Well, I can’t say I’m Eleanor Roosevelt, when it comes to creating change in the world, but maybe if I start, one street at a time, I can make a difference.
I just finished watching Ken Burns: The Roosevelts on Netflix and was absolutely mesmerized by these remarkable people. I’ve been searching for political figures who inspire me lately, and I remembered my mother always speaking so fondly about President Roosevelt. I thought I’d watch and see why she felt that way.
It was a seven part series and I became totally engrossed in it. Teddy, Franklin and Eleanor were all truly remarkable people we were so lucky to have. They were all such stellar examples of how adversity can really test a person and make them come out that much much stronger. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.
I was a little surprised to see that history pretty much keeps repeating itself and we keep having the same arguments and discussions. Too much government interference, not enough government, and on and on and on. It seems to me that things improve by tiny increments, instead of leaps, but they do improve. We just can’t give up.
It’s as if they expected a waitress to come along and just pick it up.
Which brings me back to my trash issue. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been concerned about trash. The giant pile of trash floating around in the Pacific Ocean is the biggest manifestation of the problem. But I also worry about our landfills and all the plastic that’s not recycled there, and how all that trash is going to come back to haunt us someday. Then there’s all the trash I see when I go to the ocean or the river. Why are people so cavalier about just tossing stuff in the street? How do they not get that this is the only planet we have? I’ll never understand it.
So, since I’m so vexed about it, I decided to write to the City of Glendale. And guess what? They wrote back! Two people wrote back, which thrilled me. The first response said that I was not alone in my concern and lots of people are complaining about the trash situation – so yay! And here’s what his supevisor said: “I agree with you, please give me a day or so to go up and assess the issues and get back to you on this.”
Then he wrote again and said: “Fran, we are putting together a Community Beautification team leader position and a crew for that person, for this kind of thing so it’s in the works! I went out today we have six litter baskets around the college area but none around the school so I will be working that. Thanks”
Well, it’s a start. I’m going to write to the elementary school principal down the street from me and see if they will start teaching their kids about the litter all over our streets and what they can do to make a difference.
Like I said, we just can’t give up.
I celebrated Earth Day by picking up all the crap stupid people have thrown in the street in front of my house and cursing them under my breath. Then, I came upon an empty cardboard box in the street with a name and address on it. I wanted to drive to this person’s house and drop it in the street in front of where he lived with a note that said, “How do you like it when people throw trash in front of YOUR house?”
I remember the very first Earth Day. I was in ninth grade and through the window I could see high school kids scurrying around on the fresh spring grass, picking up trash. I was so hopeful that people would start caring about the environment, but I definitely don’t see much evidence of that on my street. And it’s a shame. As French President, Emanuel Macron so eloquently put it, “There is no Planet B.”
In keeping with my new ninja-like determination, I’m trying to create healthy lunches like the one I had today. It was made of farro, zucchini, green onions, and sundried tomatoes, sprinkled with a little Parmesan cheese.
Farro with Zucchini, Green Onions and Sundried Tomatoes
Like the homemade pasta I made a few weeks ago. It was good, but too thick and needed salt. I wanted to make it like my Aunt Milena from Italy did. So I rolled it out by hand, but I lacked the million pasta rolling experiences my Aunt had, so it was not a masterpiece. I should have rolled it on the pasta machine in my cupboard that’s been patiently waiting for me for years. It was good, but not great – who knew homemade pasta grew when cooked? So, back to the drawing board on that one.
And I made some really good Chinese eggplant with red peppers and Sweet Chili Sauce, but I wasn’t sure the photos did it justice. This one is easy, just saute a couple of chopped Chinese eggplant and a couple of chopped red peppers in canola or peanut oil in a large skillet or wok. (I used canned roasted peppers because I was out of fresh and they worked OK –not as crisp, but still good flavor. (You could add onion too, if you want.) To help them cook, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. When cooked, add salt and pepper and pour in about 1/4 cup of Sweet Chili Sauce (you can get it in the Asian section) and stir to combine, then serve. It’s really good!
There was the Beef Bourgignon recipe I got from the 
Then there was the cannoli, which did make it to a post. 
And tonight I made a Leek and Broccoli Quiche. But I think I went too heavy on the veggies and not enough on the egg filling, so I want to make it until it tastes like the ones I had in Paris. Their crust was so buttery and their filling, so creamy, I honestly thought I would die from happiness. The only two places here in L.A., I’ve tasted one to equal that was at the La Brea Bakery and a place called the Coffee Commissary. There’s one in Kenneth Village in Glendale, and one on Olive Ave. in Burbank. Their quiche is fantastic!
And then there was a Tiramisu I made for my friend, Camilla’s birthday, and even though that dessert saw it’s heyday in the 80’s, I’ll put that recipe up against anyone’s. It’s really good. It’s another one so delicious, I only made two minor tweaks.
I’m certain mom was beaming because it tasted just like hers. I ran upstairs and made my son try it and he thought it was pretty awesome too. So, once again, through food, I was teleported to 1965 and very happy to be in my mom’s New Brighton kitchen with powdered sugar all over me.
While the oil is heating, roll out the dough to pie crust thickness, or slightly thinner, about 1/8 inch. With a rolling cookie cutter, cut a circle in the dough about six inches in diameter. Wrap it around the cannoli tube and where it overlaps, rub some of the beaten egg to seal the cannoli shell together. (I just sat the tube on the dough and rolled around it, eyeballing how much dough I would need. It doesn’t need to overlap too much — that was my mistake with the first several I fried.
Then carefully place the covered tube into the hot grease. Let it fry for about 3 to five minutes or until it’s golden brown. Carefully remove it from the pan. You can cook a few at once, but I didn’t do more than three, so I could keep an eye on them. Once the tubes have cooled enough to touch, gently remove the metal cylinders, grease their outsides and make more cannoli until the dough is all used up.
Now comes the fun part. Find 2 clean plastic Ziplock bags. (Or, if you’re advanced, use your pastry bags.) Fill one with chocolate filling and one with vanilla. Snip off one end of the plastic bags and use them to Squirt the ricotta filling into separate ends of the cannoli. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. Do not fill until ready to serve because they get soggy.
In fact, now I celebrate Valentine’s Day with abandon. I even bake for it, and one of my favorite things to make is a Danish Pastry Puff. I usually make it as a breakfast or brunch item.
saved his clipping from all those years ago and every time I make a Danish Pastry Puff, I use it. It’s easy, buttery deliciousness!
Groundhog Day is near and dear to my heart. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Pennsylvania where Punxatawney Phil was a pretty big deal. There’s another reason, which embarrasses my brothers when I talk about it, so you’ll just have to read my 
I found this recipe years ago in an ad for Comstock cherry pie filling. It was for Cherry Cranberry Pie, but is even easier and very tasty as a crisp, so that’s what I make when I need a quick dessert. And this recipe makes enough crisp topping for two pies, so you can just save half in the freezer for the next time you feel like baking a crisp.
Set the topping aside and mix together:
It’s basically garlic sauteed in olive oil, with salt, chili pepper flakes and lime juice. I used it on sauteed chicken, but Dawn says it’s really great on fish. My daughter’s boyfriend, who grew up in Mexico, says it’s always served with fish down there.
