01 OKO 05-31

Antique locomotive 

finds its way home 

Big Spirit offers all 

family hoped to find 

Culinary director 

tells her food story 

JUNE 2024 

VOLUME 37 | NO. 3 | $4.95 

room at the 

AT HOME OR DINING OUT, 

IOWA GREAT LAKES BOASTS 

A VIBRANT FOOD SCENE

The new Audi Q7 

Take the wheel. 

Your ride is waiting.

JUNE 2024 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE 3

S I O U X C I T Y | S I O U X F A L L S | O M A H A | F A R G O | W A Y Z A T A 

SIOUX FALLS | Bridges at 57 th 

2109 W. 57TH STREET • SIOUX FALLS, SD • (605)338-9060 • WWW.GUNDERSONS.COM

OKOBOJI CONTENTS 

food Scene 

30 

49 

FEATURES 

21 GET GLAZED 

Decked out doughnuts are the 

name of the game for bakery 

in the heart of Arnolds Park 

26 SUMMER EXCLUSIVE 

Chef Tim shares his 

culinary journey in the kitchen 

at Maxwell’s Beach Café 

30 DAKOTA MUSHROOMS 

Dan Rislov cultivates his crop in 

South Dakota warehouse 

46 

42 

21 

37 CULINARY CREATIVE 

Jean Quinn heads up culinary 

arts program at Pearson 

Lakes Art Center 

42 ALL THE MEATS 

Krafts offer local cuts, new 

products at their ever-expanding 

locker operation 

46 SWEET CLASSIC 

Who hasn’t been to the Nutty 

Bar Stand at least once for a 

classic bar or root beer float? 

49 COOKING AT HOME 

Marisa Sidles has always 

enjoyed cooking, but even 

more so in renovated kitchen 


OKOBOJI CONTENTS 

SPECIAL 

12 AT HOME ON THE COURSE 

Van Dykes say it was worth the 

winding journey to their new home 

on Indian Hills Golf Course 

54 SPACIOUS YET COZY 

Less travel time helps Munsingers 

choose Big Spirit Lake for their 

home-away-from-home 

62 ALL ABOARD 

There’s a new old train returning to 

Arnolds Park Amusement Park 

ON THE COVER 54 

Places to gather for adults and kids alike 

were central to design of Big Spirit home. 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE 

60 

OKOBOJI Magazine 

is dedicated to an upscale, funfilled 

midstates lifestyle, exemplified 

by the homes, activities and 

traditions that make up the Iowa 

Great Lakes. The magazine 

is distributed in northwestern 

Iowa, southwestern Minnesota, 

eastern South Dakota and 

eastern Nebraska. We welcome 

suggestions, story ideas and 

letters to the editor. 

founder and publisher 

Peter W. Wagner 

president 

Jeff Wagner 

editor 

Myrna Wagner 

sales 

Brittany Dolphin 

writing team 

Kate Harlow 

Rylan Howe 

editorial design 

Kirsten Elyea 

Thea Sterrett 

advertising design 

Kaylena Engel 

Elizabeth Myers 

Chelsea Parks 

Kira Spaans 

photography 

Rylan Howe 

68 

54 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

8 EDITOR’S VIEW 

Where food and friends meet 

68 FARE WITH FLAIR 

Elevate your burger and pasta 

game with bacon onion jam, green 

pea arugula pesto 

76 LOOK AROUND THE LAKES 

Grocery store under construction, 

school sends bond to voters, 

supervisors set pipeline ordinance 

JUNE 2024 

VOLUME 37 | NO. 3 | $4.95 

OKOBOJI Magazine is published seven 

times a year by Iowa Information, Inc., 

Sheldon, Iowa. 

For advertising rates and 

other questions, please contact us. 

Okoboji Magazine 

PO Box 160, Sheldon IA 51201 

800-247-0186 | 712-324-5347 

Fax (712) 324-2345 

okoboji@iowainformation.com 

Write or call if you would like to 

subscribe to OKOBOJI Magazine. 

A one-year subscription costs $20. 

©2024 OKOBOJI Magazine 

No material from this publication 

may be copied or in any way reproduced 

without written permission from the 

publisher. 

Okobojimag.com 

6 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE JUNE 2024

Mickey Harrington 

712.320.2725 

Amy Ackley Maris 

712.330.2890 

Ryan Maris 

712.330.9572 

1121 Brooks Park Drive, PO Box 815, Okoboji, IA 51355 

Licensed in Iowa

EDITOR’S VIEW 

Good things happen when 

good food and good friends meet 

I 

planned to bake cupcakes last 

night. 

Until I realized there was just 

one egg left in the house and I had 

no ambition to run to the store for a 

single ingredient. 

I hope I’m not alone in making such 

an error. I’d like to think that everyone 

who spends time in the kitchen has 

assumed they are stocked with a 

basic ingredient like eggs. 

Had I been cooking I likely could 

have improvised. But baking is not 

nearly so forgiving. 

Trial and error and experimenting 

with ingredients are common threads 

in nearly every story involving a chef, 

cook or food connoisseur. We love 

hearing those stories and being able 

to share them with you on the pages 

of this magazine. While food and 

dining plays a part in every issue we 

produce, it has become an emphasis 

for us in recent years in the first 

edition of summer. 

Welcome to the Okoboji Food 

Scene. 

Last year before he closed up for 

the season, we were able to pull Chef 

Tim Stephenson of Maxwell’s Beach 

Café away from the kitchen long 

enough to answer a few questions. 

While he could easily trace his 

culinary journey for us, he had a hard 

time settling on a favorite menu item. 

My husband and I have the same 

problem when we dine at the popular 

Arnolds Park restaurant! 

Our team also was able to include 

the new Culinary Arts Director at 

the Pearson Lakes Art Center in our 

content this issue. Jean Quinn loves 

the teaching and learning aspects of 

food and cooking, and we’re excited 

to see what lies ahead at PLAC. 

Looking for a few pounds of meat 

to grill or smoke now that the season 

has arrived? Let the Kraft family 

at Ruthven Meat Processing help 

you out. Suzi and Chris are always 

pursuing new ideas and ventures. 

Need to spice up that piece of meat 

before slapping it on the grill? Home 

cook Marisa Sidles turned her kitchen 

hobby of making spice blends and 

rubs for her own personal use into a 

lucrative side business. You’ve likely 

seen her at local farmers markets with 

her booth, Rissy’s Rubs. 

Another farmers market vendor, 

Dan Rislov of Dakota Mushrooms & 

Microgreens, welcomed us into his 

warehouse to see how he plants and 

nurtures his crop. Who knew there 

were so many varieties of mushrooms, 

or that they all have unique flavors? 

I’m a fan of mushrooms, but 

unfortunately no one in my family 

shares that view, so I don’t often 

include them in my cooking. 

After a visit to the Farmers Market in 

the Park, are you one who meanders 

to the north end of the Queen’s Court 

to the famous Nutty Bar stand for a 

frozen treat? It’s been a staple at the 

Iowa Great Lakes since 1945. Check 

out some statistics on the popular 

stand, and a few variations on the 

classic treat, on page 46. 

If you like your sweet treats 

disguised in the form of breakfast, 

then a visit to Boji Spudz – Get 

Glazed is the place for you. The 

establishment is relatively new to the 

Okoboji community, opening in 2021, 

with their offerings and popularity 

growing each season. 

Owner Rachel Vande Brake worked 

throughout her life as an accountant, 

but traded in the spreadsheets for 

baking sheets and tuned in to her 

creative side to open the bakery. 

Not only did Rachel want to be 

creative, she wanted to make people 

happy. “You can’t be in a bad mood 

and eat doughnuts,” she says. 

We’re not sure if that theory has 

been scientifically proven, but we 

certainly think it’s a concept worth 

pursuing. 

Come to think of it, that happiness 

surrounding quality ingredients, 

good food and the people to share 

a meal with (or just a sweet treat), is 

the foundation of the Okoboji Food 

Scene. 

We’re so glad you decided to join 

us as we embark on another delicious 

Okoboji summer. 


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Rooms with a 

view 

VAN DYKES SETTLE INTO NEW HOME ON GOLF COURSE 

Building a new home can be a long 

and winding road. 

For Lynn and Susan Van Dyke 

the journey took a few turns but 

the road eventually led them to a fantastic 

new space on Indian Hills Golf 

Course. 

They had sold their previous home 

in the fall of 2018 with plans to rent a 

place over the winter and start building 

in the spring. 

“Between the lot options and lumber 

prices at the time it just didn’t get put 

together,” Lynn said. “So we bought a 

temporary home that we lived in for a 

year, sold that again, lived at Bridges 

Bay for another winter, then bought this 

lot from a family friend.” 

After owning the lot for about a year 

everything lined up right and in the fall 

of 2020 they broke ground on their new 

home, moving in by Memorial Day the 

following spring. 

“We weren’t necessarily looking for 

this lot but when it became available 

they asked us to come look at it and we 

just loved the view,” Lynn said. 

They were also ready to downsize a 

bit. 

