When planning a holiday soiree you may want to pull out your finest china, splurge on a big roast and treat your guests to fancy hors d’oeuvres. Other occasions, however, call for a more casual, laid back and economical approach. A winter soup and salad party is a delicious theme, made even better thanks to […]
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 elegant, underestimated pear
Although apples and pumpkin spice often dominate autumn’s culinary scene, pears are arguably one of the season’s most elegant yet often underestimated fruits. Perhaps because they’re so willing to ripen on the counter, quickly transforming from crunchy and crisp to meltingly soft. Indeed, pears are the only orchard fruit that is not ripened on the […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Music for kids and parents to enjoy together
Put two parents of preschool-age children together in the same room and there’s a good chance they’ll end up having a conversation about “Bluey,” the wildly popular animated Australian TV series that’s captivated both children and parents alike. It’s a kids’ show but it can thoroughly entertain the adults in the room as well, clearly […]
Posted inFood & Drink
It’s almost time to get cookin’
However you celebrate the holidays, the lengthening nights that mark the approach of winter solstice call for cozy cooking and spending time with the people you love. Whether you’re prepping for a big family get-together or just want to make the most of baking and soup season, having a clean and organized space will help […]
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Applejack, a drink as old as the country
Brandy is essentially a spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice. Grape-based brandy such as Cognac, which hails from a specific area in southwestern France, or Chilean Pisco are the most common. However, specialty varieties made from other fruits such as apples, pears and even raspberries have existed in Europe for centuries. There is […]
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Pumpkin good for more than just pies
If you’ve ever cracked open a can of pumpkin, there’s a good chance it was grown and produced up the road in Morton, just outside of Peoria. According to the University of Illinois Extension, Illinois farmers harvested more than twice as many acres of pumpkins in 2022 as the next five states combined, with production […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Pick the perfect apple
The first flashes of scarlet have emerged on the leaves of the maple tree in my yard, a sure sign that the fall baking season is about to begin. Baskets of brightly colored apples have replaced summer melons at farm stands and markets, beckoning home bakers to stock up on flour and preheat their ovens. […]
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A bounty of peppers
It was a good year to be a vegetable gardener in central Illinois. An early start in the spring rolled right on into a hot but not too dry summer, perfect for growing whopper tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. In my garden, branches on the bell pepper plants are so overloaded I’ve twice had to replace […]
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Set it and forget it
Fall is supposedly just around the corner, but as I write this the temperature outside is a balmy 96 degrees and a blanket of corn sweat is hanging heavily in the afternoon air. Weather like this compels us to slow down and seek out a shady spot, perhaps with a cool drink in hand. Modern […]
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Late summer’s fruit
This is the time of year when my heart feels like it belongs in two places. Mornings are crisp, the kids are back in school and I’m more inclined to crave a steaming cup of hot coffee rather than an iced cold brew. The air has the aroma of fall and I am all in […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Taking kids out to eat
A few years into raising my eldest daughter, I was convinced that we had it all figured out when it came to kids and mealtime. From her first days eating solid food she was a superb eater and readily tried and enjoyed all sorts of new foods, from kalamata olives to blue cheese to kale. […]
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Maximize plant power
This week is all about celebrating summer veggies with recipes inspired to maximize delicious plant-based power. Regardless of what else I’m serving, weekend dinners in the summertime always include a large melange of grilled or roasted vegetables, simply seasoned with salt and olive oil. They fit in nicely no matter the cuisine and can take […]
