Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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One of my favorite TikTok creators eats his way through the Iowa State Fair. For the past three years, this Iowegian visits nearly every food stand on the fairgrounds, highlights a certain food or special drink, samples it while the camera runs and rates each food, giving it a specific number of corndogs on a 10-corndog scale. He’s taste-tested apple bacon waffles, dill pickle sno-cones, alligator corndogs, lamb Philly cheese steaks, pork picnic in a cup (pulled pork, baked beans, Fritos and c...
Coming to a TV or social media channel soon: “How To Survive Cooking With Your Spouse.” You no doubt think I’m joking, but Scott and I have talked about it for years. It might not be like the Food Network’s “Down Home With the Neelys” or “Extra Virgin” on the Cooking Channel. No, not at all like these examples. Obviously, we joke about it, too. I’m afraid our cooking adventures would include some old-fashioned ribbing, a few unappreciative glares, a stolen kiss or two and multiple instance...
Chili. Just one little word that causes so much controversy. And no, I'm not talking about the whole "beans-or-no-beans" debate that seems to pit Texas chili purists against the rest of the world. I'm talking about the chili and cinnamon roll combo that so many of us remember from our school lunch days. In 2020, as were all sheltering in place and more of us were cooking at home than we had in years, I was invited to join a Facebook group that focused on "Eating through the pandemic." It was...
While there is no debate as to WHO created the original chocolate chip cookie, there is some "controversy" as to HOW this classic cookie came to be. According to a story on nestle.com: "It all started back in 1938. Ruth Wakefield, who ran the successful Toll House restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts, was mixing a batch of cookies when she decided to add broken pieces of Nestlé Semi-Sweet chocolate into the recipe expecting the chocolate to melt. Instead, the semi-sweet bits held their shape...
It's hot. You're hot. And you want a cool treat to cool off. Preferably something that just came out of the freezer. Sure you can go to the grocery store and buy all sorts of frozen goodies: Ice cream sandwiches and bars, popsicles and a variety of novelty treats. But why not get a little creative and make your own? And some of these recipes are easy enough for kids to do on their own. Let's start with the classic ice cream sandwich and a recipe from Alison Ladman. "The classic combination of...
Remember when pasta was pretty much spaghetti and elbow macaroni? Now we have rigatoni and bow-tie and cavatelli and manicotti and fettuccine and paccheri and ... well you get the idea. One website I found listed 35 types of Italian pasta. There are long pastas and short pastas and stretched pastas and filled pastas and soup pastas. And that's just from Italy. So. Much. To. Know. But for the purposes of this column, let's go back to the basics: Dried or fresh? Do you use cooked or uncooked...
I know I've mentioned this in previous columns, but popcorn is one of my favorite snack foods. I bet it's one of yours as well. And our love of popcorn is just one of the reasons there is a lot to celebrate in the New Year including National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19) and the Chinese New Year (Jan, 22). It's hard to believe a snack food that tastes so good can actually be good for you, but it's true. Popcorn is a whole grain that is 100% unprocessed with no additional additives, hidden ingredients...
For years, I was all about Christmas cookies. Over the course of several days, I'd bake like 18 dozen of six or seven kinds of cookies. I'd make trays to share with friends and coworkers. I'd try new recipes, adding to the basic repertoire every year. It was always fun. And then something happened. I lost my Christmas spirit and with it, my desire to bake Christmas cookies. But recently, I decided enough was enough and I dug out the recipe box and whipped up several batches of old favorites....
Having guests for Thanksgiving dinner is great. Having treasured friends and family stick around for a couple of extra days is even better. But guests have to eat and you just spent a week (or more!) preparing that big holiday meal and you're simply "cooked out." Sure, leftovers will work for a meal or two, but eventually you're going to have to prepare something else. And don't forget that big football game coming up on Friday afternoon, with even more games on TV over the weekend. That adds...
Nick Herringer claps along with a metronome. He draws lines on a big screen, repeating patterns drawn by the computer. He identifies icons of cars when they flash before his eyes. This is the 22-year-old's speech and cognitive therapy, which he has been doing at least twice a week. Every week. For three years. Nick's thick brown hair hides a massive, ear-to-ear scar from his four brain surgeries for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer he has battled since he was a teenager. His mom, Tammy Herringer, drives Nick to therapy and back. She...
It's no secret that grocery prices are on the rise. A trip to the grocery store is going to cost you more than it did a year ago. I'm not going to delve into the "whys" because, to be honest, I didn't do that well in my college economics class years ago, and I still don't really understand how it all works. Besides there are plenty of other places for you to find that info. I just want to help you find a way to continue to feed you and your family healthy foods, without having to raid the kids'...
Many years ago (the exact number will remain a mystery), the very first food section I put together for the daily newspaper I was working for was all about strawberries. It was just about this time of year as May is National Strawberry Month, and I wanted to highlight one of my favorite berries. While a lot has changed over those years, one thing hasn't: I still love strawberries. Standing alone as the only fruit to wear its seeds on the outside, strawberries are loaded with nutrients. According...
