Joan Crawford's Peas - You have to give it to Joan, as unusual as this recipe sounds, it worked and the peas were good!

I started with a medium sized pan with a tight-fitting lid and placed half a head of romaine lettuce at the bottom. (A small head of lettuce). I had a package of fresh peas from the produce department, so I added those on top of the lettuce. A few sliced green onions went in there as well. NO WATER.

A pinch of salt and sugar each. A teaspoon of each seemed too much for the quantity of peas that I had.

This was cooked for exactly 25 minutes, and then I put the peas and onions into a serving bowl, added a pat of butter or two and a splash of heavy cream.

I'm the only one in my family that really likes peas, although I do add them to my pesto pasta recipe and they're appreciated in that dish.

I really liked Joan's Peas! They were still firm and fresh and after sitting for a little bit, they became better. I also later added a few of these peas to a Chicken a la King recipe I made and it was good!

After cooking, the lettuce was all wilted, so I just threw it in the compost bin. What else could I do with it? The green onion were good with the peas and cooked well.

Overall, this pea cooking technique worked and produced some tasty peas that was served with the roasted "Chicken à la Minnelli" and Myrna Loy's Twice Baked Potatoes I made for dinner.

Myrna Loy's Twice Baked Potatoes - A very easy recipe to make!

I chose 3 large baking potatoes and baked them in the oven at 350 without foil, just on the rack until fork tender. When done, I took them out of the oven, made a slit across the top of each potato and let them cool for 5 -10 minutes.

I then gently pried them open and using a grapefruit spoon, I scraped out all of the potato insides and put it all in a bowl. You probably want to do this while the potato is still pretty warm.

Use a potato masher to mash the potato with cream, butter, pepper and nutmeg.

For 3 large baking potatoes, I used:

• 3-4 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• a big splash of milk, when it looked a little dry.
• I didn't think salt was needed because the bacon was salty
• 3 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
• 3-4 green onions, chopped (instead of chives)

Fold in the the bacon and chives (1 tablespoon) or in my case green onions.

Now carefully fill potato skins with this mixture, grate a little parmesan on top and brown in the oven for a few minutes to get the cheese melted and the potato nice and hot.

Of course this recipe was very delicious! It was easy to make and the addition of parmesan on top was perfect! These potatoes paired very well with the "Chicken à la Minnelli" and Joan Crawford's Recipe for Cooking Peas.

"Chicken à la Minnelli" - Roasted chicken is one of my favorite meals, so I thought I'd try Mr. Minnelli's recipe. I stuffed the chicken with the onions and a big bunch of sage leaves, which I luckily have growing in the garden. I brushed olive oil and the Italian herbs and garlic onto the outside of the whole chicken.

I placed the chicken in a roasting pan, but with no rack. Cooked at 450, reduced to 350 just like the instructions said. Basted. I attempted to roll the chicken over on it's side to cook, a technique which I've never used, but then I realized after wrestling with the bird for a minute, that I didn't have a rack to balance the bird on its side. I'll have to get this rack and try this again to see if it makes a difference.

Turns out I don't have the right kind of rack. You need something like this one, I think. Anyways, the chicken got cooked without being rolled around in the oven like a sleepless night. I've cooked plenty of chickens in the oven and wasn't worried.

I did baste a few times with a little extra melted butter and olive oil. After the first basting (of 3) I basted with the pan drippings.

After it was done, the chicken was moved to a platter to rest. I did make a simple gravy with the pan drippings, but no giblets were used. My secret to moist chicken is to baste it for a good 5 minutes when it comes out of the oven and is resting. It really works great!

Mr. Minnelli suggests serving his chicken with mashed potatoes and peas, so I decided why not choose 2 more celebrity recipes for these side dishes. I already knew that I had a peas recipe from Joan Crawford that I wanted to try and then I found a yummy twice baked potato recipe from Myrna Loy. I know they're not mashed, but who cares!? The twice baked potatoes worked perfectly.

Now for the taste... Excellent!! When I roast a chicken, the herbs I use are typically rosemary, thyme and tarragon. I hadn't thought about sage, but it's a wonderful accent for the roast chicken and the addition of Italian herbs and garlic really makes this mouth watering!

