I love a good party sandwich. From towers of plush chicken salad on soft rolls at a shower to crusty rolls piled high with meat and cheese at a tailgate, well-made party sandwiches are reliable crowd pleasers that love to be prepped well in advance. It’s important to start with a good foundation and use […]
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 inFood Features
Butternut squash lasagna
There’s a longstanding culinary tradition of crafting delicious meals out of repurposed leftovers. From Italian arancini, crispy fried rice balls rolled out of cold risotto, to shepherd’s pie made with yesterday’s roast, some of our most beloved dishes exist thanks to generations of creative and resourceful cooks. This recipe for butternut squash lasagna was born […]
Posted inFood Features
Fall baking with apples
The desire to retreat into my cozy kitchen and comfort bake has been especially strong lately, but until recently it’s simply been too darn hot to turn on the oven. Now that the temperatures have dropped to a reasonable level we can finally start leaning into the coming season of sweaters and cider and warm […]
Posted inFall Home & Garden
Try fortified wines for fall
The scent of autumn is in the air, distinctly spicy from the freshly fallen leaves and ripening wildflowers baking in the afternoon sun. As the season shifts from summer to fall, so do our choice of beverages, away from icy cold glasses of crisp rose in the shade to a cozy tipple by the fire. […]
Posted inFood Features
Culinary gold
With tomato season in full swing, so is the jar of rendered bacon fat that lives in my fridge. A happy byproduct of countless bacon and tomato sandwiches, this culinary gold has been finding its way into everything from salad dressing and snacks to soups and even cookies. A versatile and old-fashioned ingredient, many have […]
Posted inFood Features
Plum sauce is perfect
When my college boyfriend and I parted ways, it wasn’t the end of our relationship that I cried over – it was his grandmother’s plum sauce, similar in flavor and consistency to ketchup. She’d send us back to campus with some after every visit, the thick sauce decanted into upcycled soda bottles. Helen was a […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Fall garden projects
The first golden leaves of autumn are just beginning to turn, but don’t put away those gardening tools just yet. There are still plenty of growing days left in the season. Indeed, late summer is the perfect time to plant quick-growing veggies that thrive in cooler weather. Spinach, radishes (especially vibrant pink and green watermelon […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Scrumptious school lunches
Let’s be honest – packing lunches can be a drag. Whether it’s for a picky preschooler, a ravenous tween or just yourself, the daily grind of filling a lunchbox is not something many look forward to. The reality is, however, that eating fresh food prepared at home is one of the single most effective ways […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Take the family to the fair for a fair price
A trip to the Illinois State Fair can be an expensive endeavor, especially with family in tow. Thankfully, there are a multitude of ways to maximize value and get the most out of your fair experience. “We offer over 160 hours of free entertainment each day,” Illinois State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark explained. With so […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The solution for oversized zucchini
Anyone who has grown zucchini in a garden will inevitably end up with a few mammoth squash that seemingly appear out of nowhere, especially after a generous dose of summer rain. Too tough and fibery to sauté or grill, I’d grate the first jumbo zucchinis of the season to use in quick breads, but toward […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Hot pepper vinegar
I just picked our first garden tomato of the season. Bright red and perfectly vine-ripened, it went straight into the kitchen. For this first, almost ceremonial tomato experience of the year I always keep it very simple: lightly toasted white sandwich bread, a generous smear of Duke’s Mayo and an excessive pile of sliced tomatoes […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Bring on the brats
We’ve been on a bratwurst kick in my house lately. It’s high season around here with summer theater and sports and way too much garden to look after, so simple meals that yield easy leftovers have been on regular rotation. Brats, once eschewed by my kids, have suddenly become the new favorite. I’ve taken to […]
