Archives of Eat

meet along the way: Melissa Turner

This story was first published in the Community Cookbook series in the February 2025 issue of The Best Years. Every Sunday, Melissa Turner of Jackson prepares food for the week ahead. She chops veggies, cooks meat and makes a casserole to be eaten on Monday. A few years ago, she added soup to the schedule […]
4 weeks ago

meet along the way: June O’Dell

This story was first published as part of the Community Cookbook series in the March 2025 issue of The Best Years. June O’Dell of Jackson is no stranger to the kitchen. Growing up in Patton, Mo., she learned to cook with her mom Glenda, who gardened, canned and made three homecooked meals a day. O’Dell […]
4 weeks ago

Sponsored Content: Prioritizing Health for Our Furry Friends

Sponsored Content By Stacy Busch-Heisserer In our quest for healthier living, we often overlook the dietary needs of our pets. As convenience and processed foods dominate human diets, similar trends have infiltrated pet nutrition. But as we learn more about the negative effects of ultra-processed diets on ourselves, it’s time to reconsider what we feed […]
8 months ago

meet along the way: Nancy Bishop and Molly Brown

By Amanda Flinn Editor’s Note: This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Make cinnamon rolls with Nancy Bishop and Molly Brown” in the July 2024 issue of The Best Years. Nancy Bishop was born and raised in Galesburg, Ill., during the 1950s, a time when life felt simple. Her mother made their food from […]
10 months ago

Michelle Mia Antallan: What have you been thinking lately?

Thank you for being the first early inspiration in my life; being the first grandchild allowed me to have all the perks (and favoritism, I think) to learn from you. I am very far away from home and you are getting older; I can’t stop thinking about having fears of you getting sick or something […]
12 months ago

Meet Along the Way: Debbie Crane

This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Rice Casserole with Debbie Crane from Dexter, Mo.” in the April 2024 issue of The Best Years. By Jasmine Jones Debbie Crane grew up in Dexter, Mo., but somehow, she says she didn’t know what Branson, Mo., or Silver Dollar City were until her mother asked to […]
1 year ago

meet along the way: Ethel Priest

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Rosettes, by Ethel Priest from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson” in the February 2024 issue of The Best Years. Cooking has and always will be a big part of Ethel Priest’s life. She says she makes most of her food from scratch, because […]
1 year ago

meet along the way: Sue Jones

This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Fruitcake Recipe, by Sue Jones from Jackson” in the December 2023 issue of The Best Years. By Jasmine Jones Sue Jones spent her childhood on a farm located off of Highway 72 in the Fruitland/Jackson area. Those years on the farm were full of wholesome adventures: Jones […]
1 year ago

meet along the way: Rosemary Berry

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Cooked Cheese, by Rosemary Berry from Fruitland” in the October 2023 issue of The Best Years. Rosemary Berry says it’s been an “interesting life.” She was raised in Sedgewickville, Mo., but as the wife of an Air Force pilot, she lived all over the […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Pat Schaaf

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Pat’s Pastries recreates nostalgic small-town bakery experience in the August 2023 issue of The Best Years. Pat Schaaf says when you make pastries from scratch, they will never be perfect. She says you could roll the dough out precisely, measure everything and use a […]
2 years ago