This week on The Recipe Box, we're digging into the story of America's favorite frozen treat, from George Washington's ice cream to the Iowa scoop shop that's been dishing ice cream since 1931.

We trace ice cream's path from a rare dessert only the wealthy could enjoy to the everyday treat it is now. Along the way, we talk about the inventors who made it possible.

Then we sit down with Michelle Murray, co-owner and operator of Birdsall's Ice Cream Co. in Mason City, Iowa. Michelle and her husband, along with two friends, took over Birdsall's in 2021, keeping a nearly 100-year-old tradition alive for a new generation. Michelle shares what it means to carry family recipes forward and how she thinks up new flavors while still honoring the classics.

• Birdsall's Ice Cream Co: https://birdsallsicecreamco.com
• Amazing Iowa (book): https://reedypress.com/shop/amazing-iowa
• Follow Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amazingiowa

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

Find Hosts Niki and Stephanie at: rootedinfoods.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

If you live in the northern Midwest, you likely have been to a Supper Club at least once. The Supper Club is a Midwest tradition, but they seem to exist only in certain parts of the region. On this episode of The Recipe Box, we talk with Megan Bannister, author of Iowa Supper Clubs, about these once well-known eateries that harbor their own unique spirit.

Megan helps us explore the history, culture, and enduring charm of Midwest supper clubs, especially those in Iowa. We discuss origins and the communal atmosphere that defines these classic restaurants. Our favorite part of the conversation is all about the supper club menu - prime rib, pork tenderloin, relish trays, classic cocktails, and ice cream drinks.

Have you ever been to a supper club? Let us know in the comments. We want to hear about the relish trays, the Old Fashioneds, and what you loved most!

Olio in Iowa: https://olioiniowa.com

Iowa Supper Clubs: https://olioiniowa.com/iowa-supper-clubs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olioiniowablog/

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

Find Hosts Niki and Stephanie at: rootedinfoods.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

SPAM. You either love it or you don’t. Either way, this little can of pork has a much bigger story than most people give it credit for.

SPAM enthusiast Veronica Barman of Hip Grandma Life joins us on this episode to talk about SPAM’s surprising history, its role in global and Hawaiian cuisine, and her family SPAM recipe.

Veronica’s SPAM and macaroni bake actually started as an AWANA recipe assignment when she was a kid, and it became what she calls a family legend. It was the first meal she ever cooked completely on her own, and years later, it became the first meal she cooked for her four-year-old stepson, a meal he still talks about today. She walks us through the recipe and shares memories of her dad's "Christmas eggs," a scramble of SPAM, eggs, and cheese that showed up on the table every Christmas morning. And she took us back to her very first solo road trip, which included a stop at the SPAM Museum in Minnesota, a quirky little detour that ended up planting the seed for what's now her project, Quirky Roadside USA, a Facebook community quickly approaching 200,000 members.

Hip Grandma Life: hipgrandmalife.com or www.facebook.com/HipGrandmaLife

Quirky Roadside Attractions Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/1270482290602713/

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

Find Hosts Niki and Stephanie at: rootedinfoods.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

There's something truly special about recipes that get passed down with a made-up name attached. This week we talk about Lithuanian meat dumplings. The story starts with a recipe name that doesn't quite match the dish.

Our guest, Tiffany Yepsen, grew up eating what her family calls "bon-dukies." It sounds like a real Lithuanian word, and it almost is. Bandukės is a traditional Lithuanian dish. But when we dug into what Tiffany's family actually makes, the dish itself is closer to koldūnai, a dumpling made with a thin sealed dough and a seasoned meat filling.

The name stuck from one dish, and the technique came from another. Sometimes this happens when a recipe travels through generations and is adapted to what ingredients are available to the family.

Tiffany is the Executive Assistant at VisitSI, one of our local tourism bureaus. She told us about her grandmother's dumplings on a road trip to the Midwest Travel Network annual conference. We had such fun talking about this that we knew she had to be on the podcast.

