Valentine's Day has come and gone. That's such a nice day. I hope it was enjoyed by many - especially the chocolate lovers.

This must be the year that wild geese and I are meant to be in the same place at the same time. A couple of columns ago I told you about the black geese from Canada that were on the lake in front of Holland Drive. Well last week I was going downtown and I turned off Lake Avenue onto Osborne Street. There were four or five cars stopped ahead of me and I could see cars stopped that had been coming from Osborne Street from the other direction. I leaned over so I could see better what was holding us up and just about in front of the tavern on Osborne Street there were many geese walking toward the outlet and being directed by a young man who kept waving them on and pointing where they should go.

Some would turn around and run back to the other side and he would go and direct them toward the outlet again. We probably sat there five or six minutes. I hope everyone enjoyed watching them as much as I did. It was so funny to see and it was certainly nice of that man to stand there directing them and stopping them when so many would have been killed by the traffic. When he got them all across the street he turned, and, with a smile, waved us on.

Well, I finally got to go see a play with live people. We went on Sunday to see “All My Sons,” which was presented by the Auburn Players Community Theater, at the Irene Bisgrove Theater at Cayuga Community College. It was so well done. Try to see it if you can. It will be on again Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

Another great thing that weekend is the garage sale from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Salvation Army headquarters, 18 Genesee St., Auburn. The proceeds will be used to spay and neuter stray and feral cats. I am so happy when people do things to help poor animals and people who need help. I was raised to be aware of such a serious thing. For more information about the sale, call Rita Sarnicola at 255-1405. I'm going to start gathering things to contribute.

I read an article in a magazine once that said there is a city that built a place for feral cats to live in and be fed. The land is next to a hotel and it's fenced in. The article said that guests who stay at the inn go over and play with them and that it's very common for people to adopt some. Whoever put that plan together should be honored for doing it.

Another winter month is almost done so we are a little closer to spring. Hooray! Hooray! Should I mention how cold it's been? I don't think I will. Enjoy this season as much as possible.

My ethnic recipe this week is Pakistani Pot Roast Beef Fillets. It was one of the dinners offered at Chefs Night at Sacred Heart and was well-received. It was cooked by Rich Knaul.

My other recipe is for Sausage and Noodle Casserole.

Today's blooper

My blooper today is another turkey one.

It was the first time this lady was roasting a turkey in her home. She had to work the night before and didn't get home until midnight so she got up at 5 a.m. to prepare it for roasting. She got everything ready and went to put it in the oven, but to her dismay, the turkey was too big to fit in the oven. She must have had an apartment-size and a humongous turkey. She ran and called one of her relatives and woke her up to come get the turkey to cook since they were expecting her to fix it for dinner. Wouldn't you love to get a phone call at 5 a.m. for such a reason? And who would think to make sure to buy the right size turkey?

Diana Sobus specializes in making ethic dishes.

Pakistani Pot Roast Beef Fillets

Makes 8 servings

1 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, crushed

1/2 teaspoon black cumin, ground

1/2 teaspoon clove, ground

1/2 teaspoon turmeric, ground

2 teaspoons salt

2 pounds round steak, cut into pieces

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

4 fresh green chives for garnish

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, ginger garlic paste, pepper flakes, onion, cloves, turmeric and salt.

Mix in beef until evenly coated. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium high heat.

Fry onion until golden brown.

Remove 1 tablespoon onion and set aside for garnish.

Reduce heat to low.

Place meat in skillet, cover and cook until tender, about 35 minutes. Check every 10 minutes and add water in necessary.

Pour in lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro, green chiles and fried onion.

May be served with rice and naan, Indian bread.

Sausage and Noodle Casserole.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

3/4 pound bulk pork sausage

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups egg noodles, cooked and drained

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup light molasses

1/3 cut catsup

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter an 8-inch square oven-safe glass baking dish.

Cook carrots in large sauce pan of boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes, and then drain.

Cook sausage in medium skillet over medium heat until no pink remains, stirring to crumble, about 10 minutes.

Add onion, cook until translucent, about five minutes. Pour off fat from skillet.

Combine carrots and onions in baking dish and top with cooled sausage mixture. Combine noodles, water, light molasses, catsup and Worcestershire sauce in bowl and pour over sausage. Bake until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.