Need something quick to make and easy to transport to a family gathering, picnic or potluck? Dessert bars are the answer. They can be made ahead of time. They require no utensils to eat. Unlike cookies, they don’t need to be portioned, scooped out onto a pan and then baked in batches. They can be transported in the pan you bake them in. And they can be any flavor your want: Chocolate. Caramel. Blueberry. Pecan. Even marshmallow. Get creative and have fun. The mild heat and berry undertones of g...
I’m not sure who first said, “Don’t work hard just for recognition. Work hard for your own inner satisfaction and to better yourself.” The quote is spot on, especially right now. Since starting a writing business in the 90s, I’ve analyzed and reviewed work from the previous year. It’s a way to see your writing range, chart growth, determine if your style has or has not adapted. Basically, it is a measuring stick to set realistic goals and develop new ideas. As a freelancer, I could submit work t...
If I had been locked in a cave over the past few days with only Words With Friends on my phone to keep me occupied, I still would have known it was the New Year's holiday weekend. Even without my calendar app, Facebook or the Internet (except for the WWF connection), I would have known it was Jan. 1, 2022. How? Because all of a sudden every other ad that popped up between games was for NutriSystem or Weight Watchers. Marie Osmond and Oprah were working overtime. Because with the New Year comes...
Last year I wrote a Christmas cookie article featuring some of my favorite holiday cookies I've made over the years. If you tried any of the recipes I hope you enjoyed them. This year I'm sharing recipes I found while going through my mom's recipe box. Some are clipped from newspapers or magazines. Others came from the coupon supplements found in the Sunday paper. A couple are on the packaging from the original product. What they do have in common is they all include chocolate in one form or...
I don't know about you, but I missed holiday parties last year. And even though it's still smart to be careful, getting together with family and friends is something we all treasure. Holiday appetizers have always been one of my favorite things to prepare. I love looking through cookbooks and recipe files, looking for just the perfect tasty tidbit to take to a party. But before we get to the menu, let's first set the scene. Decide on a theme or an anchor activity - gingerbread decorating,...
It's no secret I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie. Especially pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream. I know for some folks confessing I don't like pumpkin pie is practically criminal, but it is what it is. It's not that I hate pumpkin pie, it's just not my first choice. If I have one piece a year (hold the whipped cream, please), I'm good. When it comes to holiday desserts, there are other choices for me. And I don't dislike pumpkin in general (but don't get me started on pumpkin spice!). Several...
Admit it. Every time you open the refrigerator door, you hope and pray the jumbled mess of Rubbermaid containers filled with last week’s leftovers, cups of yogurt and not-completely-zipped Ziploc bags full of grapes don’t tumble into a mess on the kitchen floor. It’s okay. You can also admit when opening said door, you pray the 87 jars of partially-used condiments - the ones you know you’ll never empty - don’t shatter on the tile floor you finished mopping 10 minutes ago. Been there. Done that...
Pairing pears - Pears are good in salads, where they partner well with greens, especially the bitter ones, and be sure toss in a few nuts and goat cheese for creaminess. Try slices of pear with leaves of prosciutto for an appetizer, and pair them with blue-vein cheeses and nuts on a cheese platter. Surprise guests with sautéed pears as a garnish for grilled or fatty meats such as pork and duck. - Seasonal dessert menus welcome pears, too. Poach them in red wine, then serve with their reduced...
As summer draws to a close (where did it go?), so does the peak season for stone fruit. Stone fruits are a classification of fruits also know as drupes: They have a thin skin and a "stone" in the center, which contains the seed. They're in season starting in early spring and continue though early fall. Peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and cherries are all in vogue and ready for plucking and eating. Named for their pits that are hard as stone, the fruits have a fleshy, edible outer layer...
I don't know about you, but every year when back-to-school time rolls around, I look back and wonder just what happened to summer. It seems like Memorial Day was last week and the Fourth of July was yesterday, but yet here it is: The first day of school is looming right around the corner. And with school starting soon, it's time to think about what all those hungry kids are going to eat when they get home from school. "Healthy snacks can help children get the nutrients they need after a long day...
It's not hard to see why food on a stick is so popular at fairs around the country, including county fairs that are in full swing in the area and our very own Nebraska State Fair which opens later this month in Grand Island. The portability factor makes these foods easy to hang onto and easy to eat while strolling the fairgrounds in search of the best exhibit or midway ride. But the shear variety of foods that can be put on a stick boggles the mind. Who would have thought you could put a...
Taste of Home; www.tasteofhome.com Cinnamon Chocolate Sundaes: Kids will enjoy this tempting ice cream topping because it hardens on the ice cream as it stands. Store-bought sauces just can't compare to this homemade concoction. Cinnamon Chocolate Sundaes Any way you top it: Ice cream the ultimate summer treat Is there anyone you know who doesn't like ice cream? Sure we all that one person who says their favorite flavor is vanilla (seriously?), but is there really someone out there who doesn't l...
It's BLT season and I couldn't be happier By Terri Hahn Friday, June 18, was marked on my calendar for weeks. I was literally counting down the days. The anticipation grew. So what important event was happening on the day? Not a birthday. Not an anniversary. Not the day I would inherit a lot of money. It was the day my favorite area produce stand opened for the summer. And that means it's BLT season. Because we all know that tomatoes are the most important ingredient in BLTs. Bacon, lettuce, may...
