Mission Statement

Cooking with Class - Recipes for Life was conceived with the participation of all Park High Class of '77 classmates* in mind.  Its purpose is to compile in faux yearbook format "original" family recipes, short stories, photographs, poetry, and quotable quotes into a comprehensive "feel good" coffee table/recipe book for national and international publication with franchising of the "Cooking with Class" concept at a later date as a stated goal.

The premise of our book is that we, who came of age in 1977, are separately and together quite unique, even without realizing it; for we are, to put a name to it: "The Bridge Generation."  We have a rareness of insight and sensibility that very few other generations can claim.  We use computers, we play video games, we listen to iPods, we text and call on our cell phones, and yet, we can remember with total color and clarity a simpler less complicated time; in many ways, a far better time.  We understand the world around us for all of its glories and its pitfalls; we praise and fear them equally for we have the wisdom of age.  Yet, we are still filled with the often blind and ignorant hope of youth, to achieve, to change, to make better...

This book is a connection to our past - our beginnings - our family dinners around the table, our playing in the street, our drinking from the tap, our mowing the neighbor's lawn; but it is also very much a mirror image of who and what we have become – our present – managing an ever-faster-paced life, individual microwave dinners, bottled water and landscapers for hire.

This book is a clarion call to the generations that follow us to listen and learn from us.  To examine our mistakes, to emulate our triumphs, to pay heed to our observations and to strive to become better human beings; for the youth of today is our world's future and we are rapidly becoming its past.  These "recipes for life" are our legacy to them.  We owe them our best effort to get it right.  As the Park High Class of '77 that is our mission, our task, and our responsibility.





*To include any person or family member chosen by our deceased classmates' families with only one person or family member per classmate.  In effect a "de facto classmate" with privileges, and responsibilities identical to actual classmates.  The decision of to whom funds are to be paid shall be designated by the deceased classmate's family at the time of the "de facto classmate's" selection by the family.

Details

Goals	How to Participate	Ways to Participate
Seen through the eyes of a rational middle-aged adult many of these items may seem to be unrealistically lofty or even quite unattainable. Of that there is no argument. However, an equally indisputable argument can be made that with every deliberate success throughout history, that they too, appeared impossible or improbable when the path to success was first set upon. So, with that in mind, these are the goals of this project*: To make the New York Times Bestseller List. To be selected by Oprah’s Book Club. To be, as a class, featured guests on the Oprah Winfrey Show and to be, as a class and/or independently, on other television/radio/news/internet shows for the promotion of the book as determined and/or required. To have excerpts of the book read by Garrison Keillor on a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion. To donate 10% of the net profit to a non-classmate-affiliated charity or charities as decided by the majority of the participating classmates. To improve humanity by imparting our collective insight, advice, and humor to future generations as drawn from our own separate life experiences, observations, successes, and failures. To leave a tangible legacy for our children and our children's children through the value of the book's content and the monetary benefits (royalties) into perpetuity. To establish the Park High Class of '77 Scholarship Fund. To establish a Park High Class of '77 Retirement Fund. To fund all future class reunions. To make additional income. To franchise the "Cooking with Class" moniker and concept to other classes. To produce a 30-minute "Cooking with Class" infomercial/cooking show to promote a surge in original and franchise book sales. To promote, at the correct time (@ two to five years after last "franchised" book release), the "Cooking with Class" series on PBS pledge drives. To simply make a difference and have fun in the process! *Where monies are involved and not yet specified, percentages assigned to follow at a later date as the project progresses.	Email Stacy Clark with a short message that you want to contribute to Cooking with Class. Or, sign the guestbook with a short message that you want to contribute to Cooking with Class. Either way you do it, please provide your personal email address - NOT your WORK email address! Stacy will send you an invitation to join the project at Projjex.com. Projjex is a project management site being used to keep track of all the recipes and stories and all the to-do items to accomplish on the way to being published. Sign up, learn your way around the project site (easy), and contribute your recipe/story.	Contribute family recipes along with stories that amuse or inform, but have something worthwhile to impart. Help find a publisher. Help keep the project site organized and up-to-date. Ghost write with classmates who have something to tell but don't feel they could write it well enough themselves. Contribute seed money. Contribute art work. Tell Oprah! Get your people with her people!

Buzz from the Guestbook

Displaying page 1, messages 21 - 30. Displaying newest entries first.

