Franklin Park Herald-Journal

A Spanish delight

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:58:24 -0500

My husband had the good fortune of hosting Luis, a Spanish exchange student, during high school, and his family had the good sense to preserve their relationship for decades. As a result, I found myself in the kitchen years ago with Luis’s mother, Carmen Lucy. Clad in an American flag apron, she taught me how to make Tortilla Española; working together we sliced potatoes and simmered them gently in olive oil. While I had never cooked anything in such copious amounts of oil, I was delighted to discover the resulting dish is not at all greasy. Ever since Carmen Lucy …

Create a healthier home this spring

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:08:01 -0500

It’s time to open your windows, air out the house and get started on some spring cleaning. While most people dread cleaning their house and getting rid of things, it’s a great time to take inventory of what you truly need and can live without. Cleaning out your home can also help improve your health when you get rid of dust piles and clutter. Check out these tips from USA.gov to help you get started: Mold can grow easily in places you use every day, such as the sink, bath tub, heater or AC unit. It’s important to stay on …

Dealing with stress; helpful resources

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:08:15 -0500

It’s easy to let the little stresses of life pile up and overwhelm you all at once. With so many ongoing activities and events at work and at home, it’s easy to feel anxiety build up — usually at the worst moment. USA.gov can help put things in perspective with these helpful resources: Constantly being on the go can be an added stress to an already busy day. The National Center for Telehealth and Technology has a free app, Breathe2Relax, available on androids and iPhones. The app includes instructions and practice exercises to help you conquer stress management. Breathing exercises …

New book brings top chefs’ food to any table

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:31 -0500

Plenty of folks would shy away from coaxing even just one recipe out of their favorite restaurant chef, but Chicago food writer Amelia Levin collected 59 such recipes for her first cookbook, Chicago Chef’s Table (Lyon’s Press, 2012). “I started by reaching out to as many chefs as I could, assuming that not everyone would be able or would want to contribute. But actually, most did,” Levin explained. In her kitchen in Chicago, the Highland Park native edited each recipe, ensuring the order of ingredients matched the instructions. In some cases, measurements had to be changed. “Restaurants use a lot …

Chef stays true to red, white and blue

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:06:00 -0500

When the American flag flies proudly on days like Memorial Day, Chef John Lane weaves the nation’s favorite color combination into many of the foods he makes. For his Memorial Day weekend menu at The Perfect Dinner in Oak Park, Lane will make plenty of pies and tarts colored by fresh red raspberries, blueberries and white cream cheese mousse. But he’ll also make something more out of the ordinary for the special day: red, white and blue pulled barbecue pork sandwiches. Patriotic eats “Memorial Day is a super American holiday,” Lane said. “Hard-working people are given a chance to relax …

Foods of the 28 NATO countries: Go Hungary

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:04:29 -0500

In the same way I’d hope summit participants will be able to enjoy a Chicago-style hot dog or quintessential Italian beef sandwich while they are in the Windy City, I want to embrace the spirit of NATO in my home kitchen. Here’s how.

Franklin Park and Northlake Community Calendar

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:51:02 -0500

Franklin Park Herald-Journal, with news of Northlake, welcomes items for the Community Calendar, as well as items for Business Briefs, Campus News, Community Briefs, School Digest and Your Page. Items must be received a minimum of 14 days prior to desired publication, but earlier is better. Email items to oakpark@pioneerlocal.com; fax them to (708) 383-3678 or send them by mail to Pioneer Press, Suite 104, 1010 W. Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301. For a complete listing of events go to www.pioneerlocal.com. Benefits Join 2012 Great Strides Walk: to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Registration is at 10:30 a.m.; the …

The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck delivers

Mon, 21 May 2012 18:20:45 -0500

Older adults in suburban Cook County who receive home-delivered meals or have lunch at group dining locations can have potatoes donated to AgeOptions by the Idaho Potato Commission. The potatoes were delivered by The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck in a promotion at Ina’s restaurant in Chicago. The truck, which looks like a giant potato, is crossing the country to raise money and awareness for the Meals on Wheels Association of America, a national organization dedicated to helping end hunger among older adults. Don Odiorne, vice president of food service for the Potato Commission, presented a basket of potatoes and …

