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Author: Francesca Filanc
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THE EASTER EGG HUNT
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IN FRONT OF THE CRACKLING FIRE
It’s Saturday night and I have a fire in the fireplace. It is supposed to rain cats and dogs tomorrow.I love a fire in the fireplace on a cold day or evening–who doesn’t? Hearth and home are as humanly comforting as a good bowl of hot chicken soup when we are sick or macaroni and cheese or dark chocolate, piping hot chocolate, a good cup of Yorkshire tea or chamomile tea or Japanese rice. The list goes on and on for the individual. But all of us, I venture to say, love a fire. It is primal; it takes us back to our roots. We can’t live without it.
Kind of interesting–could make for long conversations around the fire or campfire. We can’t live without it but left unchecked fire will destroy us and our homes. I guess like people, fire needs to have boundaries.
But in the fireplace, there is nothing better than
smelling it, watching it, warming our bodies up
against it–as close as we dare go with out
burning our toes or tooshes.I had a great weekend curled up with a fabulous
book in front of the fire.How many times have we heard that scenario?
I had the best weekend at the cabin. It was cold
outside, we just relaxed in front of a crackling fire.Kinda like Bob Marley’s tune Three little Birds
Don’t worry about a thing cause every little
thing gonna be alright. . . .Comfort is what we feel from a Crackling
Campfire or fireplace in our home. I hear one
calling me in the next room, as soon as I finish this blog!I have two black standard poodles. I love to sit on the couch with one curled up in my lap and one to my right side, roaring crackling fire in front of us, cold rainy night outside.
Ah, a little bit of heaven!
Bye for now
Rippin’ Lips
Francesca
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CREATING A BREATHTAKING CENTERPIECE IS EASY & FUN!
St. Patrick’s Day, last Saturday night, was a leprechaun reason to entertain the neighbors. I love decorating the table for a party. Sometimes, if I am really well organized I do this a day or two before the event.Creating an enchanting centerpiece
is part of the ambiance for a
successful dinner party.Many people don’t know where to begin. Remember finger painting in kindergarten? Painting the Centerpiece is right up there with the kindergarten experience, in my book! I get so excited, I am thrilled as I write to you about creating your own centerpieces. You too can have fun creating your own centerpieces, it’s easy!
Growing up, my mother did not encourage me to cook with her.
But creating an elegant centerpiece was different!
I can remember how fun it was to go out into my mother’s garden and pick plants to bring in the house and put on the table in an interesting design surrounded by votive candles. If Pat, (Patwelsh.com -my mom) had a specific idea in mind she would pick the flowers and greenery herself, but then let me have full creative license in culminating the project. So last night, with the candle’s lit I snapped some quick photos with my smart phone, smile on my face. I was pleased and happy.
The table has helped set mood for stimulating conversation.
I always have my dining table set with a centerpiece so all that is needed is to add the finishing touches.
In this case I have a gold tablecloth on the table with two runners of gauzy material, one gold and one purple. I intertwine them, then put 3 large candles of different heights on the table. Then I take 5 elk racks that have a candleholder built into each one and place them over the runner.
Years ago my friend and I bought artistic woodland decorations from Michaels (Michaels.com). That then is the backdrop for whatever theme I chose to create.
Many times I pick flowers and greenery from my garden to decorate the table. On this particular occasion, I went to Trader Joes (TraderJoes.com) looking for shamrocks, but they had none. No worries. They had darling small roses, bulbs in colorful pots and pink jasmine.
Great for a St. Paddy’s Spring Display!
The plants were so reasonable just a few dollars and, by the way, Trader Joes has daffodils this week, just 1.50 a bunch – can’t beat it!
HAVE FUN CREATING YOUR OWN CENTERPIECES!
Bye for now
Rippin Lips
Francesca
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THE WISTERIA
I have created a children’s garden on my property. Like anything artistic, when I create a new area in the garden it takes on a life of it’s own. It is fun planning things in one’s mind and then doing the work, or in my view the play.
Bryon in the children’s garden The whole idea started because of a remark my son-in-law, Iban made one time when my daughter, Yvette and their daughter, Anushka were visiting.
Mama, you should put in a swing set for Anushka.
When they went home to Spain, I thought about what Iban had said.
What a great idea!
After researching, I walked around the property to pick out just the right area for the swing set. I looked online and found a very reasonable one with a playhouse, slide, swings and teeter-totter. Wow how great! Meanwhile the area I picked out had a diseased little tree that my gardener, Sergio, cut down for me. I asked him to leave the stump. It will make a perfect base for a little table. I then had 4 stools built around the table, just the right height for small children. The creative ideas continued to flow. Excitedly I mentioned to a friend,
“An arbor would be great! It would shade the children from the sun, and I could grow wisteria on it so it would smell good while the children played happily underneath,making their mud pies and other imaginative games.”