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Time	From / Message
4/3/2010 05:23pm	Stacy - Class Project Mark, check your email for project update. Everyone else who is a "confirmed author" please check your personal email as well (the one you provided me with). If it's not there check your junk folder as I did a group mailing. Sent 4/3. Thanks, Stacy
1/8/2010 03:20pm	Stacy - Class Project FINAL NOTICE: Cooking with Class Needs Your Information... January 8, 2010 NOTE: If you have already sent in your email address, mailing address, phone number, and maiden name (if applicable) you may disregard the message below. Please however, gently nudge any of your Classmates whom you suspect may still need to send in their infomation. Thank you. Dear Classmates, FINAL NOTICE: To remain in the Cooking with Class book project you have until this Sunday, January 11, 2010 at 11:59 pm to send in your email address, mailing address, phone number, and maiden name (if applicable). This information is needed for the reasons stated in numerous previous posts and emails. As this is a mass-mailing to all classmates DO NOT REPLY DIRECTLY TO THIS MESSAGE or your privacy will be compromised. Please send the required information either via the CookingwithClass Facebook page’s “Send a Message” link under the CwC cover picture/logo or by emailing cookingwithclass@lycos.com. Classmates who do not send the required information by the above date and time will be removed permanently from the project. This is your FINAL NOTICE. Sincerely, Stacy Clark
10/30/2009 10:21am	Stacy Clark - Class Project Hello All, The class project seems to be moving forward on Facebook. For those that read this who do not yet belong please join Facebook and search "CookingwithClass Park High" (note the spacing). I will add you as a Friend and everything you'll need to know is under the NOTES on the Wall page. For those who already submitted recipes and stories from our first attempt at getting this going I have your stuff and no need to resubmit. Do join Facebook however and Friend the project. Stacy
3/30/2009 05:50pm	Stacy Clark - Class Project Folks, The book is not dead just sleeping. I'm out of town right now but when I come back in about 1.5 months I will be sending out a letter with more information... Stacy
3/4/2009 09:31pm	Stacy - Class Project Kathi, Sorry it took me some time to answer. In addition to the site going sideways I lost my internet for a week while my provider figured out what was wrong. Anyway, here's your answers :-) "Chile de Arbol - Before I use it in your Chili w/meat and pinto beans recipe do I just pull off the stems and toss the pods in the pan? I assume I can leave them in the recipe and I don't have to pull them at some point, like bay leaves :), correct?" Yes "There is a collection of seeds at the bottom of the bag...ignore or use?" Use them on your pizza or spagetti... "Pinchitos Morunos - Haven't made them yet. The butcher at Cub says Pork butt is the meat that shreds and to use pork tenderloin for kabobs. I double checked your recipe and it specifically states to not use tenderloin. I planned on going to Greg's meats to get a second opinion and haven't gotten around to it. So, what is your second opinion?" Use pork butt or "pork for stew" (the pre-cubed stuff). Cooking time is nowhere near enough for the meat to start shredding. One of the reasons pork butt shreds is because of the fat content in it (like marbling in a beef steak), that is also (the fat) the reason you use it for pinchitos. It adds flavor and moisture. The key is, high heat - short cooking time. Tenderloin cooked this way would be tough and dry. Stacy
1/26/2009 10:23pm	Stacy - Class Project Denise, :-) Stacy
1/25/2009 07:24pm	Stacy Clark - Class Project Dear Classmates, I ask that you please start submitting your recipes, stories, poems, pics, etc. to the Cooking with Class project. Otherwise we can pretty much call it a dead animal and drop it. I don't want that to happen but that's not my choice...that's yours. If writing a story is putting you off, well then don't write a story. If you're no good at poetry, well, than don't write a poem. But, I'm positive that there is at least something everyone can contribute as a recipe. If for nothing more than selfish reasons, i.e.: to store your family recipes somewhere so they are not lost to time. I'm not pissed off mind you, nor am I surprised. I am however, somewhat disappointed. Many have jumped on the bandwagon singing "Count me in!" But only a handful have stepped-up and produced so far. My original date to get to the publisher was March 31, 2009. Some have said that was unrealistic. Well, it obviously was. But consider this...How many years does it take someone to write a recipe, a short story, a poem?
1/17/2009 01:40am	Stacy Clark - Class Project Kathi, As far as spices, they say get rid of 'em generally after six months but I always use until they're gone (sometimes that's a couple years). What happens is the microscpoic oils in the powder dry out (that's when they cake together). But I've never had any trouble. Maybe use a pinch more. You won't die... Yep, black peppercorn is just ground black pepper out of a grinder or smashed with the side of your chef knife. If all you have is normal ground pepper, use it. Same with the salt (although I'd maybe use about 3/4 tsp normal salt - Sea salt's less intense). Never, ever, ever use cooking wine of any kind. Horrible stuff! YOU WILL DIE!!! Only use what you would drink. I forget if you can buy wine at the grocery store in MN. Here in CA we can get it all (including hard liquor) at the grocery store. If not, yes, buy from a liquor store. I get Fairbanks here which used to be Gallo. Just ask them for an inexpensive dry to medium-dry Sherry. You don't want Cream Sherry which is sweet, i.e.: Harvey's Bristol Cream. A white wine will work in a pinch too. I might add just a dash of vinegar in the mix to add a bite to the white. Pork butt is your everyday pork roast (not pork tenderloin). Really, it's easier (and generally less expensive) to just use the pre-cubed stuff. Here in CA it's normally labeled "Pork for Stew." No difference in wooden or metal skewers. If you have metal ones use 'em. Reheated they dry out. A better way would be to make a few at a time and let the rest marinate in the fridge. You can also cook them on a very hot griddle. Normally, if I'm using a griddle I will put a brick covered in foil on them and cook no more than 2 minutes per side. Cooking is all about adapting with what you have (or don't have). Generally, I fall under the "don't have" category and adapt. Good Luck, Stacy
1/16/2009 11:26pm	Stacy Clark - Class Project Okay Kathi, here's your next one: Pinchitos Morunos (Moorish Kebabs) Pinchitos, or “pinchos” as they are commonly called in Andalusia, are a popular tapa (ala carte snack) throughout Spain. There are very simple to make. This is an Americanized version using off the shelf ingredients and an oven instead of a traditional flat grill for cooking. Ingredients: - 1 to 1 ½ lbs pork butt cubed into approximately 1” x 1” x ½” thick pieces (you may also use the precut “pork for stew” and cube as necessary. The ½” thickness is the important measurement here). - 1 tsp paprika - 1 tsp dry thyme - 1 tsp cumin powder - 1 tsp sea salt - ½ tsp cracked black pepper - ½ tsp dried chili seeds/flakes (i.e.: the stuff you get in the packet from Pizza Hut) - ½ cup dry Sherry (not Cream Sherry) - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Equipment: - Approximately 12 wooden skewers (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes) - 1 mixing bowl to hold all ingredients - 1 cookie sheet with slight edge (to stop liquid runoff) Preparation: - Preheat oven to 425 degrees (reduced to 400 after turning) - Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for at least three hours stirring occasionally (best if left overnight, stirring occasionally) - After marinating, place cubes on wooden skewers lengthwise through the ½” thick part. (A picture being a thousand words if you were looking at the skewered meat from the side you want them to look like this: “-------“, not like this: “///////”) - Lay the Pinchitos flat on the cookie sheet side by side - Place in oven for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to 400, turn over Pinchitos and bake for about another 5 minutes. They should appear moist and not dried out. - Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. - Serve with thick cut fries, i.e.: American Fries (preferably fried in olive oil) and a crusty piece of French bread or baguette. Spoon reserve liquid from cookie sheet over Pinchitos when serving (that’s what the bread is for, to sop up afterwards) Suerte
1/13/2009 00:29am	Stacy Clark - Class Project Sean has just put up our first feature on the Class Project pages. It was written by Bruce Allen and is about Mr. Sirr.
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Featured Recipe and Story

