My Favorite Recipes: Meet Brenda Kneeshaw, Colfax

Brenda and Tom Kneeshaw of Colfax enjoy a day at the coast.

Brenda Kneeshaw, born and raised in Salem, Ore., graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1970. She later earned a master’s degree from the University of Idaho.

As Brenda explained it, she has two sets of parents. She was very close to her adoptive parents and feels privileged to be raised by them. Her adoptive father died when she was in seventh grade, and her mother died years ago. She left information about Brenda’s birth family in Brenda’s Bible, and her daughter urged her to find them.

As a result, she learned she has a sister, Jan. They discovered they have similar mannerisms, although they don’t look a lot alike. They are of similar stature. Jan’s husband is a retired dentist.

Her birth father is still living.

Tom and Brenda met at the University of Puget Sound. After studying abroad her junior year in Vienna, Austria, she came home to Tom and an engagement ring.

They married Jan. 3, 1970, honeymooned on the Oregon coast and finished their senior years at UPS. Brenda taught two years at Clover Park School District after college.

The Kneeshaws came to Colfax when Tom had an opportunity to farm, arriving with Kelly and Josh, and expecting Kevin.

In 1975, Brenda began a 38-year teaching career in Colfax School District. Over those years, she taught K-12 art, kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade and, for the last six years since retiring, she has had a service contract with the district and works as an instructional coach, also doing some testing and curriculum selection.

Her largest transition at Colfax School District has been Common Core. She observes many misunderstandings about Common Core, and some examples of poorly written math problems and corrections have people concerned it is awful. For families who move frequently, Common Core makes school changes much simpler for their students. Military families are fans of Common Core.

This fall, Brenda will lead a book study for teachers in grades K-12 on “Mathematical Mindsets” by Jo Boaler. The book is based on mindset theory. Brain research indicates that we learn by mistakes.

For leisure, Brenda is a dedicated walker; she knits, makes quilted bags and is an avid reader. A recent favoite book, by Ken Tomasma, is “Soon to Token.” It is about the Nez Perce. The boy in the book was a great-grandson of Chief Joseph.

Brenda has observed the changes in teaching writing in schools over the years. There is much more variety now, and more non-fiction. The balance now is about 60 percent creative and 40 percent non-fiction.

After earning her master’s degree at the University of Idaho, Brenda taught a writers’ workshop for teachers during the summers.

A vegetable garden lover, Brenda observes that her talent does not seem to extend to house plants. She likes easy flowers in summer pots. She has also taken up kayaking, “my bit of peace in the world.” She’s taken a kayaking trip with daughter Katie recently.

Looking back on their life in Colfax, Brenda appreciates Tom’s ambition to move to the Palouse and raise their four children here.

Their eldest daughter Kelly and Gary Neal and Jax, age 6, live in Branson, Mo., and both teach in the Branson School District. Josh and Debbie Kneeshaw live in Battleground, Wash.

Kevin and Kristie Kneeshaw live in Tualatin, Ore. Their three children are Caden, 14, Tori, 13, and Ella, 7. Both Kevin and Kristie are employed in CRU Ministry, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ.

Katie and Ladd Knotek live in Missoula, Mont. She is a wildlife recreation manager for the United States Forest Service, and he is a fisheries biologist for the State of Montana. They have some joint projects right now.

Brenda's one wish is to to see her grandchildren even more often.

Recipes:

Sour Cream

Banana Bread

Sisters in Survival Breast Cancer Support Group Cookbook

Cream together:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla.

Add: ½ c sour cream

Add and Mix well:

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Then add:

1 cup mashed banana and ½ cup chopped nuts

Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Chile Rellano Bake

Sisters in Survival Breast Cancer Support Group Cookbook

1 pound sausage

4 eggs

1 large onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

1 big can mild chile peppers

1 ½ cup milk

2 cups shredded cheese

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

½ teaspoon salt

Cook sausage and onion; drain and set aside. Layer greased 8x8-inch baking pan with peppers, 1-½ cup shredded cheese, meat mixture and then more peppers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs, flour, milk, salt and Tabasco sauce until well blended; pour over layers in pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand five minutes before serving.

Chile Egg Puff

Oregon Cookbook – Recipes from Oregon B & Bs

10 eggs

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups cottage cheese

4 cups shredded cheese

½ cup butter/margarine, melted and cooled

2 4-oz died green chiles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl, beat eggs until light and lemon colored. Add remaining ingredients, except chiles, blending until smooth. Stir in chiles and pour mixture into a well-buttered 9x13-inch baking pan.

Bake about 35 minutes until top is brown and inserted knife comes out clean. Serve immediately. Makes 10-12 servings. Great for a brunch or special occasion. Also good reheated in microwave during the week for a quick breakfast.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This recipe has been a favorite of our family for years. Do not know its origin as I brought it with me from Tacoma.

1 ¾ cups boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

1 ¾ cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

12 ounces chocolate chips

¾ cup nuts

1 cube margarine

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil water and pour over oatmeal. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add sugar and margarine and mix. Add eggs and mix well.

Sift flour, soda, salt and cocoa and add to wet ingredients – mix well. Stir in half of the chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured 9x13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle remaining chips and nuts on top. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.