Recipes
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A milkshake that’s creamy and healthier
Milkshakes are gloriously frosty, creamy, sweet concoctions made from ice cream, syrups and other empty calorie delights.
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Making the famous Philly
When Luis Rodriguez, 40, and his wife, Theresa, 41, acquired Standing Room Only in November of 2009, neither had tasted the restaurant’s signature dish: the Philly steak sandwich. What’s more, neither had ever tasted any Philly steak sandwich.
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Instead of tossing that pineapple skin, use it on the grill
As I stood at the cutting board slicing slabs of thick skin off a fresh pineapple, a thought occurred to me — the strips of skin were an awful lot like the cedar planks some people use to add flavor to food on the grill. Perhaps they could be used the same way.
Lemon chicken great entree for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is coming up, a great time to cook a nice meal for mom or the other ladies in your life who may or may not be your mom, but hold a dear place in your heart.
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Wake Mom to freshly baked pastries
No matter how much she would appreciate it, and no matter how much you love your mom — or the mother of your children — you aren’t likely to make her croissants from scratch.
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Mom takes the cake
You may not be able to jet Mom off to a tropical island to show your love, but you can at least give her a tropical treat.
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Show Mom your love with these cheesy baked eggs
Mother’s Day is, of course, the day you serve the hardworking mother in your life a delicious breakfast in bed. And these baked eggs are a fantastic — and easy — way to do that.
Homemade iced coffee is a money-saving refresher
Question: My daughter is addicted to fancy mocha iced coffee but is spending nearly $4 a day on the habit. I have tried to come up with a homemade version but she says mine are watery. Can you help?
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Real fruit adds flavor, keeps things light for these Cinco de May cocktails
It’s easy to love a great cocktail. Until you look at the numbers.
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A grilled steak with bold flavor and cooling salsa
The more time the sirloin tips bathe in this recipe’s punchy marinade of lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and garlic, the better. So while we call for marinating the meat for about two hours, don’t hesitate to toss them in as you head out to work in the morning. You’ll be rewarded when you get home and crank up the grill.
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Sweet and heat combine in Cinco de Mayo cake
A bit of heat and a lot of sweet make this mango-topped chocolate honey cake a fine choice for celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
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A light touch makes most of spring veggies
To make the most of tender spring vegetables, it’s important to use a gentle touch at the stove.
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Something for summer
The Lakeside Restaurant, located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, treats diners to an expansive view of the sandy lakefront beaches at the Illinois Beach State Park. Lakeside is located inside the Illinois Beach Resort & Conference Center in Zion, Ill. Built in the late 1950s, the resort was formerly a Holiday Inn, received a make-over in 1997 and then re-opened with it’s current name. The resort is a favorite destination for wedding receptions.
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Bundt coffee cake to give to Mom on her special day
The first thing I ever picked out to bake with my mother was a lemon blueberry Bundt cake. I’d seen an ad for the cake — complete with lemon-yellow icing — and thought it was the most sophisticated, beautiful cake possible.
Cooking in season
I always advise using fruits and vegetables which are in season, when you can. They are fresher and make any dish you make taste that much better.
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Quick dinner: almond-crusted baked chicken breasts
Ground seeds and nuts are a weeknight cook’s dream ingredient.
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Fusion of flavors
With a mix of traditional dishes from different states in Mexico and influences from other cultures, Jose’s Blue Sombrero is a Mexican restaurant with a twist.
An easier way to mac ’n’ cheese
A good macaroni and cheese takes time. At least one that doesn’t come out of a box.
Clementine salad is given an Asian edge
A clementine salad is a perfect way to highlight those sweet little mandarin oranges.
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Chocolate eggs need crunchy chocolate nests
You’ll have no trouble enticing the kids to get involved in this easy and tasty part of Easter dinner prep.
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For Easter, enjoy this creamy ‘quiche’ you can feel good about
Quiche often graces the table of Easter brunches, but everything that’s good about quiche happens to be what’s not good for us. It’s rich. It’s creamy. It’s filled with cheese. And then there is the buttery crust. So we decided to do a little remake.
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Mashed carrots are kid-approved
Not sure why this recipe never occurred to me before. After all, I live on the front lines of the battle to get kids (in particular, my own) to eat vegetables.
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No tortillas needed in these easy wraps with kick
Gluten-free and lower-carb wasn’t the goal, but that’s what I got.
A healthy vegetable casserole fit for Passover
Get your Passover Seder off to a healthy start with a flavorful root vegetable casserole.
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Something special at Springwood
Nafi Kalan learned the restaurant trade in Turkey and brought his skills to Kenosha, where he worked at restaurants and saved his money until he could open his own place.
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Green daze
Those with Irish blood look ahead to March 17 as a holiday. On holidays you’ll likely see special foods, a choice of drink and specialty desserts.
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An Irish stew that isn’t afraid of a little flavor
If you’re a purist, Irish stew is one of the easiest dishes to make for St. Patrick’s Day.
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A signature of KenoshaA signature of Kenosha
Stella’s Casa Capri Italian restaurant has been a cornerstone of business in Kenosha for 58 years. Casa Capri was started by Louis Stella, 92, and his wife Rose in 1954. The restaurant’s menu is based on the recipes of Louise Stella, Louis’s mother. These days, Casa Capri is operated by Louis Stella’s son, Lewis “Butch” Stella, 65, with grandchildren Louis “Hondo” Stella, 40, and his sister, Anna Beth, 37.
A quick dinner will make you feel like a star
Come Oscar night, chances are good that the only red carpet you’re likely to see is shag.
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A set-it-and-forget-it weeknight pasta dish
When it comes to weeknight dinners, sometimes the shortest route is the long way around.
Breakfast bar a good way to start the day
What’s a breakfast bar? In this case, it’s a fruity bar that’s softer than a granola bar, and not as sweet as many bar cookies.
Making it bloody good
Molotov had his cocktail; I have mine — a fiery Bloody Mary, three parts tomato juice, one part vodka. Crumble in bits of crispy bacon, add a splash or two of horseradish and hot sauce for extra tingle.
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Try some Swedish meatballs with a lighter side
Swedish meatballs are such a retro potluck throwback, they are simply rolling in ironic hipness.
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Recipe puts Irish twist on Wisconsin dessert staple
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. In the past, we’ve talked about some of the more traditional fare for the holiday, including corned beef, potatoes and soda bread. This year, I’d like to feature an Irish touch on the Wisconsin dessert staple: cheesecake.
Sweet taste of New Orleans: warm beignets
It may look like a doughnut. It may be filled or glazed like a doughnut. It may even be cooked like a doughnut. But don’t call it a doughnut.
Shoot for the moon
We’re in February, the month of love, chocolate and spending a little extra time and money on your sweetie pie.
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You catch, they cook
When Jim Matzur was a a child, he and his friends played in a small building near the Kenosha Harbor that they nicknamed the boathouse. He could not have imagined that this would become the namesake for his restaurant: the Boat House Pub & Eatery.
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A hot pink drink to set the Valentine’s Day mood
This Valentine’s Day cocktail sports a risque name, is easy on the eyes and drinks like candy.
Your loved one will love a Chocolate Mango Mousse
Valentine’s Day practically screams for a chocolate dessert. And this mousse is an easy way to incorporate chocolate without being overly indulgent.
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Super bowls
You’ve got a television, some football-loving friends and a plan to watch the Super Bowl together. Now all you need is great party food.
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Smooth movesSmooth moves
The seed was planted for Casey Jaronik, owner of Ambrosia Juice Co., years ago when she was just a child. Jaronik’s father, Ed, would “take what was in the fridge and juice it up.” In October 2011, that seed blossomed for the 34-year-old from Beach Park, Ill., when she opened the juice and smoothie shoppe, located at 9901 77th St., in Pleasant Prairie.
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Simple ingredients can create sensational pasta
When you select the right ingredients, it doesn’t take many of them to create a fantastic dinner. Nor much time.
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Cupcakes for the dudes in your life
These are not your girlfriend’s cupcakes. There is no frilly pastel frosting piped on top. They are not delicate. They are not pretty.
Chinese New Year begins with a culinary wish for a long life
Eating long beans to symbolize a long life is a hallmark of Chinese New Year.
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Winter demands the warm comfort of mac and cheese
In this grown-up version of macaroni and cheese we take a trip to Italy. Sort of.
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Producing a rich, meaty chili via canned pumpkin
Pumpkin chili? Sounds like some sort of cultural confusion, right?
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A pork stew that is both hearty and healthy
It’s winter. It’s cold. You want something hearty. But you’re also trying to eat better and don’t want to ruin your diet by diving into a cream-laden casserole.
Kale proves to be versatile, nutritious addition to many recipes
Kale as an ingredient in recipes has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Because it can stand up to baking, sautéing and being used in soups, it provides a great, vitamin-packed ingredient for a number of dishes.
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Make your own marshmallows for a sweet winter treat
Toasting marshmallows sounds so Fourth of July, doesn’t it? You can practically hear the bug zapper keeping time with the fireworks in air perfumed by Coppertone, your mother’s Parliament 100s and way too many beers. Really, though, marshmallow toasting can be a year-round sport, with winter reserved for the truly serious.
