Kitchen Organization 101
Tara on Jan 14th 2015
I spent a good part of Tuesday “degreasing” and organizing my cook top and drawers under it. It was a messy sticky icky job. One of the tasks involved with this project was organizing the spice drawer. I’ve had jars and boxes of spices thrown into this drawer for a decade. The spices would spill […]
How to Store Fresh Spinach, Strawberries, Chard, and Kale
Tara on May 12th 2014
Welcome spring and welcome the return of Lester Farms CSA boxes! One again Lester Farms, which brings the finest locally grown produce to this area, has partnered with TaraCooks.com to provide tips and recipes for using items in those CSA boxes. Be on the lookout for the sweetest, juiciest, and tastiest strawberries in Tennessee from […]
Aunt Debbie’s Crock Pot Pear Butter
Tara on Oct 10th 2013
Place 2 quarts of peeled and diced pears in crock pot. In a medium bowl mix the following: 2 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt Pour sugar mixture over pears. Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours stirring occasionally. Uncover and […]
DIY Home Made Cream of Celery, Mushroom, or Chicken Soup MSG free, Gluten Free
Tara on Oct 3rd 2013
For those who need to avoid toxic additives such as MSG or who have adopted a Gluten Free lifestyle, this recipe was created with you in mind. I have found that all the store brands and name brands of soup I typically use in cooking not only contain MSG but also wheat. I can usually […]
Things To Do With Fresh Corn on the Cob in Husks
Tara on Aug 11th 2013
Did you know whole ears of fresh corn on the cob can be frozen in oversized Zip-Lock bags without removing the husks? Did you know you can microwave fresh corn on the cob in husks about 5 minutes or until kernels are tender, then the husks and silks are so easy to remove? Did you […]
Home Made Herbal Ranch Dressing
Tara on Jun 3rd 2013
One of the best things about spring and summer is all the fresh herbs and vegetables to be harvested. Our family is enjoying our CSA box of fresh locally grown lettuces and greens each week from Lester Farms. I used to buy bottled dressings but once I made a couple of varieties of home made […]
Strawberry Lemonade Made With Strawberry Cubes
Tara on May 28th 2013
Last week, I posted about making Strawberry Cubes in ice cube trays as a way to preserve all those fresh berries. Here’s one of my favorite summertime treats – fresh squeezed lemonade with a few strawberry cubes tossed in for flavor. Simple. Delcious. Yum! Share on Facebook
Strawberry Cubes – How to Make, and How to Use
Tara on May 25th 2013
One of the easiest ways I have found to preserve fresh fruit is by making fruit cubes. In this post, I am featuring Strawberry Cubes which prove to have many uses through the summer and into the winter months. Here’s how to make them and what to do with them. Start with 2 quarts or […]
Fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing
Tara on May 17th 2013
I am excited to be working up some recipes for Lester’s Farms. With the coming of May and strawberry harvest, I’ve created a Fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing. This dressing compliments Fresh Strawberry Greens Salad as well as Fresh Strawberry Fruit Salad. This dressing is perfectly tongue teasing, being just sweet and tangy and light […]
Cuban Adobo Dry Rub Seasoning
Tara on Apr 20th 2013
We continue to experiment with our smoker and try different kinds of meats, sauces, rubs, and methods. In order to please dear hubby, I recently created a Cuban feast at our house and I think he was very pleased. We smoked 2 chickens and a pork roast. Here is the recipe I created for the […]
