Ashley Meyer

United States

Contributor Writer at Illinois Times

Featured in: Favicon

illinoistimes.com Favicon

patch.com

palmbeachillustrated.com Favicon

springfieldbusinessjournal.com

Articles

Slab pies, perfect for summer

1 week ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

Picture an enormous Pop-Tart, bursting with juicy summer berries and encased in a flaky scratch-made crust. Perhaps it has a drizzle of lemon laced icing if you're feeling fancy. This is slab pie at its finest – a rustic and ever-changeable creation that feeds a crowd with minimal fuss. Baked in a rimmed 10-inch by 14-inch jelly roll pan, slab pies happily accommodate whatever fruit is ripe and ready.
This chicken salad never fails to please

3 weeks ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

Hooray for picnic season! From impromptu backyard lunches to outdoor concert series, excuses to stretch out on a grassy lawn abound. Enter what I affectionately refer to as "picnic salads" – that adaptable category of recipes that, while they contain little to no lettuce, yet are still included in the salad realm. Think pasta salad, egg and tuna salad, potato salad and even chunky, vegetable-laden grain salads that are best served cold and are easy to both serve and eat.
Springfield Park District hosts free family activities

1 month ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

The Springfield Park District has been bringing the community outside for 125 years, and it's celebrating this summer with a packed calendar of events for the whole family. Founded in 1900, the Springfield Park District is one of the largest in the state and encompasses more than 2,800 acres, from quaint neighborhood playgrounds and quiet spaces to sprawling tracts of wilderness and miles of paved bike trails.
Rhubarb beyond pie

1 month ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

[ { "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 1", "component": "11490391", "insertPoint": "3", "requiredCountToDisplay": "1", "parentWrapperClass": "fdn-ads-inline-content-block" },{ "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 2", "component": "11490392", "insertPoint": "7", "requiredCountToDisplay": "5", "parentWrapperClass": "fdn-ads-inline-content-block" },{ "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 3", "component": "11490393", "insertPoint": "12", "requiredCountToDisplay": "9",...
Lettuce beyond the salad bowl

1 month ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

[ { "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 1", "component": "11490391", "insertPoint": "3", "requiredCountToDisplay": "1", "parentWrapperClass": "fdn-ads-inline-content-block" },{ "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 2", "component": "11490392", "insertPoint": "7", "requiredCountToDisplay": "5", "parentWrapperClass": "fdn-ads-inline-content-block" },{ "name": "Air - MedRect Combo - Inline Content 3", "component": "11490393", "insertPoint": "12", "requiredCountToDisplay": "9",...
Cooking skills for teens and tweens

1 month ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

Summer is an ideal time to get kids into the kitchen, especially teens and tweens. Learning to prepare food is an essential life skill and an excellent way to keep active minds busy while school is out. Research points to what we know intuitively as caregivers, that involving kids in meal preparation increases their enthusiasm for whatever they're eating and the likelihood that they'll try new foods.
Celebrate early spring produce

2 months ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

Erbazzone is essentially a rustic tart filled with savory greens and cheese, with variations found throughout the gastronomically rich region of Emilio-Romagna in northern Italy. A celebration of early spring produce, similar dishes such as Greece's famous spanakopita can be found throughout Italy and the Mediterranean with varying types of vegetables and herbs, cheese and crust.
DIY products for spring cleaning

2 months ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

It doesn't take a bevy of bought cleaners to get your home sparkling clean. In fact, you probably already have the ingredients on hand in your pantry to make a myriad of effective cleaners. Whether you're looking to save money or reduce your exposure to harsh chemicals, these easy-to-prepare solutions will have you wondering why you ever bought so many different products in the first place. First, it's helpful to understand the different types of cleaners and what they're used for.
Catch the snacklebox trend

2 months ago | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

For better or worse, travel and snacking seem inextricably linked, at least in my family. The selection and preparation of munchies for the road is its own sort of fun. Normal dietary standards are effectively abandoned in favor of everyone's favorite "sometimes foods" such as sugary cereals and spicy chips. In the past these have all been packed in a grocery tote or picnic basket to be cumbersomely passed around the car.
Tinned fish making waves

Mar 27, 2025 | illinoistimes.com | Ashley Meyer

To most Midwesterners, the idea of canned fish doesn't exactly give off a luxe, cosmopolitan vibe. Beyond tuna salad and salmon cakes, the segment doesn't get much attention. That's beginning to change, however, as more folks discover the Iberian delicacy known as conservas. This category of tinned or canned seafood is wildly popular throughout Spain and Portugal and represents a dizzying array of products from poached scallops in garlic sauce to crab-stuffed piquillo peppers.