Lifestyle Columns
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A ‘Wild Mile’ in St. Charles? River Corridor Foundation floating a new idea for boardwalks, gardensMar 21, 2025 5:00 am - The River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles continues to look ahead, proposing a floating garden plan, near the Pottawatomie Park area.
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Put some skins in the game with these hearty and crispy potato wedgesMar 19, 2025 6:16 am - What’s not to like about potato skins? Crispy bacon pieces nestled inside potato skins topped with a generous amount of gooey melted cheddar cheese. Add a dallop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions and you have the snack version of a twice-baked potato.
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Sheet pan chicken gets dinner on with only 10 ingredientsMar 12, 2025 6:04 am - Italian seasoning and smoked paprika bump up the flavor on this simple sheet pan dinner with chicken thighs and cauliflower.
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It was a lucky day for St. Charles when Ron Onesti strolled into townMar 07, 2025 5:30 am - Tri-Cities’ “Greatest Showman” Ron Onesti, owner of the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, has been inducted into the virtual Rock Godz Hall of Fame.
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Dinner detente: Tortilla soup two ways satisfies carnivores and vegetarians alikeMar 05, 2025 6:06 am - Soup is the perfect dish to bring carnivores and vegetarians together at the dinner table. It’s so easy to take one recipe and make it two – even three – ways. This recipe for tortilla soup is a wonderful example.
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Celebrate spring with Cava, Spain’s sparkling wineMar 05, 2025 5:25 am - What’s the difference between Cava and Champagne? In brief, about $50 per bottle. In detail, the difference between all wines amounts to four variables: grape, soil, climate and culture.
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Geneva park welcomes Chimney Swift tower to aid in mosquito controlFeb 28, 2025 3:00 am - A tall, brown tower has been constructed in Wheeler Park, Geneva, as an Eagle Scout project to provide nesting habitat for Chimney Swifts, birds that eat mosquitoes and other insects.
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Romesco gives easy vegan tacos a smoky, savory kickFeb 26, 2025 6:16 am - These beginner-friendly romesco cauliflower tacos served with cilantro lime rice check all the boxes. At taco night classes where they were served alongside meatier options like pork carnitas, many carnivores preferred the cauliflower option.
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Famous peanut butter chocolate chip blondies get low-sugar makeoverFeb 26, 2025 5:24 am - Years ago, when low-fat was all the rage, Don Mauer developed a reduced-fat version of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies that were rich in flavor and nearly melted in your mouth. Now he’s giving the same recipe the low-sugar treatment.
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Stewards of local history: Preservation Partners seeks creative solutions to save historic structuresFeb 21, 2025 5:00 am - Education and creative solutions are needed when faced with the challenge of preserving historic structures, according to Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley, weighing in on the 1843 Judge Barry House in St. Charles and the blacksmith shop in Geneva.