Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens
by Staci Perry Mergenthal
Welcome to Funeral Potatoes and Wool Mittens, a show for people who embrace the warm and cozy spirit of everyday living in the Midwest. Whether you cook, bake, or have food delivery on speed dial, everyone has a comforting recipe or story to share. We bake cookies for our kids’ hockey teams and bring cheesy hash browns to funerals. Lefse and krumkake are in our DNA. Candy bars and apples make a salad. We'll ditch work for a lake day, drive an hour for an old-fashioned bakery, and don wool mittens at 20 below. A food podcast for all. Tune in with Staci from Random Sweets in Minnesota.
Episodes
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From WWII Codebreaker to Minnesota Teacher and Homemaker: 104 Years of Stories with Lois Widmark
What do you talk about when you sit down at the dining room table with someone who has lived 104 years? Everything from breaking enemy codes during World War II to homemade noodles, family recipes, her 1996 Oldsmobile, quilts and embroidered flour sack towels. Born in White Owl, South Dakota, on...
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A Taste of Home: When Family Recipes Find a New Home on Campus
Season 4, Episode 7 What if a family recipe could make a college student feel a little more at home? In this episode, I’m taking you inside the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s Recipes From Home program, which began in 2009 and gives first-year students—including international students—the...
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Fried Cranberry Pies, a Dusty Laptop & Stories of Hope and Forgiveness with Author Shelia Stovall
Meet Shelia Stovall, the author behind three of my favorite novels. Shelia admits she doesn't particularly enjoy writing—and yet, somehow, God put a story on her heart. Actually, He put an entire town there. That fictional town is Weldon, and it has become home to the characters and stories in...
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Dish & Tell: Recipes from the Heart with Sarah Peterson
Recipes, links, and photos from this episode are on https://randomsweets.com/dish-tell-recipes-from-the-heart-with-sarah-peterson/. There’s something special about a cookbook that doesn’t just show you how to make a recipe—but tells you where the dish came from and why it matters. That’s exactly...
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A Feast of Friendship: From Friendsgiving to Dinner Club
Friendsgiving started as a practical solution for three families juggling hockey schedules—but it grew into a treasured annual feast and eventually a monthly dinner club. In this episode, Ann Park, Lisa Svobodny, and Michelle Bouchard share how their Friendsgiving tradition began, who gathers...
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Thanksgiving Hosting and Homemade Gravy with Leah Brink
If anyone knows how to host a cozy, joyful Thanksgiving dinner, it's my friend Leah Brink. She's been welcoming anywhere from 10 to 29 family and friends around her tables for the past 15 years. Her holiday spreads could be straight out of Better Homes & Gardens or Martha Stewart Living, yet her...
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“Is this recipe in your book?”—Darla Bakker’s Family Favorites
I’m joined by Darla Bakker and her three daughters—Andrea Kolstad, Danielle Brandt, and Laura Feller. Darla and her husband, Jeff, live on a farm near Ruthton, Minnesota, where they raised their girls. Today, their daughters are raising families of their own in Minnesota and Nebraska—but one…
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Threads of Memories Antique Mall with Emily Braun
In 1987, friends Patty Kratochvil and Carolyn Dotson opened Threads of Memories Antique Mall in Brookings, South Dakota, with a simple idea: combine alterations with the love for antiques—and keep them in the community. Fast forward to 2021, Carolyn’s daughter, Emily Braun, took over the shop and...
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Cooking Up History: The Evolution of Kitchens and Cookbooks at the Old Courthouse Museum
Step into the heart of the home in this episode as we explore Cooking Up History: The Evolution of Kitchens and Cookbooks, a featured exhibit at the Old Courthouse Museum in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Host Staci Mergenthal talks with Jill Van Veldhuizen, Education Assistant, Molly Engquist…
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Junking Angels and Vintage Finds: Meet Sharon Hohler of Homeless Treasures, Tracy, MN
If you’ve ever found joy in a perfectly rusted garden gate, an old Pyrex bowl like Grandma’s, or the thrill of repurposing a forgotten item into something useful again—this episode is for you. In Season 3, Episode 9 of Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens, I head to rural Tracy, Minnesota, to visit…
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Fishing, Foraging and Exploring: Midwestern Alice’s Alaskan Adventures
Born and raised in South Dakota, Alice Klopstad stayed for college and the start of her corporate career. Then Alaska captured her heart and now she calls it home. Join me as Alice tells her adventurous and inspiring story of moving to a place where she’s embraced the outdoor lifestyle—hiking…
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Leah Rodriguez’s Magical Oven and How Joy, Faith, and Family Rise Together
Step into the warm and inviting kitchen of Minnesota native Leah Rodriguez, where baking isn’t just a pastime for her, it’s a way to honor tradition, celebrate family, and embrace joy and faith even in life’s hardest seasons. Get ready to laugh and cry in this episode as Leah shares what she puts...
