Sense of Community

Our ongoing, 10-part Community Journalism series airs quarterly

From poverty concerns to major policy decisions, this series dives beyond the headlines to provide in-depth coverage of issues facing people and organizations in the Ozarks. KSMU's team of reporters come together to produce 10 stories, four times a year; see past espisodes of our Sense of Community series here.

You Can’t Add Too Much Flour in Bohemian Knedlíky and Zelí

By Jessica Balisle • Dec 20, 2019

KSMU’s Jessica Balisle’s brings us a special family recipe from her mother, Suzy Gray, with help from Jessica’s sister, Emily Gray. Knedlíky and zelí is a Bohemian dish of potato dumplings and sauerkraut. The recipe comes from Suzy’s parents, John and Mary Frances Ruzicka, and was passed on to them through many generations.

Bohemia is the westernmost region of the Czech Republic.

Suzy has done a little prep work before we begin – peeling and boiling potatoes until they’re soft.

There’s No Waffling Around with Uncle Frank’s Waffles

By Jessica Balisle • Dec 20, 2019

KSMU's Jess Balisle joins her dad, Steve Gray, in making his uncle Frank Galbraith’s waffles.

Galbraith was born in 1909 and was Gray’s mother’s older brother. When he passed away in the early 1980s, Gray was involved in dismantling the household. There, he found an old waffle iron. His cousin, Nancy Karoll, said he could have it.

Preparing Maafé (West African Peanut Stew) Reminds Sarah Diouf Of Years Spent in Senegal

By Randy Stewart • Dec 19, 2019

Sarah Diouf, who recently joined the Corporate Support staff here at Ozarks Public Broadcasting, shared a very special recipe with us for our "Table Traditions" series.

Venison For Taco Meat: Michelle Houghton Reveals A Family Secret

By Randy Stewart • Dec 19, 2019

You probably know Jeff Houghton as the host of "The Mystery Hour" TV talk show on the local Fox affiliate. He and his wife Michelle have two children, ages 2 and 7. When she and Jeff decided to contact KSMU to get in on our Sense of Community "Table Traditions" series, Michelle told us straightaway: "This may not be exactly what you're looking for, because it's pretty basic food as far as most people are concerned. But--we live and die by 'basic' food as parents with young children."

A Reluctant Cook Connects With Her Mother’s Memory Through A Relish Recipe

By Josh Conaway • Dec 18, 2019

As part of our Sense of Community series, "Table Traditions," Ann Marie Baker shared a family recipe referred to as "cranberry relish."

This holiday recipe fits in a small white bowl, on a plate next to a stack of saltine crackers and slices of cheese. The sweetness of the dish mixes with a bright tartness.

“The cranberry relish recipe is a family favorite, and we’ve been having it at the holidays for as long as I can remember," Ann Marie Baker said. "My mother made it my grandmother made it, my great-grandmother made it, and it was always around.”