The Taste of Home Cooking Show is less than two weeks away and some people still don’t have their tickets!

You won’t want to miss this spectacular event that comes to Ripley County every other year bringing lots of free prizes and an evening of fun. The ticket fee of only $10 is more than covered when each attendee receives their goodie bag, which is filled with more than $25 worth of prizes including two magazines from Taste of Home (worth $10), national and local coupons with special deals, and a variety of kitchen gadgets and product samples - all free to everyone who attend the show. Each goodie bag will have a 12 oz. bottle of French’s Dijon mustard with Chardonnay.

Part of the proceeds from the event will go to South Ripley Elementary School.

The booths are an added bonus letting those attending buy or order products or services and sign up for free prizes. There will be a variety of booths including Tupperware, Pat’s Bulk Food, and Tri Kappa's famous cheeseballs. Ripley Publishing Co. will have the familiar faces you’re used to seeing in their office at a booth selling Taste of Home cookbooks and signing people up for newspaper subscriptions. Health Centered Chiropractic will have a booth, along with CVS where flu shots will be available.These are just a few of the booths that will be set up. See the ad inside today's paper for a complete list.

There’s much more. As attendees line up for the show outside they will be able to see the latest models of cars from Tom Tepe AutoCenter, who has also graciously donated 10 free oil changes for door prizes, along with items for the goodie bags.

Southeastern Indiana REMC has provided a freezer for the grand prize, with Ripley Publishing donating a microwave. The Versailles Super Market has donated 20 bags of groceries, a blender and valuable coupons. The Decatur County Memorial Hospital has put together a wonderful basket of spa items, and a basket of cooking items. Winning either would put the attendee’s evening over the top. There are many more fabulous prizes. The Friendship State Bank will have a booth, give out door prizes and have a nice cheese slicer to add to the goodie bags. Appliances on stage are provided by Four Seasons.

That’s just the pre-show. Then the cooking show begins with the popular culinary specialist Dana Elliott who will be doing the “Cooking Made Easy” show from the stage area. She will demonstrate eight recipes such as Individual Beef Wellington, Easy Lasagna Skillet, Breakfast Pizza, Hot Fudge Cake and more. All of the dishes she makes that evening will be given away as door prizes! “I’m looking forward to being back in Ripley County,” Elliott told The Versailles Republican this week. She said the recipes are great quality that can be made easily at home.

Elliott also released more information on prizes that will be given away that night. “I will be giving away five hardback Taste of Home cookbooks,” she noted. She also said French’s will have a giant gift basket filled with every product they make. There will be beautiful dishes her recipes will be displayed and given away in, along with a Ball canning at home kit, which includes everything right down to the jars. In each goodie bag there is a package of instant fruit pectin and classic pectin from Ball.

Come early to this show where doors will open at 5 p.m. on November 8. The show will be held at the South Ripley Elementary School Gymnasium at 7 p.m. with the booths situated in the cafeteria. The Dabney Baptist Church will again provide tasty sandwiches and desserts (the apple dumplings are nearly world famous!) for purchase. Bring cash for the booths as many will not be set up for credit cards.

There will be front row seating for those who wait in line and are first through the door. Handicap seating is also available.

Don’t miss this chance for an evening of fun, free prizes, and fabulous food.

Tickets are still available at Ripley Publishing Co., 115 S. Washington St., Versailles, or you can order online by visiting www.ripleynews.com. Click on “Headlines” to find the “Click here to order tickets” button under the Taste of Home Cooking School logo. Tickets can be ordered by calling the newspaper office at 812-689-6364 where major credit cards are accepted. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.