Food Features

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 […]

For centuries, cooks worldwide have ingeniously stuffed vegetables, a testament to how readily available ingredients can be transformed into delicious and nourishing combinations of textures and flavors. The variety of fillings is vast, ranging from savory meats and aromatic rice to creamy cheeses and fresh herbs. Mediterranean cuisine offers dolmades, grape leaves filled with rice, […]

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 […]

Panna cotta, meaning “cooked cream” in Italian, is a wobbly, silky, eggless custard-like dessert made with sweetened cream bound with gelatin. It’s one of my favorite make-ahead desserts, especially when I need to use up leftover dairy products in the refrigerator. A panna cotta is pretty easy to make, and it lends itself to improvisation. […]

Growing up in the Midwest, I had to attend many potlucks. These communal gatherings often featured dishes that, to modern tastes, seem pretty bewildering. My mother, by her own admission a poor cook, regularly contributed a solid block of Philadelphia cream cheese, generously blanketed with Sau-See Shrimp Cocktail – tiny shrimp swimming in a bland, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Juneteenth, a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S., is a day rich in traditions. This celebration provides opportunities for community bonding, education and remembrance, ensuring that the spirit and significance of Juneteenth are passed on to future generations. Central to these celebrations are elaborate feasts where families and communities gather […]

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, […]

Having spent the past winter in semi-hibernation, I’ve returned to my job as a chef at Caprae Restaurant at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery in Champaign. I am once again living in my converted school bus next to the goat barn. I hadn’t planned on being here again. Last fall, I declared, as I have […]