I wanted the Cooke’s Special purple variety. They are Chinese and bloom first, then leaf out after the flowers fall off the vine. The Japanese variety bloom and leaf out at the same time. I ordered them bare root from a local nursery but when they arrived one was Japanese and one was Chinese. My mother is a garden expert and television personality. She has written seven books, her most well known being the “bible” to gardening in southern California: Pat Welsh’s Southern California Gardening: A Month-By-Month Guide. Click here to visit her website!
Fran that will never do! You need to have two Wisteria of the same variety or they will look mismatched.
So I bought two more and put the Japanese ones on the fence and the Chinese Cooke’s Special purple on the arbor for the children’s garden. . . So I thought. When they started blooming last year lo and behold they were miss marked! The Japanese ones are on the arbor in the children’s garden and the Chinese ones are on my property fence. I was disappointed, but my mother, who has an amazing wisteria story in her book All My Eden’s, and has always loved the Chinese variety now loves the Japanese!
They are very vigorous growers, Pat reports.
I did have very good luck with them at other homes. One southwest home my husband and I built had Japanese Wisteria in a Spanish front patio. They were breathtaking in Spring. The smell is delicious too.
Rippin’ Lips
Bye for now,
Francesca
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GALLERY SHOWING ~ COME CHECK OUT MY ARTWORK!
It is an honor to have been selected to be one of 14 artists whose works will be on display in an upcoming show at the Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe California. Please open the attachment to see more information about the show and some previews of the art that will be on display. For additional information about my recent works please visit my website www.francescafilanc.com
MILLENNIUM (48 x 60) Acrylic on canvas What: A Showing of Fine Art – “Artists in Our Midst”
An Evening of Art, Music, Wine & Hors d’Oeuvres
When: Friday March 23rd, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Village Church, 6225 Paseo de Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, California 92067Hope to see you there!
Bye for now,
Rippin’Lips
Francesca
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GLORIA’S PICO DE GALLO AND TOMATILLOS SALSA PARA ESTA GRINGA
Francesca’s Breakfast Gloria is originally from Mexico. After a knee replacement last May, I felt my speedy recovery was due in part to these two delicious condiments. I lost 14 pounds that I have, so far, successfully kept off. One of the changes in my diet is what I eat for breakfast every day. As a morning girl with type O blood, I am typically hungry when I wake up and my body craves protein. In the past I would eat a protein bar or cereal for breakfast before going to the gym. After working out I was ravenous again! I have tested my new breakfast with great success :) I stay full and satisfied all day, many times no stopping for lunch if I am wrapped up in my painting, gardening or playing the guitar. Not that I am saying that is a good idea. If I am busy painting or gardening for instance I might forget to eat lunch.
Fran’s breakfast:
Ingredients
2 egg whites cooked
1 T black beans and quinoa
Generous helping of Gloria’s Pico de Gallo and Tomatillo Salsa
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (Farmer’s Market oranges)
Coffee black or with half and half or teaI love these two condiments on everything from breakfast, fish, meat, soups and stews. My dear friend Loretta posted on my Facebook page: “Hi Francie……Tomatillo is great on everything…”
The Pico de Gallo and Tomatillo salsa last nicely in the refrigerator for a week. If you want them hotter just add more jalapeños (Gloria formulated these recipes “Para esta gringa!”). Heat will vary depending on the individual chilies. They grow in my garden year round.
Gloria’s Pico de Gallo
Ingredients:
6 large tomatoes knife chopped into ½” cubes
1 onion chopped fine (it is ok to use Cuisinart for onion) remove and set aside.
1 large bunch or 2 small bunches cilantro (chop in Cuisinart 10 seconds) along with 1 or 2 jalapeños
Mix all ingredients together
Add salt to tasteGloria’s Tomatillos Salsa
Gloria’s Tomatillo Salsa Ingredients:
Peel the Tomatillos
Bring 18 tomatillos and 2 jalapeños to a boil and simmer for five minutes
Grind in blender with a little cold water plus 1 clove garlic and ½ bunch Cilantro
Add salt to tasteHave fun experimenting with putting them in or on all your food. :)
Bon Appétit
Rippin’ Lips
Bye for now,
Francesca
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EXPANDING VEGETABLES RECIPES
Glad you all stayed tuned for the recipes I talked about in my last post.
