Food & Drink: Oak Knoll School families offer helping hand -- and a recipe Food & Drink: Oak Knoll School families offer helping hand -- and a recipe (December 07, 2005)

Cookbook dedicated to Hurricane Katrina victims

By Jane Knoerle

Almanac Lifestyles Editor

"Tastiest of the Knoll" is a cookbook with a goal. The collection of recipes from families whose children attend Oak Knoll School is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. All proceeds from the new community cookbook will be donated to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.

Oak Knoll parents Suzy Farnworth and Irene Searles, like so many, wanted to do more than dash off a check to the Red Cross. Both are graduates of the California Culinary Academy, so, instead of "Let's put on a show," it was "Let's do a cookbook!"

Their hardcover, spiral-bound "Tastiest of the Knoll" will be available Saturday, December 10, and will be for sale at Draeger's in Menlo Park Saturday and Sunday, December 17 and 18. The cookbook is published by Morris Press Cookbooks and sells for $15.

"We've already pre-sold 450 copies at the school," said Ms. Farnworth. "If we sell all 1,500 copies printed, we should be able to donate $13,000 to $15,000 to the Red Cross.

A page in the cookbook is dedicated to the memory of Oak Knoll fourth-grade teacher Michelle Mazzei, who was killed in a bicycle-car accident October 4.

The cookbook contains 523 recipes in categories from appetizers to desserts. From kids' recipes, such as a root beer float, to elaborate entrees, "We put 'em all in," Ms. Farnworth says.

Contributors entered their recipes online on the cookbook Web site. "That way they could see what had already been contributed. The focus was on food they could prepare for their families" Ms. Farnworth says. Faculty, parents and students all took part.

Ms. Farnworth has twin boys, Scott and Sam, in the first grade; daughter Amy is in fifth grade. Ms. Searles' children are Lauren in first grade and Duncan in fourth.

Once a month Ms. Farnworth teaches cooking classes for the first and fifth grades. When pumpkin was featured in October, the kids flipped pumpkin pancakes.

Corn was November's flavor of the month. Junior cooks prepared corn chowder, cornbread, and biscotti made with cornmeal, lemons and almonds. The kids will make chocolate truffles in December.

Amy Farnworth seems to be following in her mother's footsteps. She wore a chef's outfit for the Oak Knoll Halloween parade, and handed out chocolate chip cookies that she had baked.

The following are recipes from "Tastiest of the Knoll."
Stacey's White Chili

The Joss family Note: We bring this to the first night's dinner of a camping trip and heat it on the camp stove. Serve with cornbread. 2 14-oz. cans garbanzo beans 2 14-oz. cans small white beans 1/2 cup olive oil 1 lb. ground chicken 2 whole chicken breasts, poached and shredded with a fork 1-1/2 cups minced onions 6 cloves minced garlic 3 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers 4 tablespoons flour 6 cups chicken broth 1 cup pearl barley Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 cup chopped cilantro Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chopped scallions and chopped tomatoes to garnish

Heat olive oil and saute ground chicken until it loses its color. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno and saute for 4 or 5 minutes. Add flour and cumin and stir for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, beans and barley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Add shredded chicken meat, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each bowl with cheese, tomatoes, and scallions. Serves 8.
Pork Loin With Plum Sauce

Alison Johnston Note: This is a big hit with the kids, as the sauce is sweet. Served with wild rice and French green beans, however, it is the most elegant company dinner. 1 cup chopped onion 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup plum preserves 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup water 1/3 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 pork tenderloin

Saute onion in butter in saucepan until tender. Add preserves, brown sugar, water, soy sauce and lemon juice. Mix well. Cook for 15 minutes until bubbling. Bake tenderloin at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a thermometer stuck in the middle of the tenderloin reaches 160 degrees. Serve with warm sauce.

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