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 […]
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
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 […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Slab pies, perfect for summer
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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
