was not fancy, it was warm and filling --- and really, how can you go wrong with pasta?  And big chunks of real garlic on the bread (just like my mom  used to do).  Poor Handyman---that was a lot of garlic.

I did add some ground beef to this sauce.

Notice I am dating the recipes when I do a blog post about them.  So I can keep track.

This is Darleen's 1st ever apperance in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown.

Darleen is the Handyman's Aunt.

She is on the far right.  (next to the Handyman's sister, LeAnne--who, altho is a Friday Friend, sadly, never turned in a recipe for the cookbook)

Aunt Darleen is only a few years older than the Handyman and she always tells him to:  eat his green beans!

He hated green beans as a child. Oh yeah!  He still does.

Her funny story---

the Handymand remembers when he was about  12 and they went to visit his grandma... Darleen was about  16 and she was supposed to go buy herself some shoes, but instead, she came home with 2  45records.  One of them being "Red Rubber Ball".

His grandma just looked at her and said,  "I hope that Red Rubber Ball keeps your feet warm this winter."

And Darleen said (in that snarky teenage, whisper behind your mom's back kind of voice) " yep, Red Rubber Ball will keep my feet warm this winter!"

RED RUBBER BALL!!!

More important than shoes anyday!

I am linking up to Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads.