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
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?
