Nice an’ naughty
Springfield Theatre Centre presents six performances of the musical The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Dec. 2-4 and 9-11. The story line involves the naughtiest kids in town who enter the Christmas pageant. Their naive interpretation of the Christmas story is hilarious and entertaining. Christie Lazarides-Purdy directs a cast of 25 plus a 10-person angel choir.…
Housing project cause for optimism and concern
“Believe it or not, it was my sister who made the connection between me and SIU,” recalls Dulcinea Gillman. The former Springfield resident is now CEO of Critchfield Construction, an Elmhurst development firm in charge of building Hope Springs Apartments, currently under construction at 1135 N. 9th St. in the Enos Park neighborhood of Springfield…
Pickled mustard seeds
This recipe comes from Tom Colicchio, celebrity chef and host of the reality show “Top Chef.” But I first found it in a cookbook by another master chef, David Chang, whose New York Momofuko restaurants in New York are wildly popular, as I can attest. This condiment can always be found in my refrigerator. I…
Saucy Christmas
I love giving edible Christmas gifts that are different from the usual cookie/candy/fruit basket options. The sauces below make wonderful and unusual gifts. But I don’t just give them away – I make them for myself and my family during the holidays and other special occasions. Hazelnut romesco sauce Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic,…
Carrot (or sweet potato) hot sauce
Carrot hot sauce is a Caribbean specialty. I first tasted it at a Jamaican restaurant in St. Louis and bought bottles of it there until the restaurant closed. I searched in vain to find another source and finally decided to try making it myself. I recently had a variation that substituted sweet potato for the…
Chocolate fudge sauce
This ber-rich sauce is always a hit – and has many uses. If you don’t want to use liqueur, substitute 1 T. pure vanilla. 1 c. heavy cream, preferably NOT ultra-pasteurized 1 1/2 c. extra fine sugar, also called baker’s sugar or bar sugar 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks pinch of kosher or…
Pest wife regression
Two years ago, my man left his 22-year marriage to be with me, but he told me he loved his former wife and would always want a friendship with her. I accepted that (I’m friends with my ex), but I’m bothered by the amount of contact they have. They do have two adult children and…
What’s on your plate?
As you recover from Thanksgiving excess, make this a season to celebrate our country’s food rebels! Yes, rebels. People who dare to challenge the conventional wisdom and try to find a better way for doing something, even with the odds against them and the Powers That Be saying it won’t work. In this case, I’m…
catalpaforest story part 1
catalpaforest story part 1 near the wisconsin farm we lived onwe kids at exploratory age followedthe crick discovered upstream a groveof trees planted incongruously in rowsstrange trees catalpa trees we named it the catalpa forest played there for years town kids biked out for mud fights in the stream we choked on smoke from the…
The Muppets, a charming trip down memory lane
Jason Segal has never been shy about his love for Jim Henson’s Muppets. In Forgetting Sarah Marshall, his affinity for this form of puppetry is obvious when he composes and performs a musical rendition of Dracula, populated with Muppet-like characters. It’s an inspired moment and you can tell the actor’s heart is in it. Segal…
Letters to the Editor 12/1/11
STATEHOUSE FUN A recent opinion in a local paper stated that members of the current legislature need to retire. I agree, but the voters have had the ability to retire them long before they make that decision on their own. Much of the fault in government is that the people have trusted these same people time after…
Hugo a plea for film preservation
As advertised, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo appears to be a rollicking adventure about a young Parisian orphan who’s on a quest to uncover a mystery involving his late father and a primitive robot. He also has to stay out of the clutches of a very determined police officer who’s set on taking him to an orphanage.…
Illinois EPA steps up feedlot pollution regulation
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is stepping up regulation of feedlots following complaints from environmental groups to the federal government. Bruce Yurdin, manager of field operations for IEPA’s Division of Water Pollution Control, said the agency has taken several steps over the past year to better track pollution from confined animal feeding operations, known as…
Hazelnut romesco sauce
Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic, used as a dip for raw or grilled vegetables, shrimp or as a condiment for roasted meats. The traditional version calls for dried chiles and almonds and requires more laborious preparation. This different version is lighter, easier to prepare and equally delicious. 1/3 c. roasted hazelnuts, skinned 2 large…
December goodies
I got started on one thing and that led to another and, before you know it, so many cool things were going on now and through the next week I just had to write about as many as I could. Let’s chime in first with another local joining the Kickstarter craze. Last September I used…
Take 10: The year’s best children’s books
In this age of digital technology and toy gadgetry, children may be keener to flip on the TV or shuffle their MP3 player than crack open a book. This holiday season, try reigniting their imagination with the gift of words. Here are some of 2011’s award-winning and honor books for young readers. Moon Over Manifest…
Tackling bush honeysuckle, one plant at a time
More than 180 years ago, a young Abraham Lincoln was working in various capacities at New Salem. One of his duties was splitting wood, such as white and red oaks found on the rolling hills, and walnuts, burr oaks and pecans down in the floodplain. The hard tasks Lincoln undertook slowly switched toward less manual-related…
It’s all good
Somewhere on the spectrum between techno-dazzle (iPad apps for toddlers, anyone?) and fuzzy-wuzzy bears there’s a sweet spot: toys that inspire kids to have fun, stretch their creativity and learn while they play. With a little effort – and some guidance from savvy toy shop owners – any attentive shopper can hit the mark. Toys…
Homemade cocktail sauce
Sure, you can buy cocktail sauce. You can even make it by combining catsup and horseradish. But this homemade version transforms cocktail sauce from a tired old standby into something terrific. 1 tsp. whole cloves 1 tsp. celery seed 1 quart peeled, chopped and drained tomatoes, fresh or canned 2 c. diced red bell peppers…
Holiday lighting illuminated
Every year, holiday lighting manufacturers introduce more varieties of bulbs, strands, colors and accessories. Luckily for the seasonal lighting industry (and those who love cruising the neighborhood, looking at lit-up houses), nobody seems to be willing to forego Christmas lights altogether, no matter their financial woes. Professional decorators say that there’s a trend towards nostalgic,…
Prime chime
Ring in the season with the 19-member handbell ensemble, Bells in Motion. Hear traditional holiday favorites and more during their “Ring Noel” concert Dec. 3 at the First Congregational Church. The professional team combines seven octaves of bronze and aluminum handbells and chimes, string bass, drums and other instruments to provide innovative music in many…
Has Lincoln’s train left the station?
“The Journal paper was always my friend; and of course its editors the same.” —Abraham Lincoln, 1864 What a difference 147 years makes. The Lincoln Depot is scheduled to close to the public, with The State Journal-Register, which owns the building, taking no visible steps to make the landmark accessible to the disabled so that…
Next of Kinn
Once a band, always a band, former members of Next of Kinn could say. The rocking country, old-fashioned funk and classic rock combo recently re-formed to rekindle the magic from when fans voted the group best live band of 2001 for Illinois Times Best of Springfield. Chuck Blankenship (vocals, guitar), Joe Kath (vocals, fiddle, guitar,…
Showcase of style
Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association holds its Holiday Historic Home Tour Sunday, Dec. 4 on the north side. Five homes built from the 1870s to the early 1900s will be decorated in holiday finery and open to guests. The tour benefits the LPNA and Northside Community Children’s Library. Tickets can be purchased at Noonan’s True Value…
St. Pat’s is back on track
On a giant alphabet rug in Rosemarie Bates’ classroom, a gaggle of first- and second-grade children giggle as they clap and over-pronounce words in order to count the syllables. A short walk down the hall, in Barbara Moore’s kindergarten classroom, seven rambunctious children recite the days of the week in unison. Every time their teacher’s…
Revitalize neighborhoods by mobilizing voters
Get ready voters, election season is here again. Door knocking has already begun as candidates for national, state and local offices pass petitions to get their names on the ballot. Critical offices like president and members of Congress and Illinois representatives and senators are on the ballot during next year’s partisan general elections. Crucial local…
Cajeta
Mexican cajeta is, hands down, the most delectable caramel sauce I’ve ever had. Jarred cajeta can be found in the ethnic sections of groceries, but it’s nowhere near as wonderful as this homemade one. I don’t know why the goat milk makes such a difference – perhaps a subtle tanginess – but the sauce doesn’t…
Heart of downtown
Join Mayor Mike Houston, city leaders, Land of Lincoln Chorus and others at the lighting of the downtown holiday tree Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. on the Old Capitol Plaza, Sixth and Adams. The ceremony kicks off the Old Capitol Holiday Walks, evenings in charming downtown offering a winter wonderland of shopping, entertainment, displays, horse-drawn…
Another idea for managing state pension costs
You may have read the stories about how next year’s mandatory state pension payment will rise by a whopping one billion dollars. The new numbers show the state’s total pension payment, with debt service, will be more than $7.4 billion next fiscal year. This year’s pension payment was originally set at $6.4 billion back in…
Lies, damned lies and politics
Perhaps you have read about, if not seen, Mitt Romney’s latest TV campaign ad. Mr. Romney, keep in mind, is the responsible GOP contender, the grown-up in the room, the calm voice on platforms otherwise crowded with gibbering idiots. He also is the candidate who, for those reasons, the GOP rank and file seem loathe…
