Picture an enormous Pop-Tart, bursting with juicy summer berries and encased in a flaky scratch-made crust. Perhaps it has a drizzle of lemon laced icing if you’re feeling fancy. This is slab pie at its finest – a rustic and ever-changeable creation that feeds a crowd with minimal fuss. Baked in a rimmed 10-inch by […]
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
This chicken salad never fails to please
Hooray for picnic season! From impromptu backyard lunches to outdoor concert series, excuses to stretch out on a grassy lawn abound. Enter what I affectionately refer to as “picnic salads” – that adaptable category of recipes that, while they contain little to no lettuce, yet are still included in the salad realm. Think pasta salad, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Springfield Park District hosts free family activities
The Springfield Park District has been bringing the community outside for 125 years, and it’s celebrating this summer with a packed calendar of events for the whole family. Founded in 1900, the Springfield Park District is one of the largest in the state and encompasses more than 2,800 acres, from quaint neighborhood playgrounds and quiet […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Rhubarb beyond pie
There are many things that I grow well on my rambling little homestead but sadly, rhubarb just isn’t one of them. Even my green-thumbed great-grandfather who lived here before me had trouble getting a rhubarb plant to take hold. It’s not that rhubarb is a particularly difficult plant to cultivate – I know many people […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Lettuce beyond the salad bowl
It seems like only days ago that I was gingerly plucking a single leaf from each little lettuce seedling in my garden, hoping to gather enough to put a salad on the dinner table. Since then they’ve rapidly grown into generous, lush plants, each large enough to make a meal on its own. I don’t […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Cooking skills for teens and tweens
Summer is an ideal time to get kids into the kitchen, especially teens and tweens. Learning to prepare food is an essential life skill and an excellent way to keep active minds busy while school is out. Research points to what we know intuitively as caregivers, that involving kids in meal preparation increases their enthusiasm […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Celebrate early spring produce
Erbazzone is essentially a rustic tart filled with savory greens and cheese, with variations found throughout the gastronomically rich region of Emilio-Romagna in northern Italy. A celebration of early spring produce, similar dishes such as Greece’s famous spanakopita can be found throughout Italy and the Mediterranean with varying types of vegetables and herbs, cheese and […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
DIY products for spring cleaning
It doesn’t take a bevy of bought cleaners to get your home sparkling clean. In fact, you probably already have the ingredients on hand in your pantry to make a myriad of effective cleaners. Whether you’re looking to save money or reduce your exposure to harsh chemicals, these easy-to-prepare solutions will have you wondering why […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Catch the snacklebox trend
For better or worse, travel and snacking seem inextricably linked, at least in my family. The selection and preparation of munchies for the road is its own sort of fun. Normal dietary standards are effectively abandoned in favor of everyone’s favorite “sometimes foods” such as sugary cereals and spicy chips. In the past these have […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tinned fish making waves
To most Midwesterners, the idea of canned fish doesn’t exactly give off a luxe, cosmopolitan vibe. Beyond tuna salad and salmon cakes, the segment doesn’t get much attention. That’s beginning to change, however, as more folks discover the Iberian delicacy known as conservas. This category of tinned or canned seafood is wildly popular throughout Spain […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Spring into brunch
For those looking to get the most out of their weekend, brunch is undoubtedly the best place to start. Whether you’re looking for a casual bite before heading off to the farmers market or a full-on mimosa soiree, Springfield has a variety of brunch options from which to choose. Here are a few of our […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Don’t scorn those frozen veggies
The seeds I planted in salvaged takeout containers back in mid-February are about a half an inch tall now. Lined up along the south-facing wall of my garage, the verdant little lettuce and cabbage seedlings serve as a harbinger of good meals to come. Yet even with such a head start on nature, it will […]
