Lifestyle Columns
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Creamy broccoli cauliflower cheddar soup a cozy antidote to winterJan 14, 2026 5:53 am - If you’ve already jumped headlong into your 2026 fitness regimen, congratulations — hooray, good for you. But you may want to stop reading now. This soup is definitely not part of the game plan.
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A new year of flavor: Easy chicken dinners that save time and moneyJan 14, 2026 5:50 am - Making dinner at home not only saves money compared to takeout or dining out, it often tastes better and gives you full control over the ingredients. Here are three reliable, approachable chicken recipes to add to your weeknight rotation: Chicken Tikka Masala, a Copycat Costco Chicken Bake and Pumpkin Chicken Chili.
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Organic potatoes make casserole season even easierJan 14, 2026 4:49 am - I love the idea of slow-baking a hearty casserole to warm my kitchen and me when winter weather is downright nasty, as it has been. I chose organic ingredients for this Cabbage, Potato, and Bacon Casserole, and for good reason.
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Painting brick buildings a popular trend, but not with preservationistsJan 14, 2026 4:00 am - Painting over brick is way to bring older buildings “back to life” and give a downtown streetscape a new look, but historic preservationists advise against it.
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Who is qualified to inspect gas fixtures?Jan 13, 2026 12:35 pm - You occasionally discuss how home inspectors inspect gas-burning fixtures. In my opinion, home inspectors are not qualified to inspect gas appliances.
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Tips on planning your 2026 garden, organizing pots and protecting new houseplantsJan 13, 2026 12:33 pm - Chicago Botanic Garden’s Tim Johnson offers tips on garden planning, cleaning and organizing pots and protecting new houseplants.
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How to build a better, more efficient fireJan 12, 2026 7:00 am - We get smoke indoors from our wood-burning fireplace, but want to use it to save cut our utility bills. What are some fire building techniques to create less smoke?
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2025 biking highlights in Illinois: Trikes as bikes, e-bikes, new laws and path plansJan 07, 2026 1:08 pm - Trikes as bikes, e-bikes, new laws and plans for biking and pedestrian paths were among the cycling stories making headlines in Illinois in 2025.
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‘We will have an awesome sandwich’: Riganato owners to open HoneyBird chicken restaurant in GenevaJan 07, 2026 11:36 am - The owners of Geneva’s Riganato Old World Grille are planning to open a second restaurant -- HoneyBird, on East State Street, focusing on chicken.
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Before you buy a new door, consider these cost-effective fixesJan 05, 2026 6:28 pm - My old doors don’t seem airtight anymore and they show years of use. What are some inexpensive improvements I can make myself?