Menu:
Vegetable soup
Black beans with quinoa
Collard greens with bragg
Steamed white rice in rice cooker
Sautéed onions with mushrooms and garlic
Baked sweet potatoes with skins on
Chile rellenos using poblano chilies
Rice pudding “Pete” styleThe first recipe below is for the vegetable soup.
Francesca’s Wonderful Winter Vegetable Soup
6 cups water
2 to 4 cups vegetable broth (box variety or I use the powdered Rapunzel brand)
1 rutabaga chopped
2 or 3 beets chopped
1 or ½ squash such as acorn or delicata
2 or 3 large tomatoes diced (I just stopped using canned tomatoes because of a potential health issue in the liner. Read this article for more information: Are Canned Tomatoes Dangerous? The Latest BPA Scare)
1 or 1 ½ white onions chopped
3-5 leeks chopped
1 bunch celery chopped
1-2 cans Cadia organic sweet corn
Several cloves of garlicBe as creative as you wish when you add the spices to this soup. Some of the ones I used were: cumin, Tabasco, a dash of nutmeg, dash of cinnamon, celery salt, & garam masala.
In a large pot put 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil. When hot add chopped garlic. When the garlic is nice and brown add chopped onion. After onion turns translucent, add chopped leeks and chopped celery. After they cook a bit add chopped squash. You might want to remove the other ingredients so the squash can caramelize a bit or add squash before pot is too full. The caramelized squash I find gives a meat-like flavor along with consistency. Adding spices at this time also helps that process. Now you are ready to add water and broth. You want to have enough broth to cover the veggies nicely. Sometimes I’ll put in a bit of white wine. Let all ingredients simmer in pot for 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, brown raw sunflower seeds in a pan on your stove. Set them aside. Grate some Parmesan or asiago into a small bowl.
When this hearty soup is finished you’ll find it is a meal in itself. Add a sprinkling of cheese and sunflower seeds, good hot bread or tortillas and you have a delicious meal.
In the menu from last blog’s post I used corn tortillas to make tacos on the plate with black beans and quinoa, sweet potatoes, salsa and Pico de Gallo — delicious!
Black Beans with Quinoa
½ onion
2 or 3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste and 2 or 3 T cumin or moreThe night before take 2 cups black beans and cover with water in a large pot. In the morning drain and rinse the beans. Pour 4 to 5 cups water over the beans. Bring to a boil and then slow simmer for two or three hours. Meanwhile sauté chopped garlic and onions in a pan. After beans have cooked one hour add quinoa and spices salt, Tabasco, cumin. After another 45 minutes add sautéed ingredients. Serve as a side dish or as the main meal. Delicous over eggs or in an omelet. Sprinkle a few roasted sunflower seeds on top. Equally nice with the sweet potato. Yummy :)
Collard Greens with Bragg
Wash collard greens well and chop into 1-inch pieces. Place 1-2 T olive oil or 1/4-1/2 cup water into skillet, cover, cook for 2-3 minutes until limp. Drain off any excess water. Pour 1-2 T bragg on top of collard greens.
Chile Rellenos using poblano chilies
Roast chilies on the stove till they get black. I like using the poblanos because they are larger and can be filled with so much more cheese. Place them in a brown paper bag for 20 minutes. Then peel them immediately under running water in your sink. Carefully use a knife to cut down one side of the chili and clean out the seeds.
Slice cheese in long triangle shapes. I like using asiago or red cheddar. Most people like using Monterey jack.
Prepare 4 chilies, take 3 eggs and separate the whites. Use a mixer to whip the whites into peaks. Then fold the slightly beaten egg yolks into the whipped egg whites. Place 2-3 T Flour on a plate.
When ready to cook heat 3 T olive oil in a large skillet. While waiting for olive oil to become sizzling hot, lightly flour the cheese-stuffed chilies, then dip them into the completed egg mixture. Place in skillet. Pour any leftover egg mixture into pan on top of chilies. Let them cook till you see brown on edges then turn over to get the other side golden brown. Amazing and delicious. Bon Apetite!
Rice Pudding “Pete” style
½ cup cooked white rice
¼ cup milk
Dash cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
Enjoy :)
Stay tuned for Gloria’s Salsa and Pico de Gallo recipes. Yummy!
Bye for now,
Rippin’Lips
Francesca
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EXPANDING VEGETABLES
A couple of days ago I went to our organic local market, Jimbos, to stock up on vegetables for the week. In my zeal, marketing without a list, and thinking about …oops it’s February already, (what about those New Years Resolutions I kind of made; eating lots of vegetables, losing a few pounds, and getting into better shape.)
(Badly needed for lifting big canvases around the art studio.)
