Deseret Morning News, Monday, April 23, 2007
Reunited pair blend a love of cooking
By Sara Israelsen
Deseret Morning News
PROVO — There's a pot of southwestern chili bubbling on the stove alongside a layered vegetable lasagna and a glistening chocolate cheesecake.
 Donna Kelly, left, of Provo is the birth mother of Anne Tegtmeier. They met again in 1999 and have written a cookbook.  Jason Olson, Deseret Morning News |
As birth mother and daughter, Kelly and Tegtmeier hadn't seen each other since 1972, when Tegtmeier was put up for adoption. Decades later, when the two finally met, they found the kitchen was the perfect place to rekindle a relationship.
Growing up in Colorado, Tegtmeier loved to cook but said her mother saw cooking as just another chore. Except for a few favorite recipes that would surface at Thanksgiving or special occasions, there wasn't much passion to pass on.
However, when Tegtmeier found Kelly in 1999 and began the process of developing the mother/daughter relationship, they discovered they shared the love of cooking.
"We're making up for lost time," Tegtmeier, 35, said with a smile as she pulled ingredients out of the refrigerator and sliced a piece of "Rebirth by Chocolate" — a chocolate cheesecake without an ounce of dairy, thanks to the hidden, well-blended tofu.
Kelly, a deputy Utah County attorney, has long welcomed cooking as a break from what she calls a stressful, adversarial job.
"It's kind of like my therapy," she says. "It's totally different from what I do in my 8 to 5 job. It's a positive, nourishing thing. And it's cheaper than therapy."
Kelly has published several cookbooks under the "101 Things to Do With" title, including one about tortillas and one using chicken.
So with Kelly's cookbook connections and a vegetarian daughter's passion for tofu, the newest book, "101 Things to Do with Tofu," was born.
"I've been a vegetarian most of my life, Donna's been a fabulous cook all her life, so we put our heads together," Tegtmeier said.
The team pitched the idea to Kelly's publishing company last December, and the book is hitting shelves this month. See www.101thingstodowithtofu.com for more information.
 Kelly and Tegtmeier's tofu cookbook includes chocolate cheesecake. Jason Olson, Deseret Morning News |
Tegtmeier visits Utah several times a year from Connecticut where she works as a licensed massage therapist.
However, the cookbook frenzy has pushed her to consider more catering, personal cheffing and, yes, writing more cookbooks with Kelly, she said. They're considering a mother/daughter-themed series next.
Kelly was 16 when she gave birth to Tegtmeier and was just too young, she said. However, both Kelly and Tegtmeier still keep in touch with Dan, the biological father who lives in Arizona.
Kelly and her husband, Jim, have four children ranging from 26 to 18 and have welcomed Tegtmeier as another member of the family.
During this visit to Provo, the theme is a Mexican fiesta, complete with a tofu-posing-as-hamburger mix for the enchiladas, especially requested by one of Kelly's other daughters.
"We're lucky to have a happy reunion story," Tegtmeier said. "Everybody loves a happy ending."
Tomato Onion Chowder
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup minced fresh basil leaves
2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes in puree
2 cup vegetable broth
16 oz. silken tofu
salt, to taste
In a large stock pot, saute onion in butter until translucent. Add garlic and saute another 2 to 3 minutes. Add basil and tomatoes. In a blender, blend broth and tofu. Add to soup mixture and then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt to taste and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Variation: For a smooth and creamy version, add onion, garlic and tomato to blender with the tofu and broth. Return to pot and add basil, continue as directed.
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