The Recipe Box

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.
Find Veronica At
Hip Grandma Life: hipgrandmalife.com or www.facebook.com/HipGrandmaLife 
Quirky Roadside Attractions Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/1270482290602713/ 
Special Thanks
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!
Connect with VisitSI 
Website: https://visitsi.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitSI 
Special Thanks
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.
Find The Bee Charmer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theBEEcharmerOG 
Website: https://thegreenweasel.wordpress.com/ 
Special Thanks
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.
Canning Resources
National Center for Home Food Preservation
Ball Mason Jars - A beginner’s guide to home canning
Amazon Link: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Special Thanks
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com
Connect with Us
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. 
Catch up with Sara Broers 
Travel with Sara: travelwithsara.com
Midwest Travel Network: midwesttravelnetwork.com  
Lucy Buffet’s Blueberry Almond Bread Pudding
Special Thanks
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios www.misunderstudios.com
Find the Recipe Box
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.
From the Recipe Box of Maggie Stacey
Homemade Gnocchi
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. 
Special Thanks:
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 

On today’s episode of The Recipe Box, we’re talking with Brian Croft, Director of the Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center in Southern Illinois, about a long‑running Southern Illinois University food tradition.
The Buffalo Tro was started more than 60 years ago by outdoor‑education pioneer and SIU professor L.B. Sharp. Guests at the event enjoy steaks cooked over hot coals, storytelling, and a sense of community as they gather to celebrate Sharp’s legacy.
We talk with Brian about the Buffalo Tro’s name and history, outdoor cooking techniques, and the ways food and storytelling bring people together.
The 2026 Buffalo Tro will be held on November 20th. For more information on this year’s event, visit https://ton.siu.edu/community-events/buffalo-tro.php 
Special Thanks
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Emma Thompson, Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios https://www.misunderstudios.com/
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The Recipe Box on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast 
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On today’s episode of The Recipe Box, we’re spooning up the history of cornbread and how it became a staple in American cooking. We talk about early Native American meal breads, the simple versions baked in colonial kitchens, and even those mid‑century mixes so many of us keep in the pantry for a quick shortcut. We talk about different regional styles like savory Southern skillet cornbread, sweeter Northern versions, and fun Tex‑Mex twists that have popped up over time.
Then we welcome our guest, Zachary Sims, who shares memories of his grandmother’s Mexican cornbread, along with cooking tips. Cornbread is endlessly adaptable, and recipes show that as the dish moves through different families and kitchens.
From the Recipe Box of Zachary Sims - Mexican Cornbread
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising cornmeal 
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
¼ cup corn oil
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 jalapeño peppers, diced
1 can (15 ounces) cream-style corn 
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
Directions
Heat two 8-inch greased cast-iron skillets on your stove. You can use a neutral oil or butter to grease the skillets. Mix all ingredients except the cheese to make the cornbread batter. Place about ¼ of the batter into the bottom of each skillet, just enough to create a shallow layer. Layer 1 cup of cheese on top of the batter in each skillet, then top with another ¼ of the batter. Bake in a 400-degree F. oven for 30 minutes. 
Special Thanks:
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Emma Thompson, Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios https://www.misunderstudios.com/
The Recipe Box on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast 
The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast

We love celebrating strawberry shortcake as one of the truest signs that summer has finally arrived in Southern Illinois. In this episode, we trace the dish from its early European biscuit‑cake roots to the versions we grew up with. 
Then we sit down with Austin Flamm of Flamm Orchards to talk about why nothing compares to strawberries that ripen right here at home.
You’ll hear stories about the shortcake styles we’ve all encountered, from biscuits, sponge cake, pound cake, pie crust, and even the cracker versions some families swear by. 
Austin walks us through how Flamm Orchards makes their famous biscuit shortcake piled high with macerated berries and soft‑serve, and he gives us the inside scoop on when to expect peak strawberry season and what other treats you’ll find at their farm stand.
Find Austin Flamm online at Flamm Orchards and on Facebook
From the Recipe Box 
Macerated Strawberries 
Ingredients 
2 cups sliced local strawberries
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Directions
Place the strawberries in a mixing bowl and sprinkle them with the sugar. Add the vanilla extract and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour until the strawberries begin to release their juice. Serve with your favorite shortcake base. These will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two, but you will eat them faster than that! 
Special Thanks
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Emma Thompson, Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios
 
The Recipe Box on Facebook
The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast 

On this episode of The Recipe Box, we’re chatting with Will and Keesha Lo about the journey of noodles, from a 4,000‑year‑old Chinese noodle to the Americanized dish we call Asian spaghetti.
We talk about the popular Chinese noodle dish Zha Jiang Mian and how fusion foods evolve as cultures and kitchens meet. Along the way, we all learn a lot about each other, find out some tidbits from our pasts that make us giggle, and get very hungry! 
Most importantly, we reconnect with our local history of welcoming international students and their families, and how those influences have encouraged us all to try new flavors. 
Our Guests
Will and Keesha Lo are local food celebrities. Opening in the early 1990s, Will’s family restaurant, New Kahala Chinese Cuisine, quickly became a local staple. Together, they work diligently to build awareness of locally owned restaurants through their Southern Illinois Eats platform. 
Find Will and Keesha online at 
New Kahala Chinese Cuisine - https://newkahala.com/ 
Bake Me Happy Food Co. - https://www.facebook.com/bakemehappyfoodco 
Southern Illinois Eats - https://www.facebook.com/southernillinoiseats 
Special Thanks
Production: Benjy Jeffords, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising 
Marketing: Emma Thompson, Salukis AdLab 
Music: MisunderStudios https://www.misunderstudios.com/
Find Us
The Recipe Box on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecipeBoxPodcast 
The Recipe Box on Instagram: @TheRecipeBoxPodcast