Thank Mom with breakfast in bed

Sun, 06 May 2012 10:44:01 -0500

Even in the hands of the most capable chefs, a perfectly balanced dish can be elusive. Sour, bitter, salty and sweet are in constant opposition, but these basic elements of flavor can work in unison to elevate the essence of a dish to new heights. Motherhood is a little like finding the harmony between divergent flavors in a single dish. Children are complicated little creatures and mothers channel their inner chef every day in their attempt to create a sense of balance at home. Children can quickly become bitter, but deft mothers know just how much acid and sweetness are …

Pet of the Week

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:36:00 -0500

Name: Willow Species: Rabbit Color: Black Gender: Female Age: 1-2 years Willow is a sweet little bunny that came to us from a shelter that was over crowded. She is spayed, about 1 to 2 years old and is enjoying all the attention she is getting here from staff and volunteers! She has a beautiful black coat and likes being petted. Willow is a bit on the thin side, but her appetite is good and she now cleans her plate at each meal! She enjoys “free time” out on the floor, playing with toys and munching on fresh veggies. If …

Easy dishes kids can make for moms

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:36:39 -0500

She’s one hot mama. But cookbook author Beth Aldrich thinks all moms are hot moms. The Wilmette-based lifestyles coach believes every mom can stay healthy while enjoying food, and she provides helpful recipes to do so in her new cookbook, Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous (New American Library, 2012). The cookbook was released in January. Two of the featured recipes, No-bake Brownies and Hot Moms Quesadillas, are simple enough for kids to make. “These recipes have very few ingredients and are easy to prepare. They are almost …

Westlake Hospital earns enviornmental awards

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:17:06 -0500

Vanguard Westlake Hospital has been honored with two national awards for environmental excellence. The hospital earned the 2012 “Partner for Change” Award and the 2012 “Making Medicine Mercury-Free” Award from Practice Greenhealth, a national membership organization for health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations. “These awards demonstrate Vanguard Westlake Hospital’s commitment to its community to protect public health and preserve the environment,” said Laura Wenger, registered nurse and executive director of Practice Greenhealth. The Partner for Change Award recognizes health care facilities that “continuously improve and expand upon their mercury elimination, waste reduction and source reduction programs.” At a …

Derby delight fuses with Cinco de Mayo

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:32:02 -0500

For years, I’ve helped dear friends pull together Kentucky Derby-inspired fare for a party celebrating the annual run for the roses. Benedictine tea sandwiches, Henry Bain sauce, Burgoo burgers, and pimento cheese toasts are standard fare at any derby party, but this year’s race — on May 5 — is more than hats and horses. Cinco de Mayo is a day to celebrate all things Mexican in the United States; it is a day when tortas and guacamole and margaritas reign supreme. What is a cook to do? Culinary conundrums can befall the most fearless cooks, but cilantro does not …

Franklin Park and Northlake Community Calendar

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:17:33 -0500

Franklin Park Herald-Journal, with news of Northlake, welcomes items for the Community Calendar, as well as items for Business Briefs, Campus News, Community Briefs, School Digest and Your Page. Items must be received a minimum of 14 days prior to desired publication, but earlier is better. Email items to oakpark@pioneerlocal.com; fax them to (708) 383-3678 or send them by mail to Pioneer Press, Suite 104, 1010 W. Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301. For a complete listing of events go to: www.pioneerlocal.com. Et Cetera Augie’s Car Shows: 6-9 p.m. May 18 at Midas, 2611 N. Mannheim Road, Franklin Park; (847) …

Westlake Hospital earns enviornmental awards

Fri, 04 May 2012 22:36:01 -0500

Pet of the Week

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:17:41 -0500

Name: Finley Species: Dog Breed: Retriever/Mix Color: Red Gender: Male Age: 2 Finley is a medium- to larger-sized dog who is excited about life in general! He’s also a handsome dog with a reddish coat and a black velvet muzzle. Finley doesn’t appear to have had any training in his previous home so an owner who is committed to providing some of that, along with a crate he can call his own, would put Finley directly on the path to success. Finley gets along well with other dogs and would prefer an active home where he can get lots of …