Mr. Sirr (Bob) was an English teacher at Park Senior High School; later he taught at Woodbury Jr. High as well. He taught English of course, but he also ran a group home for adolescent boys in Cottage Grove. The group home opened in 1972 and took in adolescents until about 1977 or so. It was on the corner of 80^th St. and Hemingway Ave. right across the street from the Police Station (how appropriate).

Bob extended his hands in aid to many and I was one of them for almost 3 years. The group home's name was "The Island", taken from John Donne’s poem:

Bob would sit and talk many hours a week with each of us individually about how we were feeling and what was going on. He would constantly be seeking new ways to bring order and structure to our lives and never seemed to tire.

In 1974 he loaded up his 1973 Chevy station wagon with a bunch of us and took us for a 2-week trip to the West coast. Each of us got to bring a friend, I asked Dano Buckley, he gladly accepted. During one of the many hiking experiences I became trapped in a box canyon in Arizona, Dano came to my rescue and helped me to get out (my hero). We toured many National Parks and camped every night. It was a wonderful experience for all of us, which I will always remember.

Bob taught me the meaning of respect, care, and that adults really can and do care about children, as I came from a home where it was almost non-existent. If it had not been for Mr. Sirr, many boys would have taken the wrong road early in life. For me, he was the saving factor. Sure, I still did what almost every teenager was doing at that time, but I learned that there was a choice in the way to live one’s life.

Bob taught me how to drive, cook, wash and iron clothes, as well as how to clean a house. I left The Island in April of 1976 and I still see and talk to him often. He lives in a house he built himself in 1979 near Park High School with his wife Polly. They were married on June, 5^th 1976. I consider Bob & Polly to be my parents and love them dearly.

Thank you Bob & Polly.