Research shows that cooking from scratch and regularly sharing family dinner improves both physical and mental health in many ways. But there is one benefit of cooking at home that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: eventually, your kids will cook for you and be better able to take care of themselves. When her mom, Betsy, […]
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 & Drink
Such a good feeling
Old episodes of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” have been my daughter’s show of choice lately. And truthfully, I’ve enjoyed having this soft-spoken gentleman and his kind earnest words back in my life as well. I often think of what Fred Rogers said on the topic of heart-wrenching and terrifying events in the news, and his words […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Comfort in a pan
Casseroles mean comfort. Referring to both the type of recipe and the vessel it is cooked in, casseroles can do double duty as a side dish or main course when paired with a simple green salad. Most freeze well, and I usually prepare a pan to enjoy now and a pan to stow away in […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Simple, soft and sane
Introducing solid foods to your baby is a delightful milestone, but it can also be one of the most stressful. In addition to messy highchairs and little faces covered in spaghetti, new parents are guaranteed to receive troves of advice from well-meaning family and friends regarding what and when to feed baby, adding layers of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Carp: If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em
They say that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. Likewise, when invasive fish take over the waterways in more than half of U.S. states, threatening the native ecologies and viability of fishing commerce from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, chefs, fishermen and environmentalists say, “It’s time for a fish fry.” […]
Posted inFood & Drink
My face-off with Instant Pot
I’m not one for single-use kitchen appliances or gadgets. Bread makers take up too much space, and generally I’m not a fan of slow cookers. They’re fine for making broth or reheating soup, but the inability to sear or brown foods before they settle in for the long braise was a deal breaker. I’d rather […]
Posted inFood & Drink
A date to change your life
Growing up, I had a wealthy, eccentric great-aunt whom I’d never met. She was a widow who lived with her eight Yorkshire Terriers in a pink mansion on the beach in Malibu. According to my grandmother, the Yorkies each had their own room and were visited regularly by a pet psychic who would convey their […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Make a hit with holiday hors d’oeuvres
Looking for fresh, seasonal flavors that will add some variety to this year’s holiday soirée? These are a few of my favorite party recipes that are either very quick to prepare or can be made several days ahead of time. If you’ve been invited to a party, talk to your host first before showing up […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Roast chicken like the royals
The news last week of Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle was a welcome break in a typically tenuous news cycle. During the interview in which they officially announced their engagement, the couple, clearly smitten with one another, described the culmination of their courtship as a cozy evening at home in their cottage, “just roasting […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The after-turkey sandwich worth waiting for
Sitting around the Thanksgiving table each year, watching my family tuck into their turkey and dressing, I’m usually content to just sip Champagne and nibble on some veggies. Maybe I’ll have a bit of turkey, but by this point I have been living and breathing this meal for some time, and it feels like every […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What on earth is a Dutch Baby?
Recently I spent a week visiting a good friend and her husband, who happens to be Dutch. One morning he asked if we’d like Dutch pancakes for breakfast. “Ooh, like a Dutch Baby?” I asked. “Um, no,” he replied with a confused look on his face. “Dutch pancakes. We call them Pannenkoeken. What on earth […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Giving eggs their due
Eggs have had a tumultuous history in American cuisine. Much maligned in years past by well-meaning health professionals due to their high cholesterol content, eggs are now making a comeback. For years, we were warned against eating foods like eggs that are rich in cholesterol. Now, a large body of research is showing that dietary […]