“At the time we were on the verge 

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY 

BY RYLAN HOWE 

The kitchen island is a 

common gathering point 

when the Van Dykes host 

guests, as well as one of 

Susan’s favorite spots in 

the home, in addition to 

the outdoor living area 

where they can enjoy their 

golf course view in the 

fresh air. 


of becoming empty nesters, we had an 

1,800-square-foot basement I hadn’t 

been in in three months,” Lynn said. “So 

we looked at that, and where we were at 

in life and that was one of the reasons 

we went slab on grade here. We didn’t 

feel we needed that additional space 

and maintenance.” 

When it came time to work on building 

plans there were a few other needs 

at the top of their list. 

“Being able to see the view every day, 

having a big kitchen island and a nice 

sitting area outside,” Susan said were 

her main goals in the building process. 

“We like to entertain so when we have 

friends and family here we want to make 

it comfortable and open so everyone 

feels relaxed and welcome.” 

Making the view a focal point accessible 

from almost every angle led them 

to install large windows, and plenty 

of them, facing west toward the golf 

course. 

In-floor heating also necessitated a 


few layout decisions be made early in the 

process — ones that couldn’t be altered if 

they changed their minds. 

“We had to make design choices on 

flooring so that it would allow heat through 

and had to be ahead of the game in terms 

of where we wanted plumbing to run since 

there’s no basement to make modifications,” 

Lynn said. “Flooring was the hardest 

decision for us. We checked a dozen 

stores. Finally when we went to a friend’s 

house in Sioux Center and saw in his 

house something close to what we were 

looking for our three month battle was 

over.” 

They went with luxury vinyl planking for 

it’s ease in cleaning and the fact that it’s 

waterproof. 

That point settled it was time to move 

on to other parts of the home. 

Bedrooms were a breeze. 

“Honestly bedrooms were the least of 

our worries,” Susan said. “This plan did 

have a huge tub, but we didn’t want one, so 

instead we have a really big closet in there 

now. That was about the biggest decision 

we had to make.” 

An oversized garage was also a key part 

of the plans, and another that pertained to 

their fondness for entertaining guests. 


“When we entertain, nobody is 

in the living room. There could be 

a dozen people over and no one is 

on the couches. We’re all around 

the kitchen island or the table in 

the garage,” Lynn said. 

They had focused their design 

plans around a modern farmhouse 

look, starting with the exterior 

and bringing that look to the 

interior as well. 

The main decision from there 

became going with a warm or cool 

farmhouse vibe — grays and blues or grays, browns and soft whites. 

“Our eyes tended to steer toward the warm side in that regard,” 

Lynn said. 

Staying light with the cabinets and trim allowed them to take advantage 

of a wealth of natural light throughout the home while dark 

accents in the forms of shelving and barn doors leading to an extra 

sitting area provide a distinct contrast that flows well connecting 

each space. 

All that natural light is one of the their favorite aspects of the 

home. 

The modern farmhouse style 

starts outside and influenced 

design choices throughout the 

interior of the home as well, 

where a large kitchen island 

was a priority in the blueprint 

process as was maximizing 

their views of the golf course. 


“I think one of the features that drew 

us to the plan was the vaulted living room 

and 16-foot ceiling in the foyer with all 

that open light,” Lynn said. “I’m a big fan 

of about 9-10 in the morning with the sun 

coming through those east windows. You 

can see out to the golf course and it’s all 

lit up and green. It’s a view that never gets 

old.” 

Though the golf course itself wasn’t 

their guiding reason for 

building in that particular 

spot, it’s something they 

do enjoy quite a lot. 

The view is the main 

draw. While they’re not 

huge golfers, they do get 

out once a week for a 

league. There are plenty 

of waves and occasional 

heckling as friends pass 

by their yard on summer 

days. 

The entertainment 

can occasionally be unpredictable 

as well. 

“One day we were sitting 

here and it had just 

rained really hard and I 

look out and see someone had lost control 

of a cart that went sliding backward into 

the lake,” Lynn said. 

In addition to the fun and surprises, they 

also enjoy that the location is offset on a 

relatively private road. 

“We looked for a long time for a house 

that we loved and the beauty of this location 

allowed us put the house we wanted 

on a lot of this size,” Susan said. “I love my 

kitchen and love my outside living area.” 

Be sure to wave from the golf course, 

Lynn and Susan will return the favor as 

they enjoy the view. • 



2024 

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FOOD SCENE 

SWEET TREATS GET A SPIN OF CREATIVITY AT BOJI SPUDZ 

GET 

glazed 

TEXT BY KATE HARLOW | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE 


FOOD SCENE 

Owner Rachel Vande 

Brake opened Boji 

Spudz in 2021, crafting 

quite a collection 

of delicious doughnuts 

from the standard 

glazed option 

to more elaborate 

creations including 

frostings, fillings, 

fresh fruit, sprinkles 

and much more. 

Life is sweet at one little spot in Arnolds 

Park. 

Boji Spudz — Get Glazed is located 

on Highway 71 in Arnolds Park 

and is the dream come true for owner Rachel 

Vande Brake. 

Rachel came to Okoboji in 2017 after living 

in many different places. 

“I was a preacher’s kid so we moved 

around quite a bit, eventually life brought 

me back here because it is a central location 

to all my children,” Rachel said. “And 

it’s the Lakes. It’s paradise. Who wouldn’t 

want to live here?” 

Formerly, Rachel worked as an accountant, 

but when she decided to make the 

move to the Iowa Great Lakes she knew 

she wanted to try a different path. She 

wanted to open her own bakery. 

“I was used to sitting in an office, but I 

really like to be creative. And I had my 

mom’s recipes and I just loved to bake. If 

you can capture that joy that comes with 

baking and eating those things made with 

love, and then you can give it to people, I 

knew that they would keep coming back. 

That they would keep coming back for that 

joy,” Rachel said. “I really just wanted to 

make people happy.” 

Rachel opened Boji Spudz in September 

of 2021. And while she started out using 

potato flour, she has reformulated her 

recipe and found another one that doesn’t 

use as much potato flour that she prefers 

now. She’s transitioning to a new name for 

her bakery to Boji Spudz — Get Glazed. 

Rachel’s love of baking came right from 


her mother’s kitchen. 

“I was raised with 

seven sisters and 

two brothers. There 

were 10 of us and 

my mother was the 

best baker I’ve ever 

met,” Rachel said. 

“Her love language 

was food. That’s 

what we did when 

we were growing 

up — we baked. And 

we were allowed 

to do whatever we 

wanted and to experiment.” 

In addition to pies, 

breads, cookies 

and more Rachel’s 

mom loved making 

doughnuts. 

“Whenever my 

dad would have 

church meetings my mom would make 

doughnuts — Long Johns. We would 

sit and she would do it for hours. It 

was a special event,” Rachel said. 

“They were always like home. There is 

a lot of her influence here on this recipe 

for my doughnuts. And many other 

recipes I make here are inspired by 

her recipes or are completely hers.” 

One of the bestsellers at her shop 

that she credits to her mother’s inspiration 

is the strawberry rhubarb, and 

it’s one of Rachel’s favorites. 

“It’s a taste of home. It’s a memory. 

It’s not just the taste of strawberry 

rhubarb, you know what I mean? It’s 

the taste of home and mom and everything 

family,” Rachel said. 

It’s her commitment to sharing the 

joy and love that makes Rachel determined 

to come up with new flavor 

combinations as well as recipes for 

gluten free doughnuts so that everyone 

can enjoy her creations. 

From Lavender and Lemon to 

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert to Chocolate 

Malt to French Silk — Rachel 

just loves to do the unexpected with 

doughnuts. 

There are about a dozen standard 

flavors that are always in the doughnut 

case including sprinkles, maple, 

chocolate, vanilla, Bavarian, raspberry 

Bismarck and Reeses’ — to name a 

few. But then they also have about 

eight or so that change weekly if not 

daily. With interesting flavors like Key 

Lime or Apple Cider or Hot Fudge, 

there is always something new to 

tempt your taste buds. 

In addition, they offer a sausage, 

egg and cheese biscuit or that combination 

in a glazed doughnut, as well as 

biscuits and gravy in the winter. 

Rachel’s day starts at 4:30 a.m. but 

she has employees who get started in 

the bakery at 3 a.m. When the doors 

close for the day, Rachel’s day isn’t 

over. She often stays late making toppings 

and fillings to be ready for the 

next day. 

As much as Rachel loves 

baking and coming up with 

cool flavors for her doughnuts, 

she loves her customers 

even more. 

“I have a 93-year-old customer, 

Lowell, and he comes 

in here every Tuesday. We 

have a doughnut named 

Lowell after him. When he 

turned 93, he came in here 

and we had a whole birthday 

party for him,” Rachel 

said. “We have a lot of customers 

like that who come 

to see us every week and 

we are a part of their family. 

That’s what I love, it’s making 

somebody else’s day.” 

And honestly, who isn’t going to 

be smiling when they are enjoying a 

doughnut made with love? 

“You can’t be in a bad mood and 

eat doughnuts. It’s impossible,” Rachel 

said with a laugh. “It changes your 

mood instantly.” • 

BOJI SPUDZ — 

GET 

GLAZED 

70 Highway 71 

Arnolds Park 

712-320-0580 

www.facebook.com/ 

bojispudz/ 

Boji Spudz — Get 

Glazed offers up 

a wide variety of 

traditional as well as 

unique and interesting 

flavors in the 

doughnuts they make 

and sell every day. 