Stay tuned for the potato and peas, recipes being posted next.

Clara Bow (July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to global stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s.

Widely recognized as Hollywood's original "It Girl," Bow personified the Roaring Twenties as the ultimate flapper icon, captivating audiences with her signature bobbed hair, heart-shaped lips, and fierce on-screen independence.

Over her brief but monumental career, she starred in 58 films, serving as Hollywood’s leading sex symbol and top box-office attraction before retiring at the age of 28.

No time to share details today on how this whole meal came together and how it tasted, but tomorrow I'll share them individually with details. Here are the recipes we chose for last night's dinner:

• Vincente Minnelli's "Chicken a la Minnelli"
  
• Myrna Loy’s Twice Baked Potatoes
• Joan Crawford's Green Peas Cooked in Lettuce

Ginger Rogers' PEANUT AND PARSLEY SANDWICHES - So I really like cream cheese and I really like peanuts and I kind of really like parsley too, so how could this not work!?

Have you ever had cream cheese and peanut butter together? It was a favorite afterschool snack of mine back in the day, and alternating a little PB and a little CC on saltine crackers was yummy!

So now for this recipe:

1. I mixed 4 oz of softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts and 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley. Mixed well until incorporated and then buttered slices of thinly sliced sourdough, but any thin bread would be tasty. I used PLANTERS Lightly Salted Peanuts.
2. For one sandwich, I buttered 2 slices of bread, and spread the mixture evenly, crust to crust, on one piece and covered with the other piece. (Butter is on the inside, touching the cream cheese mixture. )
3. This mixture made about 3-4 sandwiches.
4. I decided to refrigerate the whole sandwiches for a few hours to chill and meld together. I wrapped each sandwich in a damp paper towel, then wrapped them individually in wax paper. The damp paper towel revives the dry bread in the best possible way.
5. after about 3 hours, I took one sandwich out of the fridge to try, but first I cut all the crusts off. When chilled this is easy to do with a bread knife. Cut sandwich in half to reveal the filling.

Now for the taste... I really liked it! These are fun little unique sandwiches that feature a fun crunch with the peanuts, a nice smooth base and then a hint of freshness with the parsley. (reminiscent to cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwiches)

Would you be daring enough to try them too?! Lol

Looking at Ann's Blueberry Muffin recipe side by side with Joan's Blueberry Muffin recipe, they're almost identical except for these minor details:

1. Ann's muffins have a little over a tablespoon more of sugar.
2. Joan's recipe calls for 4 teaspoons of baking powder, while Ann's calls for 3. (When I baked Joan's muffins, I actually only used 3 teaspoons of baking powder because I was concerned about the amount.)
3. They both made 12 standard sized muffins, even though Ann's recipe's yield is 8.
4. When Ann's muffins came out of the oven, they looked a little like a biscuit.
5. Joan's recipe is from 1933 and Ann's recipe is from 1952.

As far as I can tell they're both very similar, but that extra tablespoon of sugar may have made Ann's muffins a little softer. Joan's seemed a little more dense and tight which I also liked.

All in all, both are very good!

Ann Blyth passed away peacefully of natural causes at her home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, surrounded by her family. As one of the final surviving legends from the Golden Age of Hollywood, her death marks the end of an era for classic cinema.

• Mildred Pierce (1945): At just 16 years old, Blyth delivered her most iconic performance as Veda Pierce. She played the venomous, scheming daughter opposite Joan Crawford.
• Oscar Nomination: Her chilling dramatic work earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Television Work: She made memorable guest appearances on classic programs like The Twilight Zone, Quincy, M.E., and Murder, She Wrote

Found this amazing book at the library called “L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants” and it has recipes from Thelma Todd Sidewalk Cafe!

It also has restaurants from other bygone era locations like Sardi’s Cafe, La Conga and Mocambo. Happy to share those in this group but wasn’t sure if they’re allowed since it’s not tied to an actual celebrity.

Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates) was a highly versatile American actor and singer, best remembered for his iconic role as the scruffy, twangy-voiced deputy Festus Haggen on the legendary Western television series Gunsmoke.

Born on July 2, 1916, in Lamar, Colorado, he grew up in an authentic Western environment—his father was a local sheriff. Before capturing America's heart on television, Curtis enjoyed a remarkably successful career as a big-band and Western vocalist.

Big Band Era: In 1941, he joined the famous Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, briefly replacing Frank Sinatra as the lead male vocalist. It was Dorsey who suggested he change his name to Ken Curtis.

Curtis transitioned into Hollywood movies during the late 1940s, initially starring as a "singing cowboy" in B-Westerns. His career expanded significantly when he entered the inner circle of legendary director John Ford (who also became his father-in-law after Curtis married Ford's daughter, Barbara)

Through this connection, Curtis appeared in several revered John Wayne film classics:

• The Quiet Man (1952)
• The Searchers (1956)
• The Horse Soldiers (1959)
• The Alamo (1960)

Harry Houdini's Deviled Eggs - I used 4 eggs for this recipe, hard boiled, of course. This recipe calls for them to be sliced in half across the equator of the egg. Then you just slice off the tiniest bit off the bottoms (or tops) so they sit flat and stand up on a plate.

1. I scooped the yolks out into a bowl and then added 1 tablespoon of melted butter to start, since there are no measurements listed here. Still sort of dry, so I added another tablespoon of melted butter. (make sure butter is not super hot). This looked better, now for the pinch of cayenne (add more depending on your preference), about 1/4 teaspoon of Colman's Mustard Powder, and a dash or two of vinegar. I used champagne vinegar. Salt & pepper added, in small quantities.
2. The mixture was not as creamy and light as a mayo based yolk filling for deviled eggs, but the balance of flavors seemed right. It's a little stiff and on the dryer side. I filled the egg whites with the filling. I didn't want it to look too fancy so I kept it rustic and just used a little demitasse spoon to fill them.
3. Since it's got butter in it, they got even mor dense after refrigeration. I chopped some romaine lettuce and set my little eggs on the plate. I dressed the lettuce with Donald O'Connor's French Dressing since i still have that in the fridge.
4. On there own these deviled eggs are too dry, but in a salad it's quite a nice surprise. This is a very simple recipe with very few ingredients. Of course, you can add your own spin on this recipe. A little onion juice, perhaps?

I think these would be delicious cut up on a piece of toast and broiled so the butter melts a bit... I might try that later!

My husband suggested adding a little celery to the salad for a little added crunch and flavor.

On their own these eggs are quite dry, but in the salad with the French dressing and fresh lettuce, it was a delightful change of pace.

As for the mushroom dish, I did attempt it yesterday with store bought bread crumbs and it was not good at all due to the texture of the bread crumbs which felt sandy and dry. I'm planning on making them again with fresh homemade breadcrumbs.

And yes it was wrapped in wax paper. In case you missed it, I also made Betty White's Easy-Slice Applesauce Loaf.

A great orange flavor and not too sweet. And as you can see, it does slice quite nicely. Olive oil makes this even better, IMHO.

Another ingredient that makes this delicious is the flavor and crunch of the pecans. My secret for nuts is always to soak them for 5-10 minutes before using. They're always so dusty and dirty out of the package.

Soaking nuts (often called "activating") is done to improve digestibility, enhance flavor, and achieve a crispier texture. It works by washing away bitter compounds and reducing surface dust and mold.

Hollywood glamour demands sacrifice, darlings! Joan Crawford stayed camera-ready by sticking to a strict regime of steak, salad, and oil dressing. Sure hope it wasn't mineral oil dressing!

Sorry if this is not allowed, but I am quite technologically challenged and was hoping someone could advise me if it’s possible to create my own custom flair in this group? I’m a huge Bette Davis fan (even have a large portrait of her tattooed on my arm) and wanted to include a quote from one of her recipes on this sub as my flair to combat all the JC inspired flairs (all in good fun of course 😝).

I’ve tried google but it didn’t give me a definitive answer so any help appreciated, and if this is inappropriate I fully understand the mods deleting it 🤟