At Taste of Home, we believe home cooks are the best cooks, and our Community Cooks are simply the best of the best. The members of this vibrant community have created many of the inspired recipes at the heart of Taste of Home, treasured by cooks across the globe.
These talented home cooks are always whipping up fresh, exciting flavors, sharing their best cooking tips, and posting pictures and videos of their latest kitchen triumphs. Get to know Community Cooks from across the U.S. and Canada!
Community Cooks’ Newest Recipes
These brand-new dishes are fresh from Community Cooks’ kitchens. Which one will you try first?
Make the recipes Community Cooks are raving about right now.
Community Cook of the Month
Cindy Nerat from Menominee, Michigan
Cindy Nerat was born and raised in Menominee, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michiganâa place she decided she could never leave. Her family consists of her husband, two adult sons and her twelve-year-old grandson. She retired last year from her job as a floral designer, giving her more time to garden herbs and flowers, spend time out on the water, do craft projects, paint, decorate and, of courseâbake and cook.
Taste of Home: Do you have a favorite recipe from Taste of Home?
Cindy Nerat: I have a binder full of Taste of Home recipes. The Loaded-Up Pretzel Cookies are a huge hit when I bring them somewhere! Other favorites are the carrot cake, sour cream chicken, swiss corn casserole and Holiday Brunch Casserole.
TOH: Who do you love to cook for the most?
CN: I love to cook for anyone who appreciates it. My grandson likes to cook with me, so I get to show him how to cook some of the old German family dishes, which makes for a happy grandma. Basically, if you’re in my house, I’m going to feed you!
TOH: What types of recipes are you known for?
CN: I’m probably best known for baking than cooking. At Christmas, I bake around 30 kinds of cookies and give them away to friends and family. (Try out Cindy’s Frosted Butter Rum Brickle Bites, a cookie loved especially by her husband.) And if I’m invited to a party, I’m always asked to bring some kind of dessert. When I cook, I love to make good old-fashioned “comfort food.” I’m also legendary for putting on a banquet featuring cheeseballs, Baked Chorizo Corn dip, spreads, roll-ups, sausage pinwheels, stuffed mushrooms, meatballs, deviled eggs and anything else that pops into my head.
TOH: What’s your favorite kitchen hack that you now live by?
CN: I absolutely love the elevation of flavor and creativity that fresh spices bring to food. Living in the north and growing fresh herbs in the summer is wonderful; winter is a different story. I find myself trying to save more and more pots of herbs for winter use.
Our Whole Team
Community Cooks come from neighborhoods across the U.S. and Canada. Find one in your neck of the woods.
Lisa Allen, Joppa, Alabama
Arizona
Jessica Burke, Chandler, Arizona
Cathy Orban, Chandler, Arizona
Robert J. Johnson, Chino Valley, Arizona
Cori Cooper, Flagstaff, Arizona
Paul Williams, Fort Mohave, Arizona
Lee Mason, Gilbert, Arizona
Michille Dewalder, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Belqui Ortiz-Millili, Mesa, Arizona
Theresa Greco, Phoenix, Arizona
Karen Keefe, Phoenix, Arizona
Arkansas
Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
California
Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, California
Marina Castle-Kelley, Canyon Country, California
Candice Custodio, Creston, California
Kallee Krong-Mccreery, Escondido, California
Rosie Godycki, Los Angeles, California
Dr. Laura Wilhelm, Los Angeles, California
Shawn Carleton, San Diego, California
Ellen Lee Savastano, San Diego, California
Ilya Khayn, San Jose, California
Colorado
Lisa Rohrbough, Morrison, Colorado
Connecticut
Anna Gass, New Canaan, Connecticut
Lynn Faria, Southington, Connecticut
Janet Turner, Southington, Connecticut
Ruth Hartunian-Alumbaugh, Willimantic, Connecticut
Florida
Janie Ganyard, Jacksonville, Florida
Kathleen Criddle, Lake Worth, Florida
Heather Chambers, Largo, Florida
Lygdda Anthony, Longwood, Florida
Pam Brooks, Micco, Florida
Nancy Murphy, Mount Dora, Florida
Cyndy Gerken, Naples, Florida
Taryn Camp, Oviedo, Florida
Kailey Thompson, Palm Bay, Florida
Shawn Barto, Palmetto, Florida
Jane Whittaker, Pensacola, Florida
Danielle Lee, West Palm Beach, Florida
Hawaii
Rachel Garcia, Honolulu, Hawaii
Idaho
Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Cindy Worth, Lapwai, Idaho
Illinois
Ginger Butz, Bolingbrook, Illinois
April Lee Wiencek, Chicago, Illinois
Bill Roberts, Geneva, Illinois
Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois
Kristina Valley, Libertyville, Illinois
Deborah L. Staley, Mount Vernon, Illinois
Erin Raatjes, New Lenox, Illinois
Margaret Dunham, Oak Park, Illinois
Lynn Vogeler, Port Barrington, Illinois
Renee Page, Rochelle, Illinois
Michele Tungett, Rochester, Illinois
Brigette Schroeder, Yorkville, Illinois
Indiana
Kizmet Byrd, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Kathy Renee, Terre Haute, Indiana
Iowa
Anna Miller, Churdan, Iowa
Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa
Stephanie Gates, Waterloo, Iowa
Kansas
Gina Dolieslager, Conway Springs, Kansas
Allison Ochoa, Hays, Kansas
Erin Wright, Wallace, Kansas
Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Kentucky
Donna Gribbins, Shelbyville, Kentucky
Louisiana
Laura Herbage, Covington, Louisiana
Miranda Coleman, Shreveport, Louisiana
Maine
Pamela Brooks, South Berwick, Maine
Maryland
Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland
Nikki Haddad, Germantown, Maryland
Massachusetts
Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Molly Winsten, Medford, Massachusetts
Lindsey Centrella, Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Michigan
Gina Doubleday, Berkeley, Michigan
Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan
Kim Shupe, Lake City, Michigan
Lorraine Hickman, Lansing, Michigan
Cindy Sue Nerat, Menominee, Michigan
Kelli Finger, Riverview, Michigan
Sue Falk, Sterling Heights, Michigan
Rebecca Jennex, Warren, Michigan
Minnesota
Pauline Custer, Duluth, Minnesota
Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota
Julie Herrera-Lemler, Rochester, Minnesota
Missouri
Debbie Johnson, Centertown, Missouri
Amber McBridge, Grain Valley, Missouri
Montana
Amanda Monroe, Manhattan, Montana
New Hampshire
Anne Ormond, Dover, New Hampshire
Jolene Martinelli, Fremont, New Hampshire
Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire
Margaret Drye, Plainfield, New Hampshire
Grace Vallo, Salem, New Hampshire
Linda Harrington, Windham, New Hampshire
New Jersey
Janie Zirbser, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
Kim Spaccarotella, South Plainfield, New Jersey
New York
Rose Rodwell, Bergen, New York
Aleni Salcedo, East Elmhurst, New York
Luanne Asta, Hampton Bays, New York
Holly Balzer-Harz, Malone, New York
Marisel Salazar, New York, New York
Kimberly Ludvick, Newburgh, New York
Rita Sumers, Niagara Falls, New York
Melissa Obernesser, Oriskany, New York
Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
Bara’a Ekbarieh, Staten Island, New York
Andrea Rivera, Westbury, New York
North Carolina
Taylor Sorenson, Charlotte, North Carolina
Stacey White, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina
Stacy Corday, Waxhaw, North Carolina
North Dakota
Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Diane Randle, Maddock, North Dakota
Ohio
Jacqueline Anderson, Avon, Ohio
Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio
Becky Carver, Cleveland, Ohio
Kimberly Wallace, Dennison, Ohio
Nicole Washington, Fairfield, Ohio
Kristyne McDougle Walter, Lorain, Ohio
Theresa Ravencraft, Marysville, Ohio
Diane Shipley, Mentor, Ohio
Michael Alfarag, Perrysburg, Ohio
Shannon Copley, Upper Arlington, Ohio
Oklahoma
Shawna Welsh-Garrison, Owasso, Oklahoma
Oregon
Shelly Lynn Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
Pam Knepper, Hillsboro, Oregon
Jolina Kwong Caputo, Portland, Oregon
Mary Anne Thygesen, Portland, Oregon
Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Pennsylvania
Diann Hammel, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Tina Mirilovich, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Teena Petrus, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Gabriella DiSanto, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
Patty Crouse, Warren, Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Renee Murby, Johnston, Rhode Island
Megan Wesley, Westerly, Rhode Island
South Carolina
Nancy Hover, Simpsonville, South Carolina
South Dakota
Joan Antonen, Arlington, South Dakota
Karen Stucky, Freeman, South Dakota
Tennessee
Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
Dianna Smith, Newport, Tennessee
Makenzie Jones, Talbott, Tennessee
Texas
Darla Andrews, Boerne, Texas
Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
Allison Ulrich, Frisco, Texas
Munni Alexander, Houston, Texas
Rosemarie Ideler, Houston, Texas
Corinna Nguyen, Hutto, Texas
Marietta Slater, Justin, Texas
Carmen Edwards, Midland, Texas
Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Denise Browning, San Antonio, Texas
Sherri Jerzyk, Somerville, Texas
Leah Hebert, Tomball, Texas
Utah
Gaylene Anderson, Sandy, Utah
Vermont
Nancy Mock, Colchester, Vermont
Hannah Lenehan-Emmons, Williston, Vermont
Virginia
Soniya Saluja, Chantilly, Virginia
Rebecca Yankovich, Springfield, Virginia
Kelly Shoemaker, Stafford, Virginia
Bianca Dodson, Woodbridge, Virginia
Washington
Tara Huntley, Colfax, Washington
West Virginia
Lori Daniels, Beverly, West Virginia
Lorri Burns, Keyser, West Virginia
Wisconsin
Heather Karow, Burnett, Wisconsin
Justin Weber, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Mallory Dziuk, Waunakee, Wisconsin
Alberta
Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
Lori Stefanishion, Drumheller, Alberta
British Columbia
Tyne Driemel, Keremeos, British Columbia
Ontario
Susan Kieboam, Amherstburg, Ontario
Janet Tigchelaar, Ancaster, Ontario
Wendy Masters, East Garafraxa, Ontario
Niv Menon-Saberi, Port Elgin, Ontario
Jenny Latreille, Sudbury, Ontario
Raymonde Bourgeois, Swastika, Ontario
Pat Roberts, Thornton, Ontario
