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A Pretty Pickle: How to Pickle Grapes

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The Maine Event: Seaside Lobster Mac and Cheese

Summer for the Mast clan this year included a rare vacation. As us kids are slowly moving further and further from our hometown of Goshen, Indiana (think Houston, Fargo, and for me, South Korea later ...

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Cast Iron: Your Must-Have Camping Cookware

Taking a camping trip is something my husband and I have always wanted to do with our kids. We told ourselves that as soon as our little ones got a bit older and more independent we would take the ...

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Need Help Planning the Perfect Picnic?

We have so many opportunities to enjoy meals outdoors here in Chicago, from concerts at Ravinia and Millennium Park to Movies in the Parks to simply finding a quiet spot along our beautiful lakefront.

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Today Was a Blondie Day

Have you ever woken up in the morning and asked yourself, ‘What’s the best thing I’m going to do today?’ On a good day, the best thing I usually do is brush my hair or make sure my dog goes outside. ...

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How I Learned to Love Mustard

I was a very plain child growing up. My tastes were simple and modest. I did not like jelly on my peanut butter sandwiches. I only liked vanilla ice cream. And Cheerios were my go to cereal. I wasn’t ...

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Make Space for Others: At the Heart of Hosting

After every meal at The Chopping Block when entree plates are cleared and dessert is dished, I can hear the intervals of conversation between family or friends and sometimes perfect strangers who ...

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The Perfect Recipe for Picnic Fare under the Stars

Some friends and I recently went to a free concert at Chicago’s beautiful Millennium Park. The forecast was for a gorgeous night with great picnicking weather! It was a perfect night for laying down ...

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Gone Fishing: How to Grill and Fry Fish

When I was a little girl, my father would often take my siblings and I fishing during the summer. We usually would go to my Uncle Paul’s pond in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Uncle Paul had a catfish bait ...

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Back to School: Clean Eating Edition

I’ve always been a total learning junkie. Even back in the day I was a Class A nerd, taking classes like Etymology and Philosophy in addition to my usual high school course load. I’ve continued my ...

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