I don’t want to say goodbye to summer just yet.  I love the season of grilling, fresh veggies, sweet and juicy fruits, and trying new combinations.  Here’s my latest concoction  – Hawaiian Rib eye Salad.  The steak can be grilled outside or inside on a griddle.  Bacon and fresh pineapple add a wonderful twist.  And [...]

I admit I was a bit skeptical about cooking fish on a plank of cedar wood.  But I bought a couple of cedar planks and some salmon and gave it a try, just for my Taracooks readers.  This salmon was the most savory salmon I’ve ever tasted!  And it passed the family test too.  Although [...]

Some things are just too easy, like Sunday Dinner Pot Roast. I can’t think of an easier “company’s comin’” meal than pot roast. As my family sat around the table Sunday, there was little conversation while they devoured beef and potatoes. I remember someone saying, “Mmm, I just LOVE beef!” The prep time for [...]

I wish my Dad were still living. I’d make him this dish for Father’s Day.  Nothing beats Filet Mignon for taste and tenderness.  Although tenderloin is served here only on special occasions due to cost, it is the leanest cut of beef.  Glad there’s a positive trade off!
Who would have guessed that beef and blackberries [...]

Next time whole pork tenderloin is on sale, pick up one or two or three. Have the butcher cut them into 1” thick slices and you’ve got some less expensive boneless pork chops to country fry, BBQ, or in this case, oven fry.
• 3 egg whites
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• ¾ cup [...]

Looking for some macho food for the playoff games? Search no more. These mini burgers will be a winner in the hearts (and stomachs) of your family!

I attended Highland Heights elementary school in the early 70’s. The building was incredibly old (it had a fallout shelter in the basement) and pretty scary to a first [...]

How to Brine a Turkey 
Last year was our first year to brine a turkey.  We repeated this process twice already this year and Thanksgiving is still to come.  This is an easy way to prepare your turkey for that Thanksgiving feast.  The fruits and herbs which go into the brine give the turkey a savory flavor that is out of this [...]

Here is a favorite recipe from last Winter that can be made in the crock pot while you are away at work all day long. I had never experienced Swiss steak until I met the guy who would later ask me to marry him. This is my mother-in-law’s recipe and it has never failed me.
 
When Kroger has [...]

Hello, Richard here. I’m usually behind the scenes here at Taracooks but when Tara recently had the opportunity to appear on the Better Nashville show on Channel 4 again, we teamed up to make a couple of recipes that are out-of-this-world good. One of them is Baby Back Ribs using Tara’s Best Roasted [...]

Danny Evins should be a familiar name to local residents of my hometown since he founded Cracker Barrel Old Country Store nearly 40 years ago. Danny’s daughter Betsy and I were friends in high school and college. We were both brides’ maids in each other’s wedding. Although we don’t see each other much [...]