Hey there, and welcome to TARACOOKS.COM.  This web-site evolved from my love of cooking, and my family’s love of eating.  My family has urged me for quite a while to write a cookbook, or do something special with my recipes.  So I have heeded their request and with my hubby’s help (THANKS HONEY!) have launched [...]

 Tara’s Eggstraordinary Eggs
What’s the difference between a “dressed” egg and a “deviled” egg? Seems there should be a funny punch line to answer that question. Is it a north/south thing? Around here, we call them dressed eggs. I always presumed the reason is because they are a little fancier than plain old boiled eggs. Those [...]

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a 9×13 pan or 2 round 9” pans. Set pans aside.
Sift together in mixing bowl

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

In separate mixing bowl add and mix well:

3 beaten eggs

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup buttermilk

3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Then add and [...]

 Corn Pudding
My Grandmother Armstrong always put up bushels of Silver Queen Corn. Oh, how we all loved her corn. For holidays and special occasions, Granny would whip up a dish of corn pudding. I never did get her recipe, but this one rivals Granny’s.
For this recipe, you can use canned whole kernel, and canned creamed [...]

 Sinful Sweet Potatoes
 

3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup evaporated milk

½ stick melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

 
Beat all ingredients together and pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Cover with topping and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.
 
Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup melted butter

1 cup chopped [...]

 
 Italian Pasta Salad
1 box rainbow noodles
1 head broccoli cut into florets
1 small head cauliflower cut into florets
1 cup carrots – sliced
3 stalks celery -diced
1 zucchini -diced
1 small can black olives
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes – halved
1 regular bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Cook noodles. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.
In [...]

Roasted Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 325
In a Dutch Oven, or casserole dish with glass lid add:
4 boxes of cherry or grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
4-5 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 – 3/4 cup olive oil
Stir to coat tomatoes with oil and herbs. Cover tomatoes. Cook 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes [...]

In May of 2008 the Better Nashville show came to Tara’s kitchen to shoot a segment about preparing Mother’s Day goodies. Tara made her delicious cinnamon rolls. Channel Four’s Jennifer Herron helped out along with Hope and Micah.
Better Cinnamon Rolls Part 1:

Better Cinnamon Rolls Part 2:

RECIPE
In large pot add:

1 quart whole milk (4 [...]