Super Bowl Sunday is Feb. 12, just around the corner, and we have the playbook for perfect loaded nachos. Whether you’re prepping for a crowd or a lazy night in, this formula makes the most out of your favorite ingredients. The original nachos were created in the early 1940s by Ignacio Anaya, maître d’hôtel of […]
Ashley Meyer
Ashley Meyer has been cooking as long as she has been walking. The daughter of beloved former Illinois Times food columnist, Julianne Glatz, Ashley offers a fresh, inspired take on her mother’s culinary legacy. Ashley studied winemaking at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand and recently achieved the Level III award from the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust. Ashley founded and successfully operated RealCuisine Catering for five years, then turned her focus to motherhood and homesteading. These days, when she’s not cooking, gardening, parenting or writing, you can find Ashley at It’s All About Wine, offering insightful recommendations and mouthwatering pours.
Posted inArts & Culture
Use your pantry for winter skin care
Nearly everything about winter weather is tough on skin. Brutal, cold wind outside and dry heat indoors can result in itchy, chapped and even cracked skin. While the beauty industry has created countless products to help address these issues, some of the best skin care products might already be hiding in your kitchen. Sookyung Suh, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Chopped Salad, from Beverly Hills to Springfield
The original chopped salad was created in the late 1950s by legendary restaurateur Jean Leon at his ritzy La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills. Celebrity sightings were commonplace at La Scala – Leon himself claimed to have personally served Marilyn Monroe her last meal (not a chopped salad). And although Natalie Wood was rumored to […]
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The best bubbly
There are few things I enjoy more than a good glass of bubbly. Champagne, while not the birthplace of sparkling wine, is considered to be the benchmark for top-quality bubbles. The region of France itself is quite small, measuring just under 135 square miles, and only wines grown and produced within its borders are allowed […]
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Bake your best cookies
Tis the season for cookies! Whether you like them crispy or chewy, spicy or frosted, we have tips to help you bake your best. Pastry chef Melanie Dineen works overtime during the holidays creating gorgeous cakes and cookies at Incredibly Delicious Bakery, a downtown Springfield culinary staple since it opened in 1995. No matter what […]
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Old Fashioned cocktail
Anyone who’s checked out the cocktail menu at a posh restaurant lately may have noticed that classic cocktails are very of the moment. Perhaps we have Don Draper to thank, the enigmatic leading man on the TV show “Mad Men.” It’s hard not to thirst for Draper’s drink of choice as he sips from a glass […]
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Dinner on a dime
With groceries more costly than ever, let’s talk about how to make the most out of what’s in season and in your pantry. Produce is still available at many local farm stands like Suttill’s Gardens and Jefferies Market through Thanksgiving, with prices that often rival grocery stores, especially for items like broccoli, squash, cabbage and […]
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Taste for the Homeless comes to Springfield Oct. 22
Local activists Shymeka Kerr-Gregory, Ron Doyle and Sadie Davis are bringing a “Taste for the Homeless” to Springfield on Oct. 22. The Chicago-based nonprofit was founded by Chicago native, Michael Airhart. A self-described “kid-chef,” Airhart started cooking when he was just 8 years old growing up in Altgeld Gardens Project on the South Side. “A […]
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Ready to pop?
Popcorn may not be what comes to mind when most folks think of healthy food, but I’ve found a renewed love for the crunchy snack in recent years. Some time ago a friend who specialized in integrative medicine suggested that I try giving up gluten in an attempt to reduce inflammation. I was suffering from […]
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Good-for-you dips
Whether you’re looking for that perfect game-day recipe or dish to take to a harvest cookout, hearty dips are a party essential that deliver lots of flavor with relatively little effort or expense. Hot or cold, creamy or spicy – there’s a dip for every taste and diet. Some of the best preparations don’t even […]
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Appreciate pears
Pears are perhaps one of the most underrated fruits of the fall season. While apples and pumpkin spice may steal all the autumnal fanfare, pears are as delicious as they are versatile and nutritious. Popular varieties of pears available in most markets include Anjou, Bartlett, Comice and Starkkrimson, all varieties that will be tender and juicy […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Plant bulbs now for a spring payoff
A true act in patience, lush spring flower beds get their start in autumn when the air is cool and leaves are crisp. Spring-blooming bulbs such tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and more do best when planted in fall because the cool, moist autumn soil allows the bulb to begin rooting before the cold of winter sets […]
