Happy in the middle, if only there were snow and slow-cooked ribs
Illinois is in the middle in more ways than one: Did you know Illinois is ranked 17th in the country for love and consumption of that holiday classic, the green bean casserole?
It's true, according to the 2015 Del Monte Green Bean Index. Seems 39 percent of Illinoisans in the survey said they expected to eat the side at Thanksgiving.
According to the survey, some 30 million green-bean casseroles appeared on Thanksgiving tables last week.
To conduct this study, Del Monte - grower and distributor of green beans and many other vegetables - asked 3,000 Americans to "go green bean" and rate whether they planned to eat the classic green bean casserole side dish this Thanksgiving.
Just so you know, Louisiana ranked first with 60 percent of those surveyed expecting to eat green bean casserole this Thanksgiving. Hawaii came in 50th at 17 percent.
OK Illinois, let's see if we can bump up those numbers for Christmas and New Year's.
If the weather would cooperate, I could get on with my favorite form of multitasking - doing something fun outside in the snow while cooking a real, from-scratch dinner at home in my slow cooker.
I realize I can use a slow cooker any time, but I like the idea of something hot and wafting a warm, delectable aroma through my house waiting for me after I've been out in the cold.
You can read about holiday multitasking in Jamie Sotonoff's feature about Skokie-based chef Laura Frankel's updated cookbook "Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes." She recommends letting the slow cooker work on the main course such as short ribs, brisket or Coq au Vin while making the time-consuming holiday latkes by hand. That's one way to ease the stress of entertaining.
I can't wait to try Frankel's Garlicky Pot Roast. Reading the recipe has me dreaming of treks through the snow. For me, nothing beats a day of snowshoeing or skiing and returning to a home-cooked meal.
Martinis anyone?: Our Daily Herald "Best Martini in the 'Burbs" voting is about to wrap up. You can vote for your favorite restaurant martini at http://events.dailyherald.com/martini-mix-off/. After the votes are in, the top 12 martinis and bartenders will go on to our live mix-off from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 14, at the Drink Nightclub in Schaumburg.
At the live event, you can sample competing martinis from area bars and restaurants while you watch the suburbs' top bartenders compete live to make the Best Martini in the 'Burbs!
Tickets cost $15 and include a drink ticket, martini samples and appetizers.
Calling young chefs: "MasterChef Junior" on Fox will be casting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Doubletree Chicago Magnificent Mile, 300 E. Ohio St., Chicago, for an upcoming season. Children ages 8 to 13 compete for a scholarship and MasterChef Junior title. This is for kids who like to cook or just love being in the kitchen. It's really for all skill levels. For an application and audition details, visit http://www.fox.com/masterchef-junior.
Gifts do double-duty: Handcrafted and delicious describe my favorite kind of present. If you're into making your own gifts for the holidays why not try celebrated pâtissier Francois Payard's newest books and at-home macaron kits, which take the mystery out of at-home macaron-making so anyone can enjoy them.
Makecaron ($22 at payard.com) takes the guesswork out of making the classic Parisian cookies by providing 40 perfectly baked, delicate cookie shells that serve as a palate for whatever flavor of macaron you might desire. Whether it's a traditional chocolate ganache or a peanut butter and jelly marshmallow, the possibilities to invent your own are endless.
• Contact Food Editor Susan Stark at sstark@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4586. Be her friend on https://www.facebook.com/susanstark.dailyherald or follow her on Twitter.