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

CLARKSTON, Ga. — After fleeing the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, Antoinette landed in the Atlanta area last November and began to find her footing with federal help.

Separated from her adult children and grieving her husband’s death in the war, she started a job packing boxes in a warehouse, making just enough to cover rent for her...Read more

There’s no way his local government can fill the void created by a disruption in the federal food stamp program, but local official Gregg Wright says his Minnesota county had to do something.

“This is pretty much a crisis for families,” said Wright, a member of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners.

Last week, the board unanimously ...Read more

This sheet-pan salmon and Brussels sprouts recipe is a game-changer for weeknight dinners. Cooked entirely on one pan, this dish combines tender, flaky salmon with crispy roasted Brussels sprouts, all brought together with a zesty lemon-roasted garlic drizzle. It’s quick, flavorful and makes cleanup a breeze — perfect for busy evenings!

...Read more

After a warm fall, I’m happy to say that soup season has officially started. Let’s enjoy a hearty bowl of soup to warm both body and soul. Creamy soups are perfect as a starter, while brothy, chunky soups, full of protein and vegetables, make satisfying main courses.

Don’t overlook the therapeutic power of soup. Chicken soup’s ...Read more

Make-ahead anything is a boon for the holiday cook. Each year I try to streamline my cooking for Thanksgiving by either eliminating a dish or two or making some dishes well ahead of time. Here you will find a yummy stuffing studded with dried apricots and cooked chestnuts that can be frozen a month ahead, defrosted and finished in...Read more

There’s a certain logic to the idea that eating high-fat foods — even nutritious foods such as avocados, nuts and olive oil — can lead to weight gain. After all, one gram of fat contains nine calories, while one gram of protein or carbohydrate contains only four calories. But just as science has debunked the idea that weight loss or weight...Read more

I have fond memories of sipping café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with warm spices, when I was growing up. It always felt like a hug in a mug. This café de olla martini takes that nostalgic flavor and transforms it into a sophisticated cocktail — it’s the perfect combination of childhood memories and adult indulgence. Café...Read more

Ding Dongs are a classic snack of little glazed chocolate cakes filled with a fluffy white frosting. While the original Hostess snack cakes were created in the 1960s, Ding Dong-inspired cakes have become increasingly popular in recent years.

My homemade Ding Dong cake is a slightly elevated play on the childhood favorite. In this recipe, rich ...Read more

This seasonal dessert marries two Mediterranean flavors: fresh, ripe figs and sweet peaches.

The pastry crust is very forgiving and comes together in just a few minutes (though it has to be chilled for an hour).

If you have really sweet fruit, you can cut back on the amount of sugar in the filling; if it's on the under-ripe side, increase it. ...Read more

Many family dinners are planned ahead of time after pulling a delicious-sounding recipe out of a cookbook and making a detailed grocery list. But there are plenty of nights when this home cook just wings it based on what's lurking in her freezer, has ripened on the counter or — more often than I'd like to admit — is about to spoil in the ...Read more