SUMMEREX 

FOOD SCENE 


XCLUSIVE 

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE 

Maxwell’s Beach Café 

has been a staple of 

the Iowa Great Lakes 

dining scene since 

1986. Its location nestled between 

Preservation Plaza and 

Arnolds Park Amusement Park 

puts it right in the middle of the 

action all summer long offering 

visitors a fantastic menu 

alongside views of beautiful 

West Okoboji Lake. We talked 

with head chef Tim Stephenson 

about his career in the restaurant 

industry, the challenges 

and benefits of running the 

kitchen in a seasonal establishment 

and what he enjoys most 

about his chosen profession. 

Q: Where are you from and 

when did you start cooking? 

A: I’m from right in the Lakes 

area, basically lived here my 

whole life. I don’t know exactly 

how I got into cooking, it was 

just a job when I was a kid — 

as a teenager getting into the 

workforce, taking a dishwashing 

job and before too long I was 

cooking. Then it turned out I had 

a knack for it and I loved it, so I 

just kept going with it. 

Q: Where and how did you 

learn to cook? 

A: I didn’t go to school for it. I 

learned from the chefs I worked 

under and my mom and step 

dad owned a restaurant in Terril 

for a couple years. So, my family 

cooked, and like I said it just 

turned out I liked it too, had a 

knack for it and so I kept with it 

and turned it into a career. 

Q: What are some of the 

most important things you’ve 

learned along the way? 

A: I would say organization 

and cleanliness are some of 

the biggest things. Timing and 

organization is one of the biggest 

keys to running a kitchen 

that I’ve learned. Having a great 

staff helps a lot too. I’ve had the 

pleasure of cooking with a lot of 

great guys and gals. 

Q: What do you enjoy most 

about cooking? 

A: I suppose really the freedom 

of it — you don’t really have to 

be in a suit and tie, you can be 

an individual — and just the creativity. 

Being able to prepare 

whatever you like and whatever 

you’re thinking — I enjoy that. 

Q: So how long have you been 

at Maxwell’s Beach Café and 

what do you enjoy most about 


FOOD SCENE 

working there? Any specific dishes 

you particularly enjoy preparing? 

A: I’ve been there off and on for 

about 20 years now. I was the sous 

chef for about a decade and hopped 

around to a couple restaurants and 

took over as head chef here in 2017. 

I enjoy basically everything about the 

place, the surroundings, the people. 

As far as the food it’s hard for me to 

say — I enjoy a lot about everything. 

I’d say I love our halibut because 

of the sauce. We do a citrus ginger 

beurre blanc that’s phenomenal, versatile 

and can go with a lot of different 

things. Scallops Dynamite is a 

personal favorite that I put on the 

menu as an appetizer. It’s nice tender 

scallops with crab and cream cheese 

on top. Nice, Midwest elegance I’d 

say. We’ve kept a lot of the Maxwell’s 

traditional dishes on, brought a few 

back, and I personally added on the 

Dynamite one, and the arugula watermelon 

one. Me, Steven and Leah 

work well together and work on the 

menu too. That’s another thing. If 

you’re working with good owners you 

get along with, the restaurant industry 

is a pretty good time. 

Q: What was it about cooking that 

stuck with you and led to it becoming 

your career? 

A: I guess it was the happiness you 

can bring people. It feels good to be 

able to make other people happy. 

They can come enjoy a meal in your 

restaurant, have a great experience 

and leave happy. That’s what turned 

me on to wanting to do this forever 

now. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying 

the work you do and if it makes 

other people happy, that’s a bonus. 

Q: What are some of the challenges 

of running the kitchen of a seasonal 

restaurant and what’s the process 

like as you get ready to open? 

A: I’d say staffing is one thing. With 

not being year round employment 

it can be hard to get staffing sometimes, 

but we’re lucky enough to have 

people that like working here so they 

return as we always seem to pick up 

a few kids going to college. And I’d 

say with a short amount of time you 

mainly have summer dishes so that 

kind of limits you a little bit. We usually 

start in mid-April cleaning everything 

head to toe then from there it’s 

ordering in all the food and prepping 

everything. Then when you’re closing 

down you have to dwindle down inventory 

so that at the end of the season 

hopefully you don’t have a lot left. 

After doing it for so long you kind of 

get used to it. 

Q: Are there highlights or bonuses 

to being a seasonal restaurant? 

A: I think it makes us a little more exclusive. 

There’s only a short window 

where you can come get Maxwell’s. 

People get excited when that time of 

year comes around, so I guess that’s 

a perk and makes it something special. 

• 

CONVERSATION 

WITH CHEF TIM 

STEPHENSON 

AT MAXWELL’S 

BEACH CAFÉ 


LOOKING FOR A REWARDING 

CAREER IN HEALTHCARE? 

Apply Now. 

www.lakeshealth.org/careers 

712.336.8790

FOOD SCENE 

majesty 

the 

of 

mushrooms 

TEXT BY KATE HARLOW 


Most farms are composed of sprawling fields 

that cover acres of farmland. 

But Dan Rislov’s farm is a little different. 

That’s because Dan isn’t growing any of the 

stereotypical plants you see at a farmers market. No 

corn or green beans. No tomatoes or peppers. 

Dan’s produce is of another kind entirely. 

Dan’s main products are mushrooms 

and microgreens. 

His ‘farm’ is a 5,000-square-foot 

warehouse in Sioux Falls where he 

grows a variety of both mushrooms 

and microgreens available at local 

farmers markets during the warm 

months, but also to local restaurants 

and grocery stores. 

Dakota Mushrooms & Microgreens 

has become a staple at 

the Farmers Market in the Park on 

Saturday mornings at Arnolds Park 

Amusement Park during the summer 

months. 

He started Dakota Mushrooms 

& Microgreens in 2015, but mushrooms 

and microgreens weren’t his 

first foray into growing. 

Dan, who grew up in Madison, 

SD, has a degree in human biology and medical laboratory 

science and was working at McKennan Hospital 

in their lab. Dan remembers that his first year working 

there in about 2011 was the same year they started offering 

a community garden plot for employees. 

“We grew some carrots and normal stuff and I 

Dan Rislov started Dakota Mushrooms & Microgreens in 2015. His business is 

located in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse in Sioux Falls, SD. 


DAKOTA 

MUSHROOMS & 

MICROGREENS IS 

A STAPLE AT THE 

FARMERS MARKET 

IN THE PARK 

JUNE 2024 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE 31

enjoyed it a lot,” Dan said. “I really enjoyed planting 

stuff. It’s almost like you are getting stuff for 

free, because after just a seed or a seedling you 

just need sunshine and water to make it grow. 

It’s a little bit of work for a big reward.” 

He continued doing community gardens for a 

handful of years before something else sparked 

his interest. It was while he was learning more 

about growing vegetables in the community gardens 

that he stumbled upon a certain other crop 

in 2014. 

“I was doing community gardens and that got 

me researching how to grow vegetables and 

other items and I stumbled onto mushrooms,” 

Dan said. “I fell into a YouTube rabbit hole and 

watched videos of The Mush Farmer, who was 

growing mushrooms and selling them, and I realized 

that nobody was doing it around it here. I 

saw it as a business opportunity.” 

He started off by growing mushrooms in his 

apartment. 

“I turned my bedroom into a laboratory and 

did it in there for at least a year,” Dan said. 

The first mushroom he grew was King Trumpets. 

Then he tackled oysters, then lion’s manes 

and shiitakes. 

Dan harvests from Lion’s Mane 

mushrooms in his facility in Sioux Falls, SD 

He continued growing mushrooms in his 

home until he rented a warehouse space in 

Sioux Falls in 2016 and then added onto his 

warehouse space in 2023 which now totals 

5,000 square feet. He has four yearround, 

part time employees, and then 

adds on seasonal help during the summer 

months. 

Their warehouse is where the magic 

happens. 

It all starts with bags of substrate that 

are filled and then are sterilized. Dan 

then inserts grain spawns (or mushroom 

spawns) into each bag, seals the bag 

and mixes it up. 

Then it’s just a matter of time. 

The bags rest on shelves while they 

colonize and wait for the mushrooms 

to grow. Shelves upon shelves are filled 

with bags of growing mushrooms. Then 

it’s to the fruiting room for the final step 

of the journey before the mushrooms 

are harvested and sold. 

The two fruiting rooms are kept at 

around 60-65 degrees with air conditioning 

and misters that spray every 10- 

15 minutes. 

The mushrooms are harvested weekly and 

sold at farmers markets in the summer as well 

as to local restaurants and grocery stores. 

The growing time for each variety of mushroom 

varies. 

“My fastest growing mushroom is the pink 

oyster and after I knock the bag, it takes less 

than two weeks to get fruit,” Dan said. “And then 

the shiitakes and the maitakes, those take like 

three or four months so there is quite a difference.” 

About the same time, he also started growing 

microgreens. 

“I started doing microgreens maybe four or 

five months after I started growing mushrooms,” 

Dan said. “It was kind of a similar thing. I was doing 

research on mushrooms and then I stumbled 

upon microgreens and really no one was doing it 

in Sioux Falls yet.” 

He started selling his mushrooms and microgreens 

at farmers markets and then it took off 

from there. 

Now he sells about 12 varieties of microgreens. 