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Perfectly scrambled
A few local chefs laughed when we told them we were doing a story about how to not screw up scrambled eggs.
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Roasting a simple technique for transforming cauliflower
Roasting has the power to transform just about any food, but this effortless cooking technique is most dramatic when applied to winter vegetables.
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West Coast style in Wisconsin
San Francisco Grill has been open for three years at the location many may recall as the old Ground Round on Washington Avenue in Racine.
Chicken pot pie reimagined as a party appetizer
It’s chicken pot pie, only smaller, easier, faster and more party-friendly.
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Guilt-free celebrations with alcohol-free sangria
Like so many people, I use the start of the new year to assess my life and zero in on all the things I want to change. For 2012, I want to focus on being healthier, continue exercising, maintain a healthy weight, and spend more time with family and friends.
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Try this fresh take on the (tired) meatball appetizer
Meatballs are a great holiday entertaining food. They are homey, well-loved and easy to do ahead of time.
Added to the menu about 6 years ago by popular request, the Antipasto salad, which used to only be served as a buffet during banquets, has become the second most popular item on the menu, right behind the pizza.
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A beautiful frosted cake fit for Christmas dinner
When we started dreaming up ideas for holiday cakes, we knew we wanted three things — warm spices, sweet-tart fruit and a moist crumb.
A chili dog designed for chilliest time of year
Chili dogs generally are considered summer food.
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Cinnamon bun bread pudding is icing on the cake this season
As though the candy canes on the tree and the presents under it aren’t enough, here’s an excuse to have an even sweeter start to Christmas.
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Stovetop ham helps keep the oven free for pies
When there are so many things that need to get in the oven for your holiday dinner, why not do most of the main dish on the stovetop?
German chocolate cake re-imagined as a cookie
A purely American invention, German chocolate cake starts with a sweet chocolate cake, then is filled with a caramel-coconut-pecan concoction.
Savory crust yields another option for holiday leftovers
Thanksgiving’s already here, and food plans for the day have begun for many. This month, we’ll focus on how to prepare some food before the day begins — and afterwards, as well.
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Have it Manny’s Way
Every restaurant wants customers, but at Manny’s Snack Shack in Twin Lakes, the customers want “Manny’s Way” seven days a week.
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A no-bake holiday treat perfect for gift giving
Salty and sweet. Savory and rich. It’s the treat for chocolate fans who think they’ve tried it all.
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Let them eat cake pops!
Professional bakers often level the tops off cakes, or trim them into shapes, leaving useless hunks of cake behind. Now, those cake leftovers are being recycled into cake pops — cake that’s been mashed with frosting, stuck on a lollipop stick, and dipped into frosting-like candy coating.
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A healthy version of chicken cordon bleu
When it comes to finding ways to reduce fat and calories, I favor reinventing a classic recipe rather starting from scratch.
Below is a corrected recipe of the one that was published last week from the owners of Fuell.
Wild Rice Soup
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Sip some blood-inspired cocktails this Halloween
Gore is more when it comes to Halloween cocktails.
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A delicious pumpkin pie you can drink
Why should Thanksgiving have all the fun? Let Halloween in on the pumpkin pie action by turning the classic autumnal dessert into a punch.
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‘Food is meant to be shared’
The aroma of freshly-baked blueberry yogurt muffins wafts through the Circa Celeste Cafe in downtown Racine and a visitor thinks, “Hey, I could eat again.”
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Busy, chilly nights call for quick bowl of soup
Needing a warming bowl of chicken soup and having the time you need to make it too often don’t coincide.
Veggie burger that’s true to form
The problem with many veggie burgers is that they try too hard to be hamburgers.
Simply the best apple pie you will try this season
There are plenty of fancy variations of apple pie, but sometimes you just need an all-American classic. And so we created this simple, and simply delicious recipe.
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Bake your own crusty bread
Don’t be intimidated by those beautiful and delicious crusty breads that call to you from the bakery.
Fall pies can have a savory side, too
Though apple pies tend to dominate this time of year, on chilly nights it’s nice to remember that pie can have a savory side, too.
Fruit bread recipe can be eaten at any meal of the day
Autumn generates a host of cooking ideas and recipes. Last month, we talked a little bit about how to properly freeze the extra produce bounty you get this time of year. Today, we’re going to cover a few recipes that you’re sure to go bananas over.
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Spicing up apple season in a savory sort of way
This time of year, my son would gladly eat nothing but applesauce. Especially if he got to pick the apples that went into it.
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Ode to oatmeal cookies
BALTIMORE — Lumpy, bumpy and hopelessly old-fashioned, the oatmeal cookie lacks any semblance of foodie cred. Panache? Style? Decadence? Oatmeal cookies have none of that.
