September 25
Barbara Jill Walters' Birthday
 

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One of the the best descriptions of Barbara Walter was written by Dennis Abram in Barbara Walters: Television Host and Producer. when he stated "...Barbara Walters has broken barriers for women journalists everywhere. As the first female cohost of the Today show and the first coanchor of a nightly news show, she has helped to reshape not only the role of women in television news but also the perception of women in society at large.

Barbara's professional career began in 1961 when NBC network hired her as a researcher and writer for the Today show. When she lobbied for a breakthrough assignment to travel with First Lady Jackie Kennedy on a trip to India , she was given the gig which earned her significant kudos among the network brass and her colleagues.  By 1964, Barbara was technically  promoted to  a co-host the Today show. and became known as the  "Today girl." But NBC wouldn't  allow her to ask a hard-news question of guests until the fourth question — because she was a woman, She remained with NBC for eleven years honing her trademark interviewing style.

Barbara then made her controversial move in 1976 to ABC as the first female co-anchor of a network evening news . Her co-anchor was Harry Reasoner who hated Barbara from the git gort because of her unprecedented $1 million annual salary when Harry was only make half the amount In the June 2008 Vanity Fair , Barbara stated “The blood was so bad between us…that Harry’s cronies on the crew took to using a stopwatch to note my airtime. If I did a segment that ran three minutes and 25 seconds, Harry would demand that he do a piece three minutes and 25 seconds long. Harry’s hostility soon began to show on the air. I remember reaching toward him at the end of one broadcast, in a friendly manner, just to touch him on the arm. He recoiled, physically recoiled, in front of millions of people."

Barbara's popularity skyrocketed when she joined the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 in 1979. A record 74 million viewers watched her March 3, 1999  interview with Monica Lewinski .When  Barbara Asked Monica  "What will you tell your children about this matter? , Monica replied, "I guess Mommy made some mistakes," To which Barbara memorably  commented "And that is the understatement of the year."

In 1997 Barbara launched the The View with ABC's  Bill Geddie, who both  serve as the show's executive producers . The View has  has remained the classic TV talkfest with innumerable  headline-making battles, controversies, and fascinating discussions.

In 1996, Barbara was ranked  Number 34 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. One would need an abacus to count all of Barbara's awards and award nominations. However, Barbara's mother Dana should also have received an award for creating the perfect dish to celebrate Barbara's birthday, namely her Stuffed Cabbage Roll.
 

  

Barbara Walters' Mother's Stuffed Cabbage Roll

 
Ingredients
 
3 lb lean ground chuck
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp celery salt
1/2 cup catsup
2 eggs
 		 1/2 cup crushed unsalted crackers
2 heads (2 lb. size) green cabbage
6 qts boiling water
3 cups chopped onion
2 bottles (12 oz size) chili sauce (2 cups)
1 jar (12 oz) grape jelly (1 cup)
 
 
Instructions
 		  
  1. In large bowl, combine chuck, salt, pepper, celery salt, catsup, eggs and crushed crackers. Mix with hands just until mixture is well combined.
  2. Cut out and discard hard center core of cabbage. Place cabbage in large kettle. Pour boiling water over it; let stand until leaves are flexible and can be removed easily from the head, about 5 minutes. (If necessary, return cabbage to hot water to soften inner leaves.)
  3. Preheat oven to 375 º F
  4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop up a scant 1/4 cup meat mixture. With hands, form into rolls, 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, making about 28 rolls in all.
  5. Place each meat roll on a drained cabbage leaf; fold top of leaf over meat, then fold sides and roll up into an oblong. Continue rolling remaining meat rolls and cabbage leaves.
  6. In bottom of lightly greased 12 x 11 1/2 x 2 1/4 inch roasting pan, spread chopped onion evenly. Arrange cabbage rolls in neat rows on top of onion.
  7. In 2 quart saucepan, combine chili sauce and grape jelly with 1/4 cup water; heat over medium heat, stirring to melt jelly. Pour over cabbage rolls.
  8. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake 2 hours. Remove foil; brush rolls with sauce; bake, uncovered, 40 minutes longer or until sauce is thick and syrupy and cabbage rolls are glazed. Serve with sauce spooned over rolls.
Makes 28 cabbage rolls

© 2012 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes