WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the administration won’t pay food stamp benefits until after the partial government shutdown ends, in potential defiance of a federal court order and in conflict with what his administration told a judge Monday, but he was contradicted several hours later by his spokesperson.

Trump’s ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the administration won’t pay food stamp benefits until after the partial government shutdown ends, in potential defiance of a federal court order and in conflict with what his administration told a judge Monday.

His post on the social media site Truth Social came even as the Agriculture ...Read more

As the government shutdown drags into its fifth week, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has become just another casualty of the Donald Trump administration’s cruelty. Without congressional action, millions of Americans may see their SNAP benefits vanish this month — including over 2 million people in Illinois and ...Read more

Chicken cutlets are topped with a spinach-mushroom cream sauce for a flavorful healthy dinner. This dish comes together with myriad flavors in the sauce — all of the pan bits are mixed with spices, vinegar, sour cream and heavy cream for richness. You’ll be blown away at how much flavor this packs in. Serve over pasta or grains to soak up ...Read more

Tiny and delicate, watercress is the picture of serenity along softly moving springs and creeks.

The folklore

Don’t be fooled — this leafy green is surprisingly bold with its peppery taste and crisp bite. Watercress is known around the world with a history that began more than 2,000 years ago. Enjoyed by ancient Persians, ...Read more

Belgian endive is the perfect Seriously Simple vegetable for cocktail parties. Spoon a small dollop of herbed cream cheese on the tip and garnish with bay shrimp. Or try a dab of sour cream and a garnish of chopped smoked salmon and a sprinkling of dill for an elegant pick-up dish. You are only limited by your imagination. And the elegant endive...Read more

Pantry pasta dinners deserve their recognition. Boiling salted water and cooking a high-quality dried pasta package results in homemade goodness with minimal mess and effort. I’ll never turn down perfectly cooked pasta topped with olive oil or butter and cheese, but that can become a bit repetitive over time.

To elevate that pasta into an ...Read more

If you’re swimming in leftover mashed potatoes after all your guests have come and gone, look no further than these potato pancakes.

While there are many Thanksgiving leftovers that ...Read more

While I enjoy vegetables cooked until they’re crisp-tender, I’m also a big fan of veggies that have been cooked until meltingly tender and soft (especially because that gives them time to absorb the other flavors). Melted cabbage has crispy, caramelized ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration told a federal judge Monday it will deplete what remains of a $6 billion contingency fund to pay a portion of food stamp benefits in November amid the ongoing partial federal government shutdown.

The court filings responded to an order over the weekend from Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration told a federal judge Monday that it will comply with a court order to fund U.S. food aid benefits for November during the government shutdown, but only at 50% of the amount that eligible households normally receive.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture official also warned the court that it could take some ...Read more

This time of year, it’s hard not to succumb to the cozy flavors of fall. Pumpkin spice infuses everything from lattes to cereal, apples are everywhere and cinnamon and cardamom permeate both professional and home kitchens.

Cocktails are no exception. Bar menus add cinnamon sticks and rosemary to the garnish rotation, and cider drinks become ...Read more

Quick and easy, skillet pork chops make a tasty, comforting weeknight dinner.

Be sure to use boneless chops; they’re a breeze to cook when quickly seared over high heat in a heavy cast-iron skillet. The key, of course, is to buy the right chops. Choose pork from a local farm that raises the slower-growing heritage pork breeds outside in the ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — If you have a vegetable garden, you might have tried composting. But if you're like me, you may have ended up with a slimy mess — or maybe a pile that just sat there and didn't decompose.

Succeeding at composting can not only benefit your veggies and other plants, but also cut down on your household waste. Yard waste, food ...Read more

Did you ever have one of those days where you just need to do something, anything, to keep busy? That was me recently at my son's home in New Jersey.

My youngest grandson, just 4 months old, was headed the next day to the hospital for surgery. And like any grandma, I was on edge with worry.

Baking always is a great, meditative way to burn an ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- There used to be an artist-designed mural on the back wall at StepChld, chef Kamal Mohamed’s ode to global flavors in northeast Minneapolis.

Now, a grid of basketballs and footballs hangs as art. The snug two-tops for date nights are gone, replaced with wide booths that invite groups to linger. Behind the bar, inset TVs glow. ...Read more

WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order Friday that would compel the government to distribute food stamp benefits for November.

Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island made the ruling from the bench in a lawsuit brought by the Rhode Island State ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Two federal judges ruled the Trump administration’s decision to suspend food-aid benefits for tens of millions of Americans during the government shutdown is likely unlawful and that U.S. officials must use contingency funding to at least partially keep the program operational.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island...Read more

President Donald Trump’s secretary of agriculture on Friday said the “silver lining” of the looming cutoff of SNAP food aid is a greater awareness of the downsides of what she derided as a “boated” and “corrupt” program.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who says she won’t dip into a contingency fund to pay for SNAP amid the ...Read more

A federal judge Thursday said she was considering ordering the Trump administration not to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown.

District Court Judge Indira Talwani sounded like she mostly agreed with the demand by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other ...Read more