During the winter months Dan has five 

main mushrooms that he grows and sells including 

king trumpet, lion’s mane, shiitake and 


Dan is pictured with his dog, Bee- 

Bee. She’s a special breed named 

Lagotto Romagnolo, that was bred 

to hunt mushrooms. 

DAKOTA 

MUSHROOMS & 

MICROGREENS 

www.dakotamushrooms.com 

Come see them at the Farmers 

Market in the Park on Saturdays 

from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on 

Lake Street in Arnolds Park. 

maitake, with their biggest seller being 

oyster mushrooms. 

During the summer months and farmers 

market season, he adds an additional 

five varieties in smaller amounts 

as people like to see and purchase a 

larger variety. Those additional varieties 

include pink oyster, golden oyster, pearl 

oyster, beech, chestnut and pioppino. 

“People love all the different colors 

and flavors of the mushrooms. They enjoy 

the variety so you’ve got to give it to 

them,” Dan said. 

In addition to selling their produce, 

they also offer grow kits at the Farmers 

Market in the Park, so people could try 

their hand at growing their own mushrooms 

at home. 

Dan loves mushrooms but don’t ask 

him to pick a favorite — because he 

can’t. 

“Every mushroom has different properties 

that make it better for different 

dishes. I can’t really pick a favorite because 

it really just depends on your 

taste buds and how you are going to 

be cooking it. It’s totally based on your 

preference,” Dan said. 

No matter your preference — head 

to the Farmers Market in the Park to 

explore locally grown mushrooms and 

taste the magic. • 


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FOOD SCENE 

COOKING 

with Jean Quinn 

PLAC CULINARY DIRECTOR 

ENJOYS THE SPICE OF LIFE 



What’s life 

without 

some spice? 

Especially 

when those spices are 

inspired by dishes far 

from home. 

Jean Quinn, the culinary 

director at the 

Pearson Lakes Art Center, 

loves nothing more 

than to get inspiration 

for new dishes from her 

travels. 

And her most recent 

travels have taken her 

all the way to the continent 

of Africa, to sample 

the cuisine of Morocco. 

“The roots of Moroccan 

cooking developed 

over centuries with influences 

from all the 

countries along the 

Mediterranean Sea — in 

Africa, Europe and the 

Middle East. The food 

tends to be very flavorful, colorful and healthy,” 

Jean said. 

After returning from her travels, Jean came 

up with two new recipes to serve as appetizers 

that are full of spices, but where all the ingredients 

can be sourced locally. 

One recipe is for a broiled feta with tomatoes 

and capers and the other is dukkah, 

which originated in ancient Egypt. 

“Using a food processor you can ground 


FOOD SCENE 

down the nuts and spice for an aromatic 

mix. Dukkah can be served in a small bowl 

next to a bowl of olive oil, allowing you to 

dip fresh bread into the oil and then into 

the nutty mix. It is amazing and addictive,” 

Jean said. “The broiled feta pairs well with 

dukkah, creating a nice texture contrast 

with the creaminess of the cheese and 

the crunchiness of the nuts. These two 

dishes would work well for summer appetizers.” 

Jean loves that both of these recipes 

are most likely something most people 

have not tried before. 

“They are new and different for me. It 

was inspired by the flavors I had in Morocco 

and had never really experienced 

before. I sought out these recipes and 

the dukkah one is my own recipe, but the 

broiled feta is one I found online that I really 

enjoy,” Jean said. 

She also loved that these recipes are 

pretty health conscious. 

“I am always looking for Mediterranean 

recipes because not only are they delicious, 

there is a lot of research supporting 

how healthy the Mediterranean diet is 

for people. The food can be wonderfully 

spiced and not shy or bland,” Jean said. 

“When you think Mediterranean, most 

people think of Italy, but there are so many 

countries around the Mediterranean who 

share in that healthy approach to food. 

Those are the recipes that I seek out.” 

These recipes will take your tastebuds 

on a trip across the world. 

“One of the reasons I love to try food 

from different cultures is to experience 

new, refreshing, and interesting combinations 

which broadens my culinary perspective,” 

Jean said. “A whole world is out 

there beyond what we are provided within 

our country or in our state. I love learning 

about these different recipes and bringing 

them back to our corner of the world and 

using the wonderful fresh foods that we 

do have here and then making those recipes 

my own.” 

Experience some new flavors and 

spice up your summer with these two appetizers. 

• 

MEET 

JEAN QUINN 

Jean Quinn received her undergraduate degree from University of Iowa 

and Masters in Sociology from University of Houston. She has worked as 

a project manager, grant writer, teacher, speaker and wellness coach, thus 

bringing a diverse set of skills to the position of Culinary Director at the 

Pearson Lakes Art Center. Jean has Midwest roots, but spent most of her 

adult life in Portland, OR, known for its thriving “foodie” scene. Sampling 

the bounty of foods grown in the Pacific Northwest, as well as taking 

numerous culinary classes, helped Jean appreciate what is possible 

when effective teaching, innovation and fresh flavorful foods combine. 

Food brings people together, just as do art, music and theatre. Jean is 

committed to building a quality program that encourages education 

for guests to enrich and expand their culinary experiences, supports 

established and aspiring regional chefs and builds a strong sense of 

community. 


DUKKAH (DOO’-KAH) 

Traditional Egyptian Blend of Nuts, Seeds, and Spices 

Makes about 2 cups 

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup hazelnuts or almonds 

8 tablespoons pistachios 

6 tablespoons walnuts 

1/2 cup sesame seeds 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds 

1 tablespoon cumin seeds 

2 teaspoons ground coriander 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on 

large baking sheet and roast for 6-8 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Set aside to cool. 

In a large dry skillet at medium heat, cook sesame, fennel and cumin seeds until slightly golden, stirring 

the entire time for 6-8 minutes. Set aside and cool. In a food processor, or blender pulse together all 

ingredients (adding the ground coriander) until consistency is coarse. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Traditionally served as a delicious dipping sauce mixed with good quality olive oil, accompanying fresh 

bread or pitas. Can also be used as a topping for hummus, salads, soups and chicken. Store in an airtight 

container in a cool dry place for up to 3 weeks. 

BROILED FETA WITH GARLICKY CHERRY TOMATOES & CAPERS 

From Once Upon a Chef by Jenn Segal 

www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/broiled-fetagarlicky-cherry-tomatoes-capers.html#tabrecipe 

INGREDIENTS 

1 8-ounce block feta cheese 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 

10.5 ounces cherry tomatoes, preferably 

different colors, halved 

Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Pinch sugar 

1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Preheat broiler and set the oven rack in the top position. Place feta in a small (1-quart) baking dish and 

set aside. 

Heat the oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until 

lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until the 

tomatoes are softened and starting to burst, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the capers. 

Scatter the tomatoes around the feta and broil until the feta is softened and browned on top, 3 to 4 

minutes (but keep an eye on it as broilers vary greatly.) Serve warm with bread. 


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FOOD SCENE 

Ribeyes and filets, brisket and skirt 

steak, baby back ribs, pork chops and 

delicious bacon. 

Ruthven Meat Processing does it all 

and then some, garnering a loyal following 

along the way thanks to its high quality cuts 

and dedication to customer service. 

Current owners Chris and Suzie Kraft 

moved back to the Midwest from California 

in 2014 when the possibility of buying the 

locker began to take form. 

Chris’s father, Terry had bought the business 

in 2002 and was nearing retirement, 

ready for an exit plan. 

That plan included a transition period 

where Chris would work his way up from the 

ground floor. 

“That’s something not too many people 

know, but Chris started at the bottom 

of the barrel even though he had worked 

there previous years, had experience at the 

meat counter at Fareway and knew his way 

around a knife,” Suzie said. “Terry felt as 

though Chris needed to come in and earn 

the respect of the crew, so that took Chris 

about a year and a half and was a sacrifice 

financially for us at the time, but looking back 

it was the best thing Terry could have done.” 

Suzie and Chris Kraft purchased Ruthven Meat Processing from Chris’s father, Terry. The couple has since taken the business 

into new territory, both through physical locations and product offerings. They have additional ideas to pursue as time allows. 

RUTHVEN MEAT LOCKER OFFERS HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM CUTS 


Meats 

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY 

BY RYLAN HOWE 

They’ve got the 

And so succession began in 2016. Suzie had been 

a full time social worker and started getting involed 

with the locker doing back end work. 

They found themselves being asked to deliver 

quite a bit to the Iowa Great Lakes, and branched 

out into vendor shows. 

That led to their first brick and mortar location in 

the Great Lakes Mall in Spirit Lake, which they quickly 

outgrew, and in 2018 moved a few blocks away to 

a storefront on Hill Avenue. 

Next came opportunities in Arnolds Park, which 

was followed closely by the COVID pandemic and 

the havoc it wreaked on everyone’s best laid plans. 

For Ruthven Meat Locker it meant being slammed 

with orders. 

“We had to hire people otherwise we could not 

have kept up with the demand. At one point we were 

up to 30 full-time employees and able to win some 

grants as the USDA and state of Iowa realized they 

were relying on the smaller producers. Farmers were 

euthanizing hogs because the large plants were 

closing with everyone getting sick and we had farmers 

bringing stuff to us not knowing what to do,” Suzie 

said. “We saw an influx of people buying custom 

meat, hogs or beef, more than we’d ever seen and 

did what we could to keep up. We were really busy 

for the next two years.” 

Meanwhile they kept upgrading their presence at 

Arnolds Park, moving from a little kiosk on the water 

to a larger building under the roller coaster and 

finally to their current location, Locker at the Park, in 

Queens Court. 

While their numbers slowly began to revert to pre- 

COVID business levels, they kept moving forward 

with new ventures. 

The next big step was expanding their retail presence 

with a new storefront in downtown Spencer. 

They already had done the majority of the butchering 

for the beef auction at the Clay County Fair 

and at the urging of a loyal Spencer customer started 

looking more closely into the opportunity. 

“You know timing is everything and Dr. Hough 

from Northwest Iowa Bone, Joints and Sports had 

come up to us at the fair and said, listen, you need 

to open a store down here,” Suzie said. “So we were 

driving down Grand Avenue and saw a lease sign up, 

stopped, and the landlords happened to be on site. 

They’re great guys that are really invested in making 

Spencer a walkable downtown community.” 

And so in 2022 they opened The Butchery on 

Grand. 

“It’s a big building and we knew ultimately we 

could do a lot there, but we couldn’t do it all at once, 

so we had to figure out a game plan,” Suzie said. 

Phase one: open the doors. 

“We wanted people to feel like they were walking 

into the Spirit Lake store, just on a bigger scale with 

personalized service and a family feel,” Suzie said. 

Phase two: grab and go. 


FOOD SCENE 

“We’re kind of entering the second 

phase now and that’s with our grab 

and go lunches and that’s going extremely 

well,” Suzie said. 

Stop by during the lunch hour and 

anything from pulled pork sandwiches 

to brisket tacos could be on the 

menu. They also host classes on everything 

from smoked meat and charcuterie 

to wine and cheese pairings. 

Moving forward there are plans 

to put in a small smokehouse among 

other endeavors. 

“We’re able to utilize the space in 

ways we always wanted,” Suzie said. 

“Our next step is not just having the 

meat market thing but moving towards 

being a meat market and specialty 

grocery store, having things 

that you don’t necessarily find on shelves in rural Iowa.” 

With all these plans in place some tough decisions have had 

to be made and some priorities shifted. 

That meant closing the doors on their original retail location 

on Hill Avenue at the end of April this year. 

“With all these plans at the Butchery we had to do a little 

soul searching and that’s not always easy,” Suzie said. “The 

store in Spirit Lake was my baby and it wasn’t the easiest thing 

to let it go, but we just felt like it 

was the right time to shut the 

doors.” 

Of course it is said that when 

one door closes another one 

opens. 

In this case new opportunities 

arose from becoming a USDA inspected 

meat processor. 

This allows them to do wholesale. 

Spirit Lake customers accustomed 

to stopping at the Hill Avenue store have new locations 

where they can find some of their favorite meat locker 

products, including Kabele’s Trading Post in Spirit Lake and 

Sunshine Foods in Milford. 

They will also be expanding their delivery options. Door 

Dash will be available at the Butchery on Grand and they’re 

setting up Shopify to be able to ship products throughout the 

country. 

None of the opportunities would be possible without having 

a top notch product to sell. 

Ruthven Meat Locker is ready to supply those quality cuts 

and satisfying snacks all year round. • 

CHRIS’S FAVORITE 

Tri Tip. “It is tender and the flavor is 

absolutely amazing. It’s versatile and 

can be used for so many different 

meals — tacos, burritos, salads, roast, 

steak and jerky to name a few — and it 

doesn’t take long on the smoker.” 

SUZIE’S FAVORITE 

“I’m obsessed with a good thick ribeye. 

They have a good amount of fat that 

melts when cooked. The fat makes 

them so juicy and full of flavor. The 

ribeye steak is usually grilled but the 

best way is cooked in a pan with butter 

and garlic to improve its flavor and 

texture. Add a nice reverse sear and 

you’ll be in absolute heaven!” 

FINE DINING 

Ruthven Meat Locker has also made 

a foray into the restaurant world 

supplying area restaurants with high 

quality cuts of meat for their menus. 

Establishments such as Dudley’s 

Garage and the Hi-Lo Supper Club in 

Lakefield, MN, Prime Boji and Tavern at 

the Park in Arnolds Park, Odd Fellows 

in Pocahontas and the Triple View 

Drive-In near Little Rock all source beef 

from the locker. 


This year take the FUN ROUTE 

when you drive to OKOBOJI 

Now you can enjoy a convenient, delicious, A&W meal, 

root beer float or other great treat going to the lakes or on 

your way home. Just pull into the new A&W Restaurant at 

Jackrabbit Junction on the east side of Sibley, Iowa. 

When coming from the west on 

Highway 9, turn right onto Highway 60 

and drive two short miles south to the 

first Sibley exit. Look for the 

huge Cenex sign and NEW A&W. 

When coming from the south 

on Highway 60, stay on the road until 

you reach the third Sibley exit. Look for 

the huge Cenex sign and the NEW A&W. 

Then take Highway 9 to the Lakes. 

And while you're at Jackrabbit Junction, fill up your tank with Top-Tier Cenex 

gasoline or diesel and grab some snacks and favorite drinks for the road. 

Open Daily 

1706 Pierce Ave, 

Sibley, IA 

712.754.2200 

HARTLEY 

JUNCTION 

712.928.2662 

10 3rd St NW, 

Hartley, IA 

BOJI 

JUNCTION 

712.338.2248 

2301 Okoboji Ave, 

Milford, IA 

WILDCAT 

JUNCTION 

712.477.2121 

836 Holder St, 

Larchwood, IA 

JUNCTION 86 

507.662.6666 

501 MN-86, 

Lakefield, MN 

INTERSTATE 

WORTHINGTON 

507.376.4480 

1710 North Humiston, 

Worthington, MN 

BLUE LINE 

JUNCTION 

507.372.4038 

24425 MN-60, 

Worthington, MN

FOOD SCENE 



The cost of a nutty bar has not gone up for 

more than a decade. The original is $3. 

$ 

3 

sweet 

L I F E I S 

There are few things that scream summer 

in Okoboji like the Nutty Bar. Since 1945, 

the sweet ice cream treat has become a 

symbol of the fun to be had. 

You haven’t properly done summer in the Iowa 

Great Lakes until you’ve eaten at least one Nutty 

Bar. 

To learn more about this tasty treat, we asked 

Kira Jensen, the co-owner of The Nutty Bar 

Stand, to tell us all about this historic treat. 

THE NUTTY BAR: BY THE NUMBERS 

1945 

The Nutty Bar Stand opened in 1945. 

Kira and Michael Jensen have owned 

the stand for eight years. They purchased 

the stand as Kira had worked 

there in high school and college. Michael 

became friends with the former owner, 

Doug Frederick, and when he was ready 

to retire he approached the couple 

about purchasing The Nutty Bar Stand. 

31 

There are a lot more than just the original 

nutty bars on the menu. There are four 

kinds of nutty bars, as well as homemade 

frozen bananas, homemade drumsticks, 

homemade root beer and root beer 

floats. Also, Popsicles, fudgesicles, rainbow 

floats, five kinds of sundaes and 15 

flavors of ice cream.

3 

There are only three employees at 

The Nutty Bar Stand whose job it is 

to make nutty bars. 

There is only one employee whose 

primary job is to make all the frozen 

bananas and drumsticks. 

1 

33 

The first year the Jensens owned the The 

Nutty Bar Stand they had 18 employees; this 

past summer they had 33. 

55,000 

1 minute, 13 seconds 

Last summer they sold a nutty bar every 1 

minute and 13 seconds. 

2019 

Prior to 2019 there was 

only ever the Original Nutty 

Bar and nutless Nutty 

Bars. Limited Edition flavors were introduced in 2019, 

and continue to be rotated throughout the season. 

The Nutty Bar Stand uses over 55,000 pounds 

of ice cream each season. They purchase a 

semitruck of ice cream for the nutty bars each 

summer. They also get twice weekly deliveries 

of ice cream needed for all other products. 

The business uses more than 3,000 

pounds of chocolate over the summer 

to make their sweet treats. 


The Lakes most sought after development 

3901 DOROTHY'S LANE, SPIRIT LAKE, IA 51360 

Welcome to your new home at The Dwellings at Indian Hills. 

CALL TODAY 712-339-0293 

Listing agent, 

NICK STEFFES 

584 S Hwy 71 

Suite D 

Arnold's Park, IA 51331 

Office: 712-337-6500 

7 homes turn key ready or build out to your choice of standard, luxury or platinum finishes! 


THEspice 


FOOD SCENE 

Marisa Sidles embraces 

her creative nature. 

It’s as much a part of 

her as her hands are. 

It’s evident in her career as a 

graphic designer, her hobbies as 

an artist and in her kitchen where 

she loves nothing more than exploring 

and experimenting with 

flavors, textures and ingredients. 

“I’m a creative person at heart. 

I paint. I’m a graphic designer and 

I like to be creative with food too,” 

Marisa said. “I think it also comes 

from my family. My grandparents 

owned the meat locker in Ruthven 

in the ‘80s and my grandma was 

a great baker. And my dad really 

loves to cook too.” 

Marisa credits her parents, 

Mark Reynolds and Kathleen 

Reynolds, and their different styles 

of cooking as a good foundation 

for her cooking skills. 

