Recipes Recipe List: “October 1,

Recipe List: “October 1,

Recipe List: “October 1,

Among the dozens of “National Something-or-Other Month” observances that are being proclaimed around the nation this month, at least one deserves your attention.

It’s the “October is Beef Month” celebration, a time to recognize the affordability, versatility and downright deliciousness of today’s beef.

You probably already have an abundance of wonderful beef recipes, but you’ll definitely want to add the ones that Robin Parnell shares in this month’s “Country Kitchen” to your collection.

These all are easy—a major criterion for just about anything Robin cooks, she says—and they’re some of her husband Jimmy’s favorites.

“Jimmy is a beef-and-potatoes man,” Robin says. “If that’s all we ever had, he’d be happy.”

The Parnells have a vested interest in promoting beef, since their livelihood depends largely on the cattle business. Jimmy is manager of Parnell Inc., a fifth-generation family timber and cattle business based in Chilton County’s Stanton community. The cattle division includes a 750-head cow/calf operation.

Life’s always busy on the Parnell place, but here lately, things have shifted into overdrive.

Besides looking after the home and the two Parnell children; James Robert, 5, and Anna Grace, 1, Robin also is pursuing a doctorate in nursing administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her eventual goal is to own her own nursing home and assisted-living facility, where the elderly residents will “be treated with the dignity and respect they have earned and deserve,” she says.

As for Jimmy, he’s busy politicking in his first-ever run for public office. He’s the Republican candidate for the Alabama House of Representatives District 42 seat, which includes all of Chilton and part of Shelby counties. His chief campaign pledge: to bring a “common-sense approach” to how the Alabama Legislature operates.

The election is Nov. 3.

Following are Robin’s top beef recipes and a couple other Parnell favorites.