Everything I Need to Know about Life I Learned from Potluck

You bring what you have to the table. People eat it or they don't. Sometimes you have to improvise. You sign up for main dish and end up with a dessert. You don't know what all of the food is, but you try everything and you always find something to eat. You ask everybody how to make everything, and you say their food is good no matter what. And you always make a plate to take home. You eat together. You enjoy the meal. You share. You help clean up. And if your dish didn't turn out the way you thought it would, don't worry, you always get another chance.

And you can always bring paper plates.

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When I read "Potluck" to my friend Shelly Kealohalani Wakamatsu Pelfrey, she laughed out loud. Then she felt sorry for me, and volunteered to be my coach. What follows is her idiot-proof recipe for Princess Chicken Hekka, which started turning my reputation around. Cook it the night before and bring it to work in your crock pot. Make sure somebody else brings rice.

(More excerpts and recipes here.)

PRINCESS CHICKEN HEKKA

3lbs Chicken thighs 1 can Baby corn 1 can Straw mushrooms 1 can Button mushrooms 1 can Bamboo shoots, sliced 1 can Beer 1 Large onion, sliced 1 Thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thick Some Garlic 4 pkg Long rice Brown sugar and shoyu to taste 2-3 Green onion tops for garnish

Brown chicken with the round onion, ginger and garlic, then transfer to crock pot with remaining ingredients (except long rice). Stew at least two hours the night before your potluck. Just before time to leave soak long rice a few minutes (see package directions), then stir into crock pot and garnish top with chopped green onion. Serve with rice.