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Whirlygigs and Watermelon Pickles: Keeping Family Traditions Alive with Stacy Brallier
Today, I’m introducing you to Stacy Brallier, a South Dakota mom, grandma, and keeper of family food traditions. Stacy shares recipes that hold a special place in her heart, including Funfetti cookies, her mom’s peanut butter whirlygigs cookies, and her great-grandma Elsie Edgecomb’s watermelon...
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Cooking Without Loving It: Inherited Recipes from the Heart with Amanda Runia
Today’s guest is Amanda Runia, a busy mom, South Dakota business owner of In-House Ally, and self-proclaimed non-cook who has still managed to gather an abundance of beloved Midwest comfort food recipes from her family. Drawing from the kitchens of her mother-in-law, grandmother, and mom, Amanda...
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Sweet Generosity: Local Impact of the Lake Campbell Lutheran Church Cookie Walk
You don’t need walking shoes for the Lake Campbell Lutheran Church Cookie Walk. Just an appetite for homemade, tried-and-true Midwestern treats and a giving heart to support local non-profits. This year's bake sale is on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 9a.m. Be there early to get in line! They run...
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Harvesting Holiday Spirit: 70 Seasons of Traditions at Krueger’s Christmas Tree Farm
Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm has been more than just a place to pick your own perfect tree—it's been at the heart of holiday traditions for families in the Lake Elmo and Twin Cities Minnesota area for 70 years and counting. Spanning four generations, the Krueger family has cultivated not just...
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The Meatery MN: Connecting Meathusiasts Directly with Farmers
If you like meat or stories about family businesses that connect producers directly to their customers, you’re going to love this episode with Bruce and Jodie Drager, Allie and Michael Drager, and Mackenzie Drager, half of the Minnesota family of farmers and food enthusiasts behind The Meatery…
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Vineyard Visionary: Jim Schade of Schadé Vineyard & Winery on Pouring Connections and Pioneering a State Industry
If you drink South Dakota-made wine or beer, Jim Schade and Eldon Nygaard are the guys to thank. Because prior to the South Dakota 1996 Farm Winery Act legalized commercial production of wine in South Dakota, you couldn’t make an alcoholic beverage in South Dakota and sell it since Prohibition.…
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Frosting the Heart: For Goodness Cakes Twin Cities Chapter
Today’s story is a reminder that not all kids have the luxury of celebrating their birthday with a fun cake, but it’s also a reminder that just one small act of kindness, and a little frosting and sprinkles, can light up a child’s special day, showing them that people care about them and they are...
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Recipes, Rhubarb Muffins, Roseville Restaurants and Mississippi River Road Trips with Shannon Thomasser
This is a classic story of two Midwesterners becoming friends over a grandma's handed-down rhubarb muffin recipe. Growing up in New Richmond, Wisconsin, Shannon's grandmothers, aunts and mom were great Midwestern cooks. Even so, she didn't watch or pay attention to how they worked their culinary...
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Fresh Pickings with Jan Sanderson of Sanderson Gardens
He had a self-checkout long before Walmart and Target and he still updates his telephone hotline with garden patch conditions and produce availability. Just call 605-693-4871. Meet Sanderson Gardens owner Jan Sanderson, the Rhubarb King and developer of the Sanderson Red rhubarb variety. A visit…
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Faith and Family at the Center of Growing Veggies with Berndt Family Produce
What began with a tent purchased from an anonymous $200 donation and Dawnna Berndt’s idea to grow a garden to bring in more income, turned into a family-based vegetable farm market business (Berndt Family Produce) that’s been serving their community of customers in eastern South Dakota and…
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Amber Waves of Anthem Oats with Fifth-generation South Dakota Farmers Taylor and Cassandra Sumption
Roots go deep in today’s show. Come with me to meet fifth-generation farmers, Taylor and Cassandra Sumption, the founders of Anthem Oats. The couple grows and packages premium, gluten-free oats for retail on nearly 400 acres near Frederick, South Dakota, 27 miles north of Aberdeen on US Highway...
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Will Read for Pizza: Apps, Sides and Books with Christianne Beringer
It’s almost summer, which means pool and lake parties, family reunions and picnics, camping, and smoking out the neighborhood with your backyard grilling. It’s also time to dig out your library card, visit your local indie bookstore, and pack your beach bag with books on your “want to read” list....
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Sausage Wontons and Crafting a Creative Life with Bobbi Lynn Gaukel
Living a life of curiosity and creativity means you will, at times, gracefully let go of things that no longer fuel your passion or serve you positively. This week's podcast guest, Bobbi Lynn Gaukel, and I agree—the earlier in life you learn this practice, the more open and freer you are to being...