“My mom loves to cook and 

she’s more traditional and follows 

a recipe. But my dad is also very 

creative and I think I get my experimenting 

from my dad. He likes 

to try many different things. He 

smokes things and cures things 

and jerkies things — he’s always 

trying something new,” Marisa 

said. 

Marisa gets her inspiration to 

try new recipes from a lot of different 

places. 

OF LIFE 

MARISA SIDLES LOVES 

COOKING UP A STORM IN 

HER KITCHEN IN TERRIL 


FOOD SCENE 

“I really like to watch cooking shows, I’m 

semi-new to Instagram so I get some inspiration 

there,” Marisa said. “When we travel, I love being 

inspired by the food we try. But I am also really 

KITCHEN 

REMODEL 

CABINETS: KEVIN WEGNER, 

THE WOODWORKERS SHOP 

COUNTERTOPS AND BACK 

SPLASH: LORING CUSTOM 

STONE COUNTERTOPS 

inspired by the ingredients 

I come across.” 

She enjoys experimenting 

with different 

sauces and styles of 

cooking up her husband’s 

favorites of steak 

and scallops. But when 

she’s cooking for herself, 

Marisa loves pasta. 

Mainly, she’s driven 

by flavor. 

“Our tagline is: Get 

creative with flavor. And 

that’s really what I do. 

If you know you have a 

protein you can get super 

creative with the flavor 

for that. Like, we are 

having chicken tonight, 

what should we do? With 

spices you can take that 

plain chicken breast 

and do Asian flavors or 

southwestern or French. 

You can grill it, put it on a 

sheet pan or throw it with 

some pasta,” Marisa said. 

“That’s what I love about 

cooking — that creativity that comes with cooking.” 

It was partly due to her love of cooking that 

led Marisa and her husband, Nathan, to make 

the decision to do a major remodel on their 

house. 

In their home, which was once an old school 

house, located on the family farm just east of 

Terril, Marisa enjoys whipping up creative recipes 

to share with family and friends. 

The home had been Nathan’s before he met 

Marisa. It has been in the family and as they 

used to have a house moving business, it was an 

easy decision for them to pick up and move the 

house onto the farm so that Nathan and his parents 

could each enjoy some space on the acreage 

when he was 21. 

Later on, Nathan met Marisa and they got 

married in 2006. They still live in the same 

house and have recently undertaken the task of 

transforming the house into their dream home. 

One of the biggest changes happened where 

Marisa makes magic happen with food — the 

kitchen. 

“We gutted the main level and vaulted the 

ceilings into one big room basically,” Marisa said. 

“We got rid of the guest bedroom and there 

was also a living room, dining room and kitchen 

that was up there. There was also an outdoor 

slab that we had enclosed years ago into a sunroom 

but just had an exterior door on it. But now 

we’ve opened it all up so expanded the kitchen a 

lot.” 

She created her dream cooking space. 

“My dream was that there would be plenty of 

space to cook, including counter space for days 

and plenty of space so that a few people can be 

in here cooking at the same time,” Marisa said. 

“With the space opened up there is room to 

breathe.” 

Her love of flavor and cooking combined with 

her entrepreneurial spirit inspired her to start 

her own business where she creates and sells 

spice mixes. 

Rissy’s Dry Rubs & Seasonings got its start 

in 2007 and it actually started with her desire to 

garden. 


“We had a big garden and I 

thought one way to get some extra 

money would be to sell my extra 

stuff at the farmers market,” Marisa 

said. “Around the same time my dad 

was wanting to order some bulk 

spices and I thought it would be 

fun to come up with our own spice 

mixes. I came up with some recipes 

and made my own and then started 

selling them.” 

Originally, she had three main 

spice mixes including Mediterranean, 

barbecue and Cajun. The 

spice mixes went from being a small 

part of her farmers markets business 

to all of it in a short amount 

of time. She now has 19 flavors and 

sells her spice mixes at the farmers 

markets in the area and in a few 

stores around the Iowa Great Lakes. 

From her spicy side business to 

her kitchen remodel and more — 

Marisa is continually excited about 

flexing her creative culinary skills. 

A life full of flavor and creativity is 

the perfect recipe for life — at least 

it is for Marisa Sidles. • 

BLACKENED 

WALLEYE 

INGREDIENTS: 

1.5-2 pounds walleye fillet 

1 lemon (juiced) 

2 tablespoons vegetable 

oil 

2.5-3 tablespoons Rissy’s 

Blackened Seasoning 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 

degrees Fahrenheit. 

Dry fish fillets and 

sprinkle with lemon juice. 

Sprinkle seasoning onto 

one side of fish and press 

firmly. 

Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron pan over medium high heat. 

Add fish fillet with seasoning side down. Sear for 3 minutes 

until it gets dark brown. Watch closely and don’t let it burn 

— may need less time. 

Flip and sear another 2 minutes. 

Place pan in oven to finish cooking. Bake for 9 minutes or 

until meat starts to flake apart in the center. 

CITRUS ROSEMARY PARTY POTATOES 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 pound small red or yellow potatoes 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon Citrus Rosemary Salt (or to taste) 

1 cup sour cream mixed with your favorite Rissy’s Rubs for a 

dipping sauce (example: Blackened seasoning, Pickle Rub, 

BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, Mediterranean Herb or Moroccan) 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive 

oil and Citrus Rosemary Salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes or 

until the potatoes are cooked through. Remove from the 

oven and lightly smash. They will burst slightly forming a 

fun shape. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10- 

20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. In a small bowl, 

combine the sour cream and your seasoning of choice. 

Serve the potatoes with the dipping sauce. 

Rissy’s Dry Rubs & Seasonings 

https://www.facebook.com/rissysrubs/ 


DREAM DESIGN DEVELOP 

Whether it’s building your dream home 

or doing a simple remodel, 3D Builders 

is a perfect fit for your next project! 

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your way 

Where Generations of Beautiful Homes Begin 

by Kalei 

Complementary Interior Design 

420 N Grand Ave, 

Downtown Spencer 

Phone 712-262-5420 

www.steffenfurniture.com 

Mon-Fri 9-5 • Sat 9-4 • Thurs 9-7 

Builders 

Phone 712.336.3901 

www.3dbuildersiowa.com 

Custom Built Homes 

New Homes • Additions 

Remodeling • Historic Renovations 

Servicing 

THE IOWA GREAT 

LAKES AREA 

SINCE 1993 


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APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE 

MidwestModernFurniture.com Sun 12-5 | Mon-Sat 10-6 • (712) 330-7292 

FOLLOW US 

3520 US Hwy 71, Spirit Lake, Iowa 

712-330-7292 

3520 US 71 South, Spirit Lake 

MidwestModernFurniture.com

Kelli and Scott Munsinger are 

happy to say they’ve found their 

perfect place. 

Their home away from home is 

on the east side of Big Spirit Lake. 

The decision to purchase a property 

in the Iowa Great Lakes had a lot to do 

with simple geography. 

“We live in Sioux Falls and had a 

property in the Black Hills, which is 

about six hours away. And we got to 

thinking of building something out there 

and thought of driving — especially 

the drive back seemed horrible,” Scott 

said. “We wanted a place close enough 

so we could ‘get away’ but that it was 

an easy drive. So Kelli, one day just 

said, ‘What about buying a house in 

the Lakes?’ It’s only an hour and a half 

drive, which is really easy.” 

And thus their journey began. 

They bought a cabin on the east side 

of Big Spirit Lake in 2017. 

“We loved Big Spirit because it’s quiet. 

I wanted it so that my kids could go 

Kelli and Scott Munsinger lived in a cabin 

on their Big Spirit Lake location for four 

years while deciding what they wanted in 

a lake home when the time came to build. 

Their patience paid off in a space that 

meets their needs and reflects their style. 


OKOBOJI LIVING 


home away from 

out and paddleboard and kayak and 

that’s totally safe here,” Kelli said. 

“We love going into Okoboji and 

Arnolds Park to have fun and enjoy 

what’s there, but we like to leave it 

there and come back to our quiet 

spot.” 

They lived in the cabin for four 

summers and over those four summers 

they put their minds to work 

and decided what they really wanted 

and needed in their dream lake 

home. Then in late 2021 they started 

building it. 

They were able to move into the 

lake house, which is just around 

3,000 square feet and features four 

bedrooms and four bathrooms, in 

July 2022. 

One of the biggest items on their 

wish list: a screened-in porch. 

“I just wanted a place to sit without 

bugs,” Kelli said with a laugh. 

In addition to their screened in 

porch, the Munsingers also enjoy 

spending time on their open 

deck and patio complete with an 

in-ground fire pit. Ceiling fans help 

provide some breeze and keep the 

bugs off during their family meals. 

“We eat pretty much every meal 

out here,” Scott said. 

Scott really just wanted one thing 

— to see the lake. 

“That’s why we bought the place 

— the lake. I wanted to be able to 

see it,” Scott said. 

To accomplish that goal, large 

windows to overlook the lake were 

installed and Scott got his wish. 

Sweeping views out to the water 

bring the lovely scene indoors and 

serve as living art while people are 

inside the house. 

While they wanted a big enough 

space to fit their family, the Munsingers 

also purposely kept it cozy. 

