Friday Friend Recipe #262 and #263, Sour Cream Apple Pie and Skillet Chicken Parmigiana

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

What is it, you may ask?

In a nutshell....

About 20 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 recipes #262 and #263

Ashley's Apple Pie and Chicken Parmigiana

Apple desserts are my favorite types of dessert.  Any day, any time.

Pie is good for breakfast--this pie in particular is good for breakfast.

I love pie.  I love apple pie.

Did I say that already?

Mmmmm---apple pie!

I  suck at making pie crusts, so I always cheat and use a 'pat-in-pan' crust. 

It's easy.  And good.

I need to practice making a two-crust pie, so I can show it off someday.

This really is one of the easiest 'after-work' meals to make.  It comes together in a jiffy and is really, really good.

Look at all that fried deliciousness! 

Yummy!

These are 2 of Ashley's signature dishes, I'm sure.  

I just say that because they are so good and she turned them in for the Friday Friend Cookbook.

These are Ashley's 8th and 9th recipes and she still has a few more to go in this countdown.

You can see all of her recipes by clicking  here. 

Right here.

In the photo  below, Ashley is on the right, I'm in the middle and our good friend Betty is on the left.  It's funny, because if you do click to see all of Ashley's recipes, Betty will be in most of the posts. 

We ran into each other last fall at a Northern Nevada Community College Fundraiser.

Which is fitting because Ashley and I first because fast friends when we were taking a college class together.

  (we knew each other before then--but we really bonded over World Religions)

Ashley always hosted a Christmas Eve open house when she lived here. We went to a few throughout the years--they were always very festive and filled with so much great food. 

Made, of course, by Ashley.

She used to love to cook--a couple of  my treasured cookbooks/booklets are a Christmas Cookie booklet she made one year, when she and her mom  and sister got together and made 24 different cookies one weekend in December.

(My favorite cookie from that is the Butterscotch Stars--I still make them at Christmas time)

The other was a copy of her Family Cookbook made for a reunion one  year.   She presented me with a white notebook, complete with family stories!

That one has some great recipes in it--a lot of southern recipes which are fun for me to try, as well as tons of others.

The last time I saw Ashley, I asked her about cooking and she told me that she rarely cooks at home anymore. 

She said that owning restaurants has ruined that for her.

It made me sad for some reason.

But looking at these pictures has made me happy again.

We were dancing, drinking and having a good time.

All in the name of higher education. 

And this my friends is 

recipes #262 and 263

Only 104 left to go!

I can do it!

Friday Friend Recipe #259, 260, 261--Mexican Potato Cakes and company cabbage and cold rice salad

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

What is the Friday Friend cookbook? I once had about 50 of my closest friends and family (from all over the county) on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends . At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 20 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. (plus so much more....)

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 thinks he 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... recipes #259, #260,  and #261

Mexican potato cakes, Company Cabbage and Cold Rice Salad

I've been very quiet during this Covid-19 Pandemic.

I probably could have had this cookbook done by now.

I'll blame the Pandemic--why not?

I'm doing 3 in 1 again.  3 recipes in one post.  Mostly because I feel I'm running out of stories to tell and also photos!  I am truly running out of photos--especially of Barb, because this is her 57th time in the cookbook countdown.

I really don't have anymore stories or photos of her.

Who the heck can tell 57 different stories about their friends?!

The Handyman will sometimes take leftover mashed potatoes and make a patty out of them and fry them up for breakfast.

Barb uses a bit of a different take here and adds some chili powder and Wah-LA they become Mexican potato cakes. 

It's a potato tho, so you can't go wrong.

And company cabbage?  While not everyone's cup of tea, I do like a good cabbage fry. It's warm and comforting--and it tastes good.

I can't help it if you have funny taste buds and don't think so.

And finally, Barb's 3rd recipe of the post--Cold Rice Salad.

I think I just need to invite you over for a little luncheon and serve this salad with some rolls and iced tea or lemonade.

It would be perfect!

Here are two photos  (I'm searching deep down in the photo box now) of Barb.

Barb and the Handyman.

One in 1995 and one in 2007. 

She never changes.

He does. 

On the back of the first picture (which Barb must have sent to me), she writes this:

I could  say she was my least competitive friend, but that would be a fib.

Here lies the proof. 

And this my friends is 

recipes #259, 260 and 261

Only 106 left to go!

Woo Hoo!