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Back to Grandma’s Basics and Handwritten Recipes with Wendy Doornink
Have you thought about who you’ll pass down your handwritten recipes to? If you’re like Wendy Doornink and me, you have a mix of handwritten recipe cards from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and of course, yourself. This episode might make you think about who the next person might be to...
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Buttery Caramels and Fancy Dishes with Liz Murphy of Betty’s Antiques
In this episode, you and I are going to meet Betty’s Antiques owner, Liz Murphy from St. Paul, Minnesota. She’s walking us through her charming vintage boutique on the historic corner of Selby and Snelling Avenues, plus she shares the sweet way her grandma Betty influenced how she dresses up a...
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Flock to Fork: Eggstravaganza and Deviled Eggs with Iowa Egg Council
Welcome to the 50th episode! We’re heading to Iowa today to speak with Iowa Egg Council’s Board Chairman Bruce Dooyema, and Director of Marketing and Communications Melissa Alto-Kintigh about one powerhouse food—eggs. IOWA IS THE #1 STATE IN EGG PRODUCTION First, we cover the basics, like how…
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Fish Fry Friday Feeds the Soul with Ron Faiola
Batter up! You don’t have to be from the Midwest to feel like a part of the community we’re talking about today—that’s because our beloved Friday night fish fry welcomes people from around the world to sit across the table with each other at parish schools and fellowship halls, to supper clubs,...
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From Cabinets to Sculleries and Floating Shelves: The Art of Your Kitchen Design With Carissa Trygstad
On today’s show, we’re expanding on last week’s theme of incorporating personality into your kitchen as we sit down with expert designer, Carissa Trygstad, about what she’s seeing in kitchen trends and the classics, plus the revival of the scullery, and how it differs from a butler’s pantry. From...
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Painting Personality and Vibes into Your Kitchen with Wendy Doornink
We're heading into the kitchen with Wendy Doornink, the color services manager at Hirshfield’s, a family-owned paint, wallcoverings and window fashions company headquarted in Minnesota. Wendy has been painting since she could hold a paint brush, so when Jason and I started talking about painting...
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From Pucks to Potlucks: Hockey Moms Stick Together
It’s hockey season and I live in Minnesota, the State of Hockey. And even though my kids played hockey in South Dakota where’s it’s not school-sanctioned, there’s one thing we have in common across the sport—once a hockey mom, always a hockey mom, even after our kids have shot their last puck as…
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Revolutionizing the Cafeteria: Farm to School Impacts Student Well-being and Local Agriculture
We’re going back to school—to the school cafeteria, that is. And although I do ask about good ol’ square school lunch pizza, and the pairing of cinnamon rolls & chili, my guests, Karla Sawvell and Amanda Reilly are spilling the beans on how the Huron South Dakota School District is implementing...
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Harvesting Hope: Iowa Teen’s 7,000-pound Garden Bounty Feeds Thousands, Aims to Triple Impact by 2025 with Lauren Schroeder
Today we’re heading to rural Dixon, Iowa to meet Lauren Schroeder and her mom Katie on their family farm, and Lauren’s FFA advisor and ag teacher, Jenna Kingsley. Lauren is a junior at Calamus-Wheatland High School. She shows sheep and rabbits at county fairs, plays softball and volleyball, she’s...
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Christmas Baking Recipes With My Mom Linda Moe
Since I can remember, my mom, Linda Moe, has shared dozens and dozens of delicious goodies at our family’s Christmas gatherings. Today we’re talking about most of them, like vintage treats from her mom like mashed potato candy, cherry bing bars, and fruit salad with a cooked pineapple dressing…
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Hosting a Ranch Cracker Snack Mix and Cookie Exchange with Carissa Trygstad and Val Ellens
Rural South Dakota friends since kindergarten and K-mart co-workers in high school, Carissa Trygstad and Val Ellens have a bond that even Val’s dense molasses cookies can’t break. They’re joining me today because I heard that Carissa hosts an annual ranch cracker snack mix tossing party, and to…
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Family Recipes and Stories with Sarah Peterson of Vintage Dish and Tell
For Minnesota native and public relations professional Sarah Peterson, launching her own blog with family recipes helped her find her writing voice. But it didn’t take long for Sarah of Vintage Dish and Tell blog to expand her passion for handed-down recipes and the stories behind them by…
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Thankful for You, Turkey Leftovers, and Pumpkin Cheesecake, Cookies and Bars
This episode is dedicated to thanking you, a listener of Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens. Plus I share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes, like sausage stuffing, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, KAHLÚA pumpkin chocolate cheesecake, cherry crunchobblerumble, and pumpkin bars with maple cream...
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Nordic Waffles: From Fair to Food Hall to Freezers Across the U.S. with Founder Stine Aasland and CEO Jeremy Ely
Stine Aasland’s dream of creating a Nordic Waffle Wafflelution has come true, and that means we get to delight in sweet and savory, handheld, heart-shaped waffles all day long. Stine, known as Norway’s Waffle Queen, came to America in 2015 with two suitcases, a waffle recipe, and a dream. On...