“We didn’t want a huge place. We 

wanted it to be smaller so it would 

be cozy and homey, but there’s still 


oom for a lot of people,” Kelli said. “We have two living 

rooms so it’s nice because the kids can be down 

in the basement playing games or being loud and the 

adults can be upstairs spending time with each other, 

too.” 

They were also strategic and placed a bathroom 

downstairs so wet and sandy kids could come in 

through the basement and head right into the bathroom 

where there is a separate shower room so kids 

can shower and other kids can dump off their sandy 

clothes and towels. 

There is also a bunk room. 

“Every lake place needs a bunk room. The grandkids 

— they love it,” Kelli said. 

Each of the bunks has its own lamps and special 

space. There was a little extra space so they included 

a hidy-hole that the kids also love. Special steps 

make the room easily accessible and safe for all the 

grandkids no matter their age. The bunk room features 

a queen bed, a full bed and a number of twins 

so it can easily sleep up to eight. 

Having the kids space downstairs complete with 

bunkroom, bathroom for showering after playing at 

the beach and their own hang-out space was something 

that Kelli and Scott created with intention. 

Expansive windows showcase the beauty of the great 

outdoors while also ushering in plenty of natural light. 

Design details like texture and pattern in tile, wall treatments 

and lighting fixtures create a cozy lake retreat. 

MUNSINGERS FIND PERFECT 

SPOT ON BIG SPIRIT 


“There was a very old cabin that had seen better 

days on the spot before. We lived in that place 

to really find out what we need,” Scott said. “So 

we decided that we really wanted to create this 

super functional but fun space for the kids downstairs, 

but also an adult space upstairs.” 

The basement also features another guest 

room and a beverage center and coffee bar for 

guests who might need a pick-me-up in the morning 

before getting going. 

Another thing they learned from living in the 

original cabin was to keep the bedrooms on the 

smaller side. 

“That’s one thing we learned from our time in 

the cabin — no one spent any time in their rooms. 

You’re outside all day. People literally just go in 

there to sleep and once they wake up in the morning 

they are out,” Scott said. “So there was no 

need to have a huge, giant master bedroom and 

closet — we just didn’t need it here.” 

Two other decisions they made that they agree 

were the right ones were to work with 3D Builders 

as they were wonderful to work with as well as to 

hire and work with a designer right from the beginning. 

“Shelly, from 3D Builders, asked us if we needed 

any help and I thought it would be nice to have 

somebody help me with the paint colors and design, 

like where to put shiplap on the walls and 

things like that, right from the get-go,” Kelli said. 

“We got in touch with Katie Sires and she helped 

us with the design decisions right from the beginning.” 

They painted the walls white with gray trim and 

the kitchen matches that color scheme. With the 

kitchen island a darker color of iron ore, it grounds 

the kitchen and adds additional visual interest to 

the open upstairs living space. 


A lower level bunk room for kids and grandkids easily sleeps eight. The built-ins were designed to create privacy and lend a 

cozy vibe to an otherwise open space. 

VENDORS 

3D Builders - Contractor 

Katie Sires Home & Design - 

Designer 

In addition to smartly choosing 

spots for shiplap to be installed, 

the homeowners also featured a 

number of different textures and 

wallpapers throughout the home 

to add visual interest. 

One of the bedrooms features 

a wood accent wall and another 

one board and batten. Wallpaper 

in the pantry and laundry room 

adds a touch of glam to otherwise 

not-so-glamorous rooms. 

“It all adds something special 

to the house. It makes it look like it 

isn’t new construction to add the 

details like that,” Kelli said. “And 

it’s really pretty.” 

Another thing that Kelli focused 

on is the lighting in every room. 

“I love lighting. I spent days and 

days and days scrolling through 

12 million lights,” Kelli said with a 

laugh. “It’s fun to me though. I love 

looking for just the right thing and 

then Katie helped with that and 

with placement.” 

After spending time in their 

lake home for two summers now, 

the Munsingers are sure of another 

thing. 

They made the right choice. 

“We almost bought a place 

in South Dakota, but we love it 

here. We love our quiet spot, but 

we also love that there’s a million 

things to do not very far away,” 

Scott said. “We have the best of 

both worlds here. It’s perfect.” • 


2201 HWY 71 N 

PO Box 255 

Okoboji, IA 51355 

Saturday, 

August 

3rd, 2024 

9am-4pm 

Preservation Plaza | Arnolds Park, IA 

LAKESART.ORG | 712.332.7013 

Summer Hours: 

Mon-Sat: 10am-4pm 

Thurs: 10am-9pm 

Scan for current exhibits, 

performance dates, and 

class schedules. 

Overlooking beautiful West Lake 

Okoboji, this event features 

handcrafted works of art from 

artists throughout the Midwest. 

Enjoy a live performance, discover world-class art, explore the 

ArtSmart Interactive Gallery, take an art or culinary class. 

It’s all here and waiting for you! Admission is always free! 



MEET 

BEFORE BEFORE BEFORE 

CREATINGBEAUTIFULSMILES 

AFTER AFTER AFTER 

THERE IS NO REASON YOU CANNOT HAVE CONFIDENCE AND A BEAUTIFUL SMILE! 

BRITTANY 

DOLPHIN 

SALES MARKETING 

REPRESENTATIVE 

712-363-1073 

bdolphin@iowainformation.com 

Specialist in Orthodontics 

and Dentofacial Orthopedics 

Delta Dental and 

Hawk-i Provider 

CRAIG E NEWELL, D.D.S.,M.S. 

Show the world your 

smile, not your braces. 

611 18th St, Spirit Lake • 712-336-3428 

www.newell-orthodontics.com 

Show the world your 

smile, not your braces. 

Practice specific marketing is sponsored by the provider and not by Align Technology, Inc. 

©2017 Align Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Invisalign is a registered trademark of Align Technology, Inc. PD13-005 REV 1 

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT 

THE IOWA GREAT LAKES? 

I enjoy the carefree 

atmosphere of the lakes and 

getting to know and see all the 

unique businesses and their 

owners. I take pride in finding 

the hidden gems and sharing 

their business with our readers. 

I love helping everyone from 

locals to vacationers find all the 

best places at the lakes for the 

in-between times of enjoying 

the sun and water. 

MAGAZINE 

okobojimagazine.com 

Shop 

Dine & 

INSIDE 

INSIDE 

OUTSIDE 

Lingual braces are 

OUTSIDE 

HEN HOUSE HOURS: 

9am-6pm Mon.-Fri. 

virtually invisible, 

9am-4pm Sat. 

PECKISH HOURS: 

10am-2pm Mon.-Sat. 

Happy hour: 4:30pm Fri. 

making it difficult 

Lingual braces are 

for anyone to 

403 Grand Avenue, Spencer, IA 

712-262-4839 • henhousespencer.com 

Local 

& sign up 

for our 

tasteful 

classes! 

virtually know you’re invisible, even 

wearing them. 

JUNE 2024 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE 61 

making it difficult

OKOBOJI HISTORY 

trainroll 

Keeping the 


TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE 

Historical artifacts can easily be lost to 

the passage of time, relics only seen 

again in dusty black and white photographs. 

But sometimes, just sometimes, they can 

be spoken back into existence. 

About eight months ago Jon Pausley, 

CEO of Arnolds Park Amusement Park, and 

local writer and historian Jonathan Reed 

were talking with a group of Okoboji Middle 

School students about the history of trains 

and their importance for tourism in the Iowa 

Great Lakes. 

Reed noted that there had been a previous 

miniature train running in the amusement 

park but they had no idea what happened to 

it — probably had been scrapped for metal 

during World War II. 

“We literally said it was probably gone, nowhere 

to be found,” Pausley said. 

To everyone’s surprise and delight that assumption 

proved incorrect. 

Barely two weeks later a post appeared 

on the Facebook page of the Forgotten Iowa 

Historical Society. 

“Someone posted a picture of this old locomotive 

asking if anybody knew anything 

about it,” Reed said. “I looked at the photo 

and saw the number on it and that triggered 

something in me. I ended up finding an an- 

MINIATURE LOCOMOTIVE FINDS 

WAY BACK TO ARNOLDS PARK 

tique photo with this train and started com- 

lingHISTORIC 

municating back and forth with the gentleman, 

Brandon Toftee of Otho, and he told me 

the story of how he came across it.” 

It is Reed’s understanding that Toftee and 

a friend were looking for an LP gas tank and 

saw one for sale near Ames. While there they 

looked at other things for sale — old carriages 

and other oddities — and underneath 

a tarp was the train. 

“The person selling it was selling for 

friends who’d passed away and when Brandon 

uncovered it he knew it was something 

special so he 

took pictures 

and posted 

them on the 

Facebook 

page and that’s 

where I jumped 

on it,” Reed 

said. 

He was able 

to verify the authenticity 

of the 

train through 

photos and old 

newspaper articles 

from Perry, 

IA, dating back 

to 1931 when 

a man named 

Earl Holdridge 

helped build a 

miniature train based on the old Milwaukee 

line. Other articles confirm its use in Arnolds 

Park as early as 1934 and eventually when 

Holdridge retired the train came up for sale. 