Vegetable Soup I arrived home late; the vegetables had somehow multiplied in the car as I drove home.
My kitchen counter was covered! Exhausted, stuffing them in the refrigerator and thinking what in tarnation am I going to cook that will taste good and that I will enjoy eating for the next decade! I will have to invite an army over to eat or, freeze the food and will that even taste good?
My sister, Wendy Woolf, became a vegetarian a few years ago. She is an amazing cook and always knows the right spice to add here and there to make the food even delectable to “a meat and potatoes person.” Check out Eat Well on Girls Gone Child.
The End Results! The next day I was ready to tackle the veggies…Oh my they had quadrupled in my refrig! I cooked all afternoon and I had a ton of food! I called and texted my sister several times to see if she and her husband could come to dinner. No answer, so asked two other couples who were unavailable and ended up eating the seven course meal on a TV tray while watching Antique Roadshow on KPBS.
Menu:
Vegetable soup
Black beans with quinoa
Collard greens with bragg
Steamed white rice in rice cooker
Sautéed onions with mushrooms and garlic
Baked sweet potatoes with skins on
Chile rellenos using poblano chilies
Rice pudding “Pete” styleStay tuned to next blog post for recipes.
Bye for now,
Rippin’ Lips,
Francesca
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WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO PAINT?
GALAXY © 2012 60 x 48 acrylic on canvas Many things motivate me to paint. I paint because it brings me joy to create attractive works of art. Painting is fun and keeps me balanced. It is a way for me to self-sooth. Many people exercise to center themselves. Painting does that for me.
Painting is a space where I can work out emotional situations and at the same time create something beautiful. I’ve heard it described as “releasing the unconscious by means of spontaneous art expression.” (Dr. Margaret Naumberg.)
Do you remember finger painting in kindergarten? Remember the roll of butcher paper the teacher would bring out and tear off a big piece? Then she would come around and put a dollop of liquid starch on the paper. The colors would be put out and how delicious the feeling to start sliding ones fingers through the paint and starch, mixing colors. I remember making lots of green with yellow and blue. Remember how the colors would end up muddy brown and gray when you would add orange or red? For me it would be so frustrating! But I eventually learned to mix the colors and was inspired in doing so.
Every day when I go out into my studio it takes me back to that magical place and time when I was finger painting in kindergarten.
Here’s to being motivated!
Bye for now,
Francesca
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FLY-FISHING
Fly Fishing with [email protected] (Sierra Drifters Guide Services) I thought it might be a good idea for me to clarify the expression “ Rippin’ Lips”. In fly-fishing it means that you are bringing in lots of
fish! Or, it means that you have a fish on the line or that you are goin’ fly-fishin’. Fly-fishing is one of my passions!
The feeling of having a large rainbow , cut-bow or brown on the end of the line is exhilarating. It’s impossible not to shout “Oh I have a fish!”
In May of last year I had my right knee successfully replaced. By July I was champing at the bit, wanting to get out of town, up into the woods to go fly-fishing.
In the Eastern Sierras is an adorable little one-horse town, Bridgeport. If you have never been there, check it out. It’s a forty-five minute drive north of Mammoth Lakes on Highway 395. Bridgeport is the county seat of Mono County. The town has a huge old courthouse and a museum. I met Susan Sarandon there one year on the 4th of July. The celebration in this little town is awesome. The Bridgeport Inn is over one hundred years old with the best prime rib dinner, an 1890s style bar with a jukebox, and even a ghost in one of the bedrooms.
I went fly-fishing at Hot Springs Creek near the airport for Mammoth Lakes.
Growing up in Del Mar, California we always had a huge Halloween carnival at the fairgrounds. They would always have a ‘Go Fish’ booth. Fly-fishing brings back that childhood excitement that I would feel when a hidden grownup put a toy on the end of my fishing line and gave it a yank!
In recent years I’ve fished the San Juan River in New Mexico. One of our inexperienced members got a fish on her line. I screamed, “Carmi’s got a fish!” In my excitement I pulled up and, lo and behold, had a fish too!
The best fishing spots I can highly recommend are, San Juan River in New Mexico, Meeker, Colorado and Montana in and around Yellowstone Park.
There is nothing like fishing in Yellowstone with patches of snow, steam rising from the hot springs, and a big trout on the end of your line. One year I was fishing in a November blizzard. Every time my line touched the water I got a hook up or a double hook up. The experience is physical and spiritual at the same time. I would equate fly-fishing with a great love affair! You can’t get enough or too much! It is addictive.
Fly-fishing, like painting, is a good drug.
Rippin’ Lips!
Bye for now,
Francesca