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Family Recipes and Braving Youth Mental Health with Kristin and Anna Rehkamp
Tuck a few Kleenex in your sleeve. Everyday living—the highs and lows of everyday life—is exactly what today’s show encompasses. Because whether we, or someone we love, is braving adult or youth mental health battles, our everyday lives continue around us. But how we cope with and support each...
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Sugar Cookies and Mrs. Chandler’s Chocolate Fudge Cake with Stacie Suedkamp of Fig Tales
You may have met this week’s podcast guest Stacie Suedkamp, the owner, artist, and cookie engineer behind the South Dakota luxury cookie company, Fig Tales. But how well do you know her? Tune in to Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens S2 E5 to learn: 1. What’s the one word Stacie doesn’t allow people…
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Arepas, Allergen-Free Cookies, Holland Michigan, and Gulf Shores Alabama with Boutique Vacation Rental Superhost Alicia Wright
Today you’ll hear from my first Michigan (the Mitten State!) guest, Alicia Wright. We cover a lot of topics in this episode—from mud water and allergen-free chocolate chip cookies, and Alicia’s favorite spots in Holland, to her motivation behind becoming a boutique vacation rental owner in Gulf...
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Pumpkin Dessert and Kids in the Kitchen with Danielle Herberg
Danielle Herberg and her 7-year-old daughter, Carly, join me by phone at their home in Browns Valley, Minnesota. Danielle talks about who influenced her love of baking, what happened when she and her daycare kids experimented growing seeds from a tomato, and she pulls out some of her favorite...
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Gaylen's Gourmet Popcorn is Popping with South Dakota Pride
When Gaylen Backus was in his peak popcorn growing season, he was popping out nearly half a million pounds of popcorn seed on his 350 acres of South Dakota farmland near Wentworth. He went from selling most of his crop to wholesalers, to his family popping and packaging his wife Shirley’s…
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Steak and Coffee Cake with Millennial Rancher Calli Williams of TW Angus
Calli and Tate Williams' love story began when they met at the South Dakota State Fair. Tate asked Calli to show his heifer. Having grown up on a farm with a small herd of cattle and a love for 4-H, she did it. And that's all it took to begin their lives together building a family and pouring…
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Season 1 Finale. What's Next?
After seven months and 32 episodes, Season 1 has come to an end. But not without a huge thank you to guests, listeners and supporters. What's next? Tune in to find out. Random Sweets: Website: randomsweets.com Instagram: @potatoesandmittens Instagram: @randomsweets Facebook: Random Sweets Email:...
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Hive to Jar, The Sweet Story of Adee Honey Farms with Marla Hoyer and Sarah Hauge
You are in for a sweet and sticky treat today! Joining me are Adee Honey Farms’ second and third generation family members, Marla Hoyer, and Sarah Hauge. We cover everything from the history of Adee Honey, way back to even before Richard and his brother Stanley purchased the South Dakota honey...
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Bruce Honey Days 2023 and Community Cookbook Honey Recipes
Many Midwestern towns host annual festivities in celebration of characteristics unique to their community—like the city celebration we’re talking about today—the 32nd annual Honey Days in Bruce, South Dakota. Joining me for today’s show are longtime parade emcee, Mary Bjerke, and her husband…
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Gardening, Salsa & Mocktails, A Summer Conversation with Medary Acres Greenhouse
I’m talking all things summer gardening with two special guests—Lynn Darnall and her daughter Sarah Alfano, owners of Medary Acres Greenhouse—a 71-year-old, third-generation business in Brookings, South Dakota. We cover a variety of topics, from basics like watering and deadheading, to the value…
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Homemade Strawberry Apricot Jam and Broiled Parmesan Potatoes with Sydney Andera
Today on the show, South Dakota native Sydney Andera talks about who inspired her to make homemade strawberry apricot jam, her favorite flavor of birthday cake since she doesn’t like chocolate, the meal she likes most that her mom, Michelle, makes, her Grandma Naomi’s broiled parmesan potatoes…
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About this show
Welcome to Funeral Potatoes and Wool Mittens, a show for people who embrace the warm and cozy spirit of everyday living in the Midwest. Whether you cook, bake, or have food delivery on speed dial, everyone has a comforting recipe or story to share. We bake cookies for our kids’ hockey teams and bring cheesy hash browns to funerals. Lefse and krumkake are in our DNA. Candy bars and apples make a salad. We'll ditch work for a lake day, drive an hour for an old-fashioned bakery, and don wool mittens at 20 below. A food podcast for all. Tune in with Staci from Random Sweets in Minnesota.
Hosted by
Staci Perry Mergenthal