“She said she wanted to do a cookbook that would help other kids,”said Katie’s mom, Patty Harr.


That might sound strange, but Katie spent a lot of time watching cooking shows with her mom because she could not walk. The chemotherapy treatment, which ended last February, caused compression fractures in Katie’s spine.


But instead of recruiting family and friends to submit recipes, Katie went for the big-name chefs.


She and her family were able to convince a number of celebrity chefs, including the Food Network’s Rachel Ray and Emeril Lagasse, to donate recipes.


A year later, the family published “Katie’s Cooking: A Cookbook Celebrating Life after Childhood Cancer,” which includes 782 recipes. It also features a “Courageous Kids” section highlighting the stories of other childhood cancer survivors.


Three weeks after its March 19 release, the Harr family sold most of the 500 copies they ordered. They ordered another 500 because Katie and Patty Harr were scheduled to appear on NBC10’s ‘10! Show.”


“She’s really excited,” Harr said of Katie, who is now 6. “She said she’d be fine as long as she didn’t have to talk and she could just help with the cooking.”


Katie’s cookbooks are $24 each, plus shipping ($4.95 for the first book; $2 for each additional book shipped to the same address in the continental United States). The family will donate all of the proceeds from each book to charity. The donations will be split between three charities: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Gilda’s Club, which provides emotional support for cancer patients and their families; and the Kisses for Kyle Foundation, which provides financial support to those families.


Katie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Christmas Eve in 2002.


ALL is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many of a certain type of white blood cell. Those cells don’t fight infection well and, because of their high number, they do not leave enough room for the development of healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Harr said 85 percent of people diagnosed with ALL live past five years.


“Katie is now a one-year survivor and they say the first year is crucial,” she said.


“If the cancer comes back, the highest likelihood is that it will be in that first year.”


The following are two of the kid-friendly recipes from Katie’s cookbook.




OREO PIZZA




1 (21-ounce) package reduced-fat brownie mix


1 1/2 cup reduced-fat Oreo cookies, crumbled


1 cup miniature marshmallows


1/4 cup walnuts, chopped


1/4 cup Reese’s Pieces peanut butter candy


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 14-inch pizza pan with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare brownie mix batter according to package directions; stir in cookie crumbs. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes or until done. Sprinkle marshmallows over top of hot brownie. Bake for 3 minutes more or until marshmallows are lightly browned. Sprinkle with nuts and candy, pressing lightly into softened marshmallows. Eat while still warm!


Note: Works just as well with regular brownie mix and oreos. Kids can have fun adding whatever candies they like on top of the pizza.




FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES




1 cup smooth peanut butter


1 egg, slightly beaten with a fork


1 cup sugar


Chocolate bits or peanuts or mini M&M’s (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and roll into balls the size of walnut. Put on slightly greased cookie sheet about 1 1/2-inches apart. Using a fork, press down each cookie about half-way (you can place a chocolate bit or peanut in center of each if you like). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about 30 cookies.


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