As the most popular U.S. holiday for cooking out, July 4 is a day marked by the tantalizing sounds and smells of meat sizzling on the grill.

Whether it's the smoky aroma of charcoal that makes us weak in the knees, or the summery perfume of barbecue sauce slowly caramelizing in a spicy-sweet flourish, it's summer cooking at its best.

But even ...Read more

This recipe from NeighborFood blogger Courtney Rowlands and the Idaho Potato Commission is the stuff of smoky barbecue dreams.

The secret to this epic potato salad is in the drizzle. You drizzle reserved bacon grease on the vegetables — corn, jalapenos and red onions — before griling them, then mix everything together with a creamy, ...Read more

For this Fourth of July, bring something special to your cookout with friends and family.

Spice up the drink table with a Firecracker Sangria or add a touch of sweetness for dessert with Puff Pastry Star Cookies. Your friends will love a tasty, simple peach cobbler with homemade whipped cream and will be snacking away on Cornmeal Hushpuppies.

...Read more

In honor of the Fourth of July, I scanned the past 100 years of patriotic-themed recipes by iconic Tribune food writer Mary Meade for ideas and just had to share these with you.

I am not a talented cook or baker, but I do find retro recipes fun to prepare for several reasons:

1. The ingredients are usually plentiful at the grocery store — ...Read more

It’s easy to see why tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are growing in popularity. The games — often ongoing for weeks, months or even years at a time — involve creative, interactive and adventurous collaborative storytelling. According to MarketWatch.com, the TTRPG market is headed to become a multimillion dollar merchandise category ...Read more

If you're like the rest of America, there's a good chance you're cooking out on Father's Day — it's the fourth most favorite day for grilling of the year, after July 4 and Memorial and Labor Day. And no doubt there's a juicy steak, burgers or chicken on the menu, perhaps dressed up with a fancy sauce or rub to make the meal a little more ...Read more

Don’t cook much in the summer? Sure you do. Those delicious, memory-making “can I get that recipe?” dishes for picnics, backyard barbecues and swim team potlucks aren’t going to cook themselves.

These five cookbooks hold the secrets to all the new tacos, burgers, ice creams, salads and pastas you’ll want to make — not just this ...Read more

According to Google statistics, about 93 million selfies were taken per day on Android devices alone, way back in 2014.

It isn’t any wonder, then, that there’s a national holiday dedicated to the practice: National Selfie Day on June 21. If, like millions of other selfie-takers, you find yourself looking to make the most out of capturing ...Read more

Juneteenth — or June 19 — is a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to tell the enslaved that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed two years prior and that they were free. They first celebrated freedom with church gatherings. It then ...Read more

In her cookbook, “Easy, No-Churn Ice Cream: The ‘No Equipment Necessary’ Guide to Standout Homemade Ice Cream” (Page Street, $23), blogger Heather Templeton shares 50 recipes for scoop shop-worthy ice cream made with little more than condensed milk, a loaf pan and freezer.

These edible cookie dough sandwiches require just a tad more ...Read more

It's Mother's Day on Sunday, and if you're lucky, you get to spend it with the mother figures you love, munching on something decadent and delicious.

In years past, I might have orchestrated a backyard picnic or fancy Champagne brunch for my mom, who I'm lucky to have still living just around the corner, in the house I grew up in. But now that ...Read more

It’s hard to believe that another school year has almost come to a close. Yet, many signs such as proms, graduation party prepping and summer vacation plans prove that soon students and teachers will bid adieu to the 2022-2023 school year.

Speaking of teachers, who better to honor and celebrate after two semesters of lesson planning, ...Read more

The event may last a mere two minutes, but the preparation, pomp and circumstance surrounding the Kentucky Derby extend far beyond the race. Did you know that on average, as reported in Town and Country magazine, spectators consume 142,000 hot dogs, 18,000 barbecue sandwiches, 13,800 pounds of beef and 32,400 jumbo shrimp (and that’s just a ...Read more

Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer, so it's not surprising this is the time of year when many home cooks start dusting off their gas or charcoal grills and power-washing their patios.

Summer is peak grilling season for the 80% of Americans who own a grill or smoker, according the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, with Memorial...Read more