Taste of Home Cooking School and a Giveaway

This past Thursday night I participated in The Taste of Home Cooking School, an annual event at our local Performing Arts Center. This is my second year helping with the show and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here I am with fellow workers, from left, me, Anna, Leigh and Angela. (We are all looking at the other camera.) I love my apron and will enjoy using all year long.

The view from backstage in the morning. We are preparing the food backstage.

We prepared all the pre-show food and placed it on trays and in the refrigerator to get ready for the show. Everything is well orchestrated and the timing has to be perfect for the show to go smoothly. Some things we cooked but many of the foods are prepared at showtime. There were ten recipes including Upside down Banana Pecan French Toast, a Chex Mix recipe, French Cranberry-Apple Pie, Apricot Beef Stir-Fry, Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones, Corn Bread Stuffed Turkey Breast, Cookie Dough Truffles, Gingered Carrot Soup, Chicken Balsamico and Sausage Stuffed Red Bell Peppers.

Meanwhile some very talented folks decorate the stage.

 
The stage was all ready by late afternoon and we returned for the show.

The culinary specialist, Michelle Roberts (who is incidentally holding the latest issue of our magazine) and Joanie, the local show coordinator of Newnan Utilities go over some last minute details. Michelle runs her show like clockwork and we enjoyed her humor. She keeps the audience in stitches for two hours and by all accounts was a big hit for the sell-out crowd.

Many local sponsors donate free gifts for the audience. Every recipe has a sponsor and they give away free gifts, too. Taste of Home also gives away cookbooks throughout the evening. Everyone who attends receives a free magazine subscription, so that pays for the whole cost of the show.

I will admit I really enjoyed my evening. I don't get to see the entire show but I really enjoyed being behind the scenes and it is a learning experience for me.

I also have a couple of free Taste of Home magazines to give away to two lucky winners. Post a comment on my blog by midnight, November 16, and two people will win two lovely, Taste of Home magazines. These magazines are totally packed with really good recipes, so it would be worth your time to enter. One of the magazines has all of the recipes presented at the show. Good luck and I know you will enjoy it!