In this episode, Tiffany walks us through the dough and the meatball-style filling. She tells us how her grandmother taught her to roll, shape, and seal each dumpling, and how the family serves them at the table.

If you've got a dish in your family with a made-up name or a name that doesn't quite match what's on the plate, we want to hear about it!

Website: https://visitsi.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitSI

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

On this episode of The Recipe Box, we sit down with homesteader Jennifer Webb of The Bee Charmer to talk about sauerkraut. We get into how cabbage and salt turn into this tangy, crunchy staple through fermentation, and Jennifer shares how her German roots in Southern Illinois shape the way she makes it.

If you've ever wanted to try fermenting at home but didn't know where to start, this might be your gateway conversation. We talk through the continual-batch method, ways to cook with sauerkraut, how to can it for later, and easy ways to start experimenting in your own kitchen.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theBEEcharmerOG

Website: https://thegreenweasel.wordpress.com/

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

On this episode of The Recipe Box, we talk about home canning with local expert Cheryl Hughey. The conversation starts in a familiar place for a lot of us: someone in the family who canned because that was simply how food was put up for the winter. We walk through how canning shifted over the past century, from practical necessity to something people now choose to do.

Cheryl explains the difference between water bath canning and pressure canning in a way that makes both feel manageable. She talks about the recipes she returns to every year, especially tomato products and pickles, and the small safety habits that keep us safe. Things like using new lids, skipping rusty rings, and sticking with tested recipes. You’ll feel like you’re sitting at the kitchen table with someone who has done this for a long time and wants you to feel confident.

We encourage beginners to start small. Refrigerator and freezer methods are a great way to learn the rhythm before committing to full canning. Cheryl also points listeners to local extension classes and Ball’s trusted resources, which are still the best places to learn the fundamentals.

National Center for Home Food Preservation

Ball Mason Jars - A beginner’s guide to home canning

Amazon Link: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

On this episode of The Recipe Box, we talk about one of our favorite comforting dishes. Bread pudding started as a practical way to use stale bread in medieval kitchens and eventually turned into the rich, regional comfort food you’ll find all over America today.

We’re joined by Sara Broers, from Travel with Sara and the Midwest Travel Network. Sara has a habit of hunting down bread pudding whenever she travels. She talks about what she looks for in a good bread pudding, and some of the memorable places she’s found it. It’s a fun way to see how the dish reflects local tastes and the culture of culinary travel.

As we talk, the conversation naturally shifts to family stories, food memories, and why certain recipes stick with us. It’s a reminder to make your own version and share it with someone you love.

Travel with Sara: travelwithsara.com

Midwest Travel Network: midwesttravelnetwork.com

Lucy Buffet’s Blueberry Almond Bread Pudding

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com

The Recipe Box on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

On this episode of The Recipe Box, we dive into the story behind gnocchi. We’ll talk about where it comes from, how it’s made, and how it’s served. We welcome our guest, Maggie Stacy, who shares her family’s gnocchi recipe that uses potato flakes, which is such a smart twist on the traditional method.

More than anything, we end up talking about how recipes connect us to the people who taught us to cook. These dishes carry stories, memories, and little techniques that get passed down without anyone recording them. It’s a reminder to try your own variations, ask questions, and share your family’s food stories while you can.

• 1½ cups water
• 1½ cups potato flakes
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups all‑purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)

Bring the water to a boil and add the potato flakes and stir until the mixture looks like mashed potatoes. Let it cool for a minute so it’s warm, not hot.

Stir in the egg yolks until fully incorporated. The mixture should be soft and a little sticky.

Add the flour and gently knead until the dough comes together. It should feel soft and pliable.

Divide the dough into 3–4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut into bite‑sized dumplings. If you like, roll them over a fork or gnocchi board for ridges.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface, about 1–2 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Use them in your favorite dish.

Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising

Marketing: Salukis AdLab

Music: MisunderStudios https://www.misunderstudios.com/

The Recipe Box on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast

The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast