Articles filed under Cook of the Week

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  Cook of the Week: Young baker knows way to family's heartMay 21, 2013 12:00 AM
  At 16, Danaca Fiedler of Arlington Heights is already a seasoned baker, crafting treats for her parents and five siblings on a near weekly basis. "What really inspires me is thinking of what friends and family will love," Danaca says. "When I'm baking, I always want it to be for my family and friends and hope they will like it."
  

   
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  Father and son inspire each other in the kitchenMay 7, 2013 12:00 AM
  Dan Kurnick, of Hoffman Estates, has been helping his dad in the kitchen ever since he was tall enough to reach the cutting board. "My dad has taught me everything I know about cooking," says Dan. "I've always liked watching Dad cook. I've always been eager to learn. His dishes are fantastic and I'm one who likes to eat."
  

   
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  Experienced cook pens book to help younger generationsApr 30, 2013 12:00 AM
  In 50 years of cooking for her husband and family, Elgin's Martha Klemenz has learned a thing or two. She has culled her kitchen experience into a cookbook she hopes will help younger folks get comfortable in the kitchen. “I knew nothing about cooking, was faced with a husband who thought that I could cook and I struggled mightily to succeed in the kitchen with the help of mediocre and ineffective cookbooks,” said Martha.
  

   
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  Late bloomer enjoying her time in the kitchenApr 23, 2013 12:00 AM
  For a long time, no one would ever let Yadira Soter cook. Growing up in Mexico City, all the moms — her grandmother, aunts and mother — did the cooking. And when she came to the U.S. 18 years ago and got married, her husband did the cooking for an entire year. Then one day her husband's best friend, an Italian chef, asked her if she would like to help him cook. She said yes. Now, cooking is Yadira's passion.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Picky eater learns to branch outApr 16, 2013 12:00 AM
  Nick Ninedorf admits he was a picky eater growing up. "My parents struggled to get me to eat anything other than macaroni and cheese and hot dogs," he admits. But working in a restaurant in college changed his outlook on food. Nick says while watching the chefs, he learned to mimic their recipes and discovered that how you pair ingredients can create wonderful meals at home.
  

   
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  Slow cookers help busy mom get dinner on the table Apr 9, 2013 12:00 AM
  According to Cheryl Moeller, teenagers, left to their own devices. would eat Lou Malnati's pizza every night. That's why this mother of six likes to stay one step ahead of her kids and have dinner ready and smelling good when they get home. In fact, Cheryl often does have her dinner prepared and "in the oven" first thing in the morning, with the aid of not one, but two slow cookers.
  

   
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  Naperville dad's truffles nothing to trifle withApr 2, 2013 12:00 AM
  Tim Sullivan admits he wasn't savvy in the kitchen when it came to desserts. "For me, making dessert is getting a couple scoops of ice cream with chocolate syrup on it," the Naperville dad said. So imagine the surprise when a chocolate truffle Tim created won the dessert category of a fundraising competition not once, but two years in a row.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Feeding family, friends in her natureMar 26, 2013 12:00 AM
  Growing up Italian means spending lots of time in the kitchen, and in Angie Gergen's case, this meant seeing her parents cooking together. "They would say 'Just watch us,' and that's how we learned," says Angie, of Hoffman Estates. "I never saw my mother or father measure anything."
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Italian upbringing, adventurous spirit fuels Elgin cookMar 19, 2013 12:00 AM
  Judy Annis remembers traveling to her grandparent's house for Sunday dinner and watching her mom and grandma cook It was a little difficult at first to find out from her mom how to replicate the Italian dishes. "She was the type of cook who would say you eyeball it. No recipes were ever written down in an Italian family. You put this and that together and voila! There it is," the Elgin mom said.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Lassies who lunchMar 12, 2013 12:00 AM
  For Margaret Mary Eklund St. Patrick's Day is not green beer. The Crystal Lake cook invites family and friends to join her for a gals-only party she calls Lassie Day where she serves Irish soda bread and other foods from the Emerald Isle.
  

   
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  Cook revels in Chinese traditions, setting the mood when entertaining Mar 5, 2013 12:00 AM
  Dr. Karen Eng was born in Chicago's Chinatown. Now living in Barrington with her husband and daughter she still embraces the month-long Chinese New Year celebrations. “We still try to keep the traditions,” Karen says. “We clean the house very well and make sure everything is filled. The idea is to know you have enough food to get through the year.”
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Feeding family, friends all in a day's work Feb 26, 2013 12:00 AM
  As a young mom, Nancy Annino relied on processed and often frozen meals to feed her sons, Dustin and Daniel. After remarrying 12 years ago, Nancy discovered cooking doesn't have to take as long as she once thought. Her husband, George, helped show her that with planning, she could create meals family and friends would rave about.
  

   
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  Naperville mom becoming more adventurous in kitchen Feb 19, 2013 12:00 AM
  Don't expect to see Terri Edmunds and her family at the local pizza parlor or chain family restaurant any time soon. Her husband says he and their two kids are so spoiled by her homecooking that going out to eat is a let down. Terri shares a few recipes and her tips for getting dinner on the table every night.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Teacher shares recipes from Mexican upbringingFeb 12, 2013 12:00 AM
  Twenty-three years ago, Catalina Aragon, a young kindergarten teacher from a small town outside of Mexico City, came to the United States to visit and then stayed. Catalina, who now lives in Palatine, is a bilingual teacher's assistant. She is known in the school for her warm smile and for being a tremendous cook. "If I had money I'd open a restaurant for her," says one co-worker, "her guacamole is the best in the world."
  

   
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  Culinary creativity started young Feb 6, 2013 12:00 AM
  As a teenager, Leslie Abbey dreamed of opening her own restaurant. Over the summer while her mother worked, she would plan a restaurant menu, invite friends over, be waitress and cook and serve them meals she prepared. While Leslie was proud of her creativity, her mom was not as thrilled. "She would come home from work and exclaim, 'You kids are eating us out of house and home! Where is all the food going?' "
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Summer, fall harvest enjoyed year-round Jan 29, 2013 12:00 AM
  Despite the fact that temperatures have plunged and the world is encased in ice, Rose Allen still enjoys the benefits of her summer garden. "It's a joy for me to grow my own veggies. You don't need a lot of space," the Hoffman Estates woman says. "This year I grew collard greens, kale, broccoli, tomatoes and peppers. When I grow them, I know what I'm getting. Of course I don't use pesticides."
  

   
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  Arlington Heights dad designs barbecues, barbecue rubJan 22, 2013 12:00 AM
  His four kids keep Ethan Danstrom pretty active during the day, so when it comes to cooking the Arlington Heights dad like to go low and slow. In the summer you'll find him cooking ribs on a grill he designed, while in winter he gets cozy with his sous vide cooker.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Mother/son duo dynamic in the kitchenJan 15, 2013 12:00 AM
  Andrew Ledet has been cooking his whole life, even mixing up his own formula, his mom, Diane, quips. The two passionate cooks have learned to navigate a tiny Elk Grove Village kitchen as they create meals together for family and friends.
  

   
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  Cook of the Week: Fearless and fun in the kitchen Jan 8, 2013 12:00 AM
  Cook of the Week Nick Brenkus claims he is not afraid to try anything. From making pastas and poppy seed and nut rolls inspired by his mom to producing wine from his own vineyard and entering a deconstructed hot dog in a recipe contest, Nick is fearless in his West Dundee kitchen. He doesn't miss an opportunity to bake up an authentic Italian pizza for friends or stuff a beef tenderloin with cheese and pine nuts.
  

   
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  Twentysomething an old pro in the kitchen Jan 1, 2013 12:00 AM
  Danae Chatel doesn't know how it happened. "I just got bit by the baking bug! Now that I'm old, I put on an apron and things went crazy! I got all domestic and I'm running with it!" she says with a chuckle. (The Hoffman Estates woman just turned 25.) Danae shares recipes for decorated sugar cookies, lemon bars and a chocolatey pecan pie.