Recipes from family and friends in Hospice cookbook

Corinne Speckert - Santa Cruz Sentinel Correspondent

Article Launched: 08/13/2008 12:00:00 AM PDT



The fundraising group, Friends of Hospice, put a spin on their usual efforts by introducing a cookbook, "Cooking With Friends of Hospice," providing family cooking and unique recipes, showing friends and family how to eat and live well.

Friends of Hospice started off as a group of 10 women in 1984 and has exploded with around 100 volunteers today, helping to contribute around $125,000 dollars annually to the Hospice of Santa Cruz County.

This year to celebrate Hospice's 30th anniversary, Friends introduced a cookbook comprised of recipes donated by more than 200 people in the community, ranging from volunteers, families of former hospice patients and Bittersweet Bistro chefs, to children in Hospice's grief programs.

"We get a lot of community support, which is wonderful because there are so many groups out there trying to raise money. We started off saying we need 300 recipes and then we had over 400," Friends of Hospice and cookbook committee member, Libby Alexander, said.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County doesn't only help people with a life threatening illness feel more comfortable but offers several programs to help people with family or friends in hospice through the grieving process. Among the support programs Friends of Hospice helps fund are Healthy Understanding of Grief HUG, a support group for children; the transitions program, for people with a life-limiting illness; and provides grief counseling in schools.

"Hospice is trying to get out in the community and educate and prepare people to get their lives together ahead of time. The work they do isn't just for the dying, it's for the living, too, through grief support programs," Alexander said. "Dying is something everyone can relate to. If they have had it in their family or not. It's something that touches everyone."

Libby, who became involved with Friends of Hospice after her husband was killed in a plane crash in 1980, leaving her to raise her four and eight year old children, has been working with hospice for 15 years and said that a lot of people have the misconception that hospice is only for the sick, when in fact it is for anyone in the community, working by helping the living deal with death.

"So many people use Hospice more and more everyday. They are trying to get out the word, and I think people are becoming more aware that it's for the living also," Friends of Hospice and cookbook committee member Betty Bly said. "

Through cookbook sales Friends of Hospice hopes to make $8,000 dollars and has already sold more than 200 copies in less than two weeks.

"Friends of Hospice is incredibly important to us, not only as fundraisers in the community but as ambassadors," said Cathy Conway, director of development at Hospice of Santa Cruz County.


Cookbooks are $15 and are available at Caress Day Spa in Capitola, Mint in Scotts Valley and online at www.hospicesantacruz.org.

Lasagna Santa Cruz

Recipe donated by Libby Alexander

1 14.5 oz can, Mexican style stewed tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 4 oz can diced green chiles

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. water

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked, roughly chopped chicken a rotisserie chicken works great.

9 oz. no-cook lasagna noodles.

2½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Sour cream, cilantro and avocado slices for garnish

Combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, chiles, chile powder, cumin, garlic, water, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir in chicken. Spread thin layer of sauce in a 7x11 inch, two quart baking dish. Put three noodles over this layer. You will need to break them somewhat to fit the dish. Spread with 1/3 sauce. Top with 1/3 cheese. Repeat twice. Bake at 375 degrees for around 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through and noodles are tender. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro and a avocado slice if desired. Serves six.