Food + Beverage

Build the Perfect Hot Cocoa Bar

A How-To with Amy from A Cup Full of Sass Article by Amy Tinnin from acupfullofsass.com | Photography by Ashley Michele Photography Creating a Hot Cocoa Bar is a way to bring a little holiday magic into your home, and it’s easier than you might think. Kids love it, and it’s perfect for indoor winter days. I always loved setting one up during the holidays when my kids were younger. Perfect for parties or just because. Creating memories like this is what it's all about.  Start with what you...

Local Services

The Gift of Giving Back

An Inside Look at One of America’s Largest Acts of Holiday Generosity Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor When retired police officer George Cobb started St. Francois County’s Shop With a Cop program back in 1992, his goal was simple—to show children that police officers are the good guys. That they’re helpers, protectors, and people they can turn to when the world feels unkind. What began with a few deputies and 56 children has grown into one of the largest Shop With a...

Education

US Tool Bridges the Gap

How The Industry & Education Partnership Gives Students a Pathway to Purpose Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor Nearly a decade ago, leaders at US Tool Group realized something was missing—not in their business, but in their community. Local students were graduating without ever discovering the kinds of hands-on careers being built right in their own backyard. That epiphany became the starting point for something extraordinary. Tony Myers and Plant Manager Denny Bouse...

Life + Culture

Digging Deep to Live Well

The Living Well Project Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor, Amanda Durbin Across the globe, about 2.2 billion people still live without access to safely‑managed water services; meaning water that is on‑premises, available when needed, and free from contamination. In many remote villages, families walk miles each day to fetch water from streams, puddles, or hand-dug holes in the ground – water that is often contaminated and dangerous. This crisis doesn’t just impact...

Food + Beverage

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Another Recipe from Amy Tinnin - A Cup Full of Sass Article by Amy Tinnin acupfullofsass.com | Photography by Ashley Michele Photography Pumpkin pie remains a seasonal favorite, but if you're looking for a twist on this holiday must-have, try this easy Pumpkin Dump Cake. It makes it to our Thanksgiving table every year. It shares the same flavors but with a buttery, crisp topping, and it comes together with pantry staples. We like to serve it warm with ice cream and caramel or add a dollop of...

Local Services

More Than a Mission

How United Way of St. Francois County is Transforming Compassion Into Action Across the Parkland Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor In Saint Francois County, needs often look similar to anywhere else in the country – an empty pantry, a past-due bill, a senior choosing between medicine and groceries. The United Way of St. Francois County exists to meet those basic human needs right here at home. Board president Mark Toti puts it simply: “Our goal is to help with the...

Education

Hunger Hides at Home

How Farmington School District fights food insecurity, one backpack at a time Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor On Friday afternoons, as the Farmington R-7 buses pull away, most children are already dreaming of sleepovers, family dinners, or lazy weekends at home. But for nearly 200 students in the Farmington School District, the weekend doesn’t promise joy. It promises hunger. These are the children who wonder if there will be anything to eat before Monday morning...

Food + Beverage

Baked Brie Fig Jam

A Recipe from Amy Tinnin - acupfullofsass.com Article by Amy Tinnin | Photography by Ashley Michele Photography As the holidays are approaching, I wanted to share a recipe that is easy to pull together, and it looks so pretty on your holiday table. The smell while it bakes gives me all the cozy, festive feelings. It tastes just as good as it looks, too. I like to bake it in a Brie Cheese Baking Dish (oven safe), then style it on a wooden tray with things like grapes, apricots, figs, sliced...

Food + Beverage

Hive & Harvest

Bringing Nature’s Sweetest Gift to Your Tables and Homes with Show Me Bees Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor There’s a reason honey has been called “liquid gold.” Drizzled over warm biscuits, swirled into tea, or baked into family recipes, its sweetness connects us to something timeless — the natural rhythm of the hive. Inside every jar is a story of countless blossoms visited, wings beating thousands of times per minute, and a colony working in perfect harmony. In...

Food + Beverage

Honoring the Past, Serving the Future

Mad Cow Steakhouse revives a beloved Olympic favorite while carving out its own place in Fredericktown history. Article by Kayle Nephew | Photography by Stephanie Zaricor Stepping inside Mad Cow Steakhouse in Fredericktown, Missouri is like walking into a living memory, where carved marble tile and polished wood carry decades of flavor and tradition. The building—originally built in the early 1900s—holds silent stories of family dinners past, but today it’s alive again with laughter, clinking...