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.