The trail went cold for a while before Reed 

picked it back up through a 1976 issue of the 

Ames Tribune where it was mentioned and 

photographed in an article about local collector 

Glen Miller. A pair of estate sales, one 

for the late Glen Miller, then again for the late 

Harold Ault, would lead to Toftee’s discovery 


Jonathan Reed, Jon 

Pausley, Dudley Hussong, 

James Wall and Austin Bucher 

have all played a part 

in returning a historical 

locomotive to Arnolds Park 

Amusement Park. 

of the train in that field. 

“After a few more emails back and forth I thought 

you know who would be really excited about this 

- Dudley Hussong - and once all of us here got involved 

we went down to Otho to take a look at it.” 

Hussong, the founder of Kozy Heat Fireplaces in 

Lakefield and owner of Hussong Classic Cars in Milford, 

is a fan of antiques that can be built and rebuilt. 

“The number one thing about these trains that 

enthused me is they were using a Model A engine — 

this particular one happens to have a 1927 Model A 

engine in it,” Hussong said. 

It was October 29 when they traveled to Otho and 

it was November 6 when the train was dropped off at 

Hussong Classic Cars in Milford. 

Hussong had worked out a trade — the historic 

miniature locomotive for one of his own restored 

Model A cars — and work soon began on the train. 

He had already been working on the amusement 

park’s current train and its Model A engine, and was 

eager to see what this old train could do. 

“Once we got it in here and started to tear things 

apart and figure stuff out, we found out right away 

that the engine could be made to run because it 

turns over,” Hussong said. 

All that was left of the rear car was the wheels and 

a sign, so they set out about brainstorming ideas to 

rebuild it into something new. 

Hussong drew up blueprints and the result will be 

used as a photo opportunity at the amusement park. 

Once rebuilt the plan is to place the restored train 

near the current train platform at the park in a nod to 

the history of trains in the area and their importance 

to the development of the Iowa Great Lakes. 

As Hussong noted, if it weren’t for trains the park 

likely would not have existed. 

“Trains are a big part of who we are,” Pausley said. 

“It’s a piece of history 

that needs to be 

shown. It pulls in all the 

nostalgia and memories. 

It’s just amazing, 

and now more people 

will get to see how neat 

this is.” 

Grandparents can 

point out the old train 

as they board the new 

one and share the story 

of the one they rode in their own youth. 

It’s a big piece of a lot of train work going on at the 

park in advance of the summer season. 

“We’ve been raising funds to cover some of the 

costs of restorations. Dudley has been really generous 

with his time,” Pausley said. “We have the No 

Boundaries group from Okoboji Middle School working 

on some history as well as a mural for the train 

ride. There’s been a lot of focus and a lot happening 

with the trains these past months.” 

A lot of work and a lot of fun for those involved. 

“It’s been challenging and fun and unique,” said 

James Wall, who works at Hussong Classic Cars. “I 

didn’t think I was ever going to build a train car but 

there’s always something interesting coming through 

the door when you’re working at a classic car 

place.” 

There are some tantalizing possibilities. As Hussong 

said, the engine could me made to run again, 

but it would require dismantling the entire train, which 

was built around the engine, and putting it all back together 

piece by piece. For now it’s simply amazing to 

have it returned to Arnolds Park Amusment Park. 

A piece of history back in the summer spotlight at 

the Iowa Great Lakes. • 


KATYLYNN 

BOUTIQUE 

584 Hwy 71 Ste. C 

Arnolds Park, IA 

www.katylynnboutique.com 

ADVENTURES 

START 

Book your dive today ! 

712-338-0438 

WITH US! 

1401 Lake Shore Dr, Okoboji, IA 

ARNOLDSPARK.COM/LATL-TICKETS 

FULL RETAIL DIVE SHOP AND REPAIR 

(Scubapro & Cressi-Sub) 

ARNOLDSPARK.COM/LATL-TICKETS 

DIVE 

INSTRUCTION 

Start a new 

hobby today! 

GUIDED TOURS Offering various times! 


HEALTHCARE WHEN YOU NEED IT 

We're fortunate to have several ways to receive healthcare in the Iowa Great Lakes. 

However, it's important to know where to go for your injury or illness that is the 

best for your health and your finances. Here are some tips to help you out: 

QUICKCARE CLINIC 

Lakes Regional 

Family Medicine 

2301 Hwy 71 South, 

Spirit Lake 

712-336-3750 

Mon-Thurs, 1 - 56 

pm 

Saturday, 8 am - noon 

NON-EMERGENT, ACUTE 

HEALTH CONCERNS 

• Minor burns and cuts 

• Cold or flu symptoms 

• Ear ache 

• Allergies 

• Nausea 

LAKES REGIONAL 

FAMILY MEDICINE 


Spirit Lake 

712-336-3750 

Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm 

CHRONIC AND ROUTINE 

HEALTH CONCERNS 

• Diabetic management 

• Heart health and management 

• Obstetrical care 

• Well child care 

• History and physical examinations 

• Establishing care with a new 

provider 

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 


Spirit Lake 

Available 

24 hours/day 

every day 

EMERGENT HEALTH 

CONCERNS 

• Chest pain 

• Shortness of breath 

• Major burns/cuts 

• Complications from pregnancy 

• Poisoning or drug overdose 

• Stroke-like symptoms 

• Suicidal thoughts 

WWW.LAKESHEALTH.ORG | 

712-336-1230 

2301 Hwy 71 South | Door A | Spirit Lake 


BURGERS 

WITH 

Bacon Onion 

For the jam: 

1 pound thick-cut bacon, diced 

2 large Vidalia onions, thinly 

sliced 

1/4 cup light brown sugar 

1/2 cup bourbon 

2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar 

Kosher salt and black pepper to 

taste 

For the burgers: 

2 pounds ground beef 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire 

sauce 

To serve: 

6 whole grain buns 

6 slices Havarti, or other mild 

white cheese 

arugula 

tomato 

Jam 

FOR THE JAM: Cook bacon 

pieces in a large cast iron skillet 

over medium heat until thoroughly 

cooked but not crispy. Using 

slotted spoon, remove bacon 

pieces from pan and drain on 

paper towels. Remove additional 

excess bacon fat, leaving 2-3 

tablespoons in the pan. 

Add the sliced onions, tossing to 

coat in the fat. Cook over mediumlow 

heat until they turn a deep 

amber brown and the sugars have 

caramelized. This step should take 

45-60 minutes, so adjust heat 

accordingly and be patient. 

Add brown sugar, bourbon 

and balsamic vinegar to the pan. 

Continue cooking until mixture 

has thickened, about 5 minutes. 

Taste and add salt and pepper as 

needed. 

FOR BURGERS: Combine 

meat with salt and Worcestershire 

sauce. Shape into 6 patties. Grill 

over medium heat until desired 

doneness. Top with cheese slices 

during the last minute of cooking. 

TO SERVE: Split buns in half 

and toast for a minute over hot 

grill. Layer arugula on bottom bun, 

top with tomato slice, the cheesecovered 

burger, a generous spoon 

of bacon jam and the top half of 

the bun. 


FARE Flair 

WITH 

e love all the summer classics – menus that include burgers, chops, potato salad and ice cream. 

What’s even better is when we can take those traditional items up a notch with flavorful add-ons or variations 

on the side dishes. Your burger’s never been better, your coleslaw never this memorable. 

And be sure to save room for the ice cream. 


06.29.2024 

25, 50, & 100 MILE OPTIONS 

HELP US LIGHT UP THE SKY THIS 4TH OF JULY! 

Join us for this 50 year tradition, lighting up the sky over 

the waters of West Lake Okoboji on July 4th. Spark joy in 

the eyes of thousands and create memories with your 

family! Donations can be made online or by check to 

IGLCC Fireworks Fund, PO Box 9, Arnolds Park, IA 51331. 

Bourbon-Hon 

Glazed 

PORK CHOPS 

4 center-cut bone-in pork chops 

1/4 cup siracha 

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

2 tablespoons bourbon 

Preheat grill to medium high, 

about 375 degrees. While grill heats, 

mix glaze ingredients and set aside. 

Season pork chops with salt 

and pepper, and place on heated 

grill. After 3 minutes, flip chops 

and brush cooked side of meat 

with glaze. Flip after an additional 

3 minutes, brush second side 

with glaze and check internal 

temperature. Continue cooking until 

temperature reaches 140 degrees. 

Remove to platter and cover with 

foil. Allow to rest 5 minutes before 

serving. Pass remaining glaze as an 

accompaniment. 


ASIAN 

Peanut Slaw 

4 cups shredded green cabbage 

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 

2 medium carrots, shredded 

1 red pepper, julienned 

1/2 cup roasted peanuts 

3 scallions, chopped 

For the dressing: 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoons rice vinegar 

2 tablespoons peanut butter 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

1 tablespoon siracha 

1 tablespoon grated ginger 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 teaspoon fish sauce 

Salt and pepper to taste 

oney 

Layer salad ingredients in large 

bowl. Whisk together dressing 

ingredients and pour over the 

salad. Serve immediately. 

Green Pea Pesto 

PASTA 

Note: While the green pea pesto can be used immediately, the flavor is even 

better if the pesto is refrigerated overnight before adding to the pasta. 

2 cups defrosted peas, divided 

3 cups baby arugula 

1/3 cup chopped walnuts 

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 pound orecchiette or large 

shell-shaped pasta 

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls, 

halved 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Optional: Parmesan and 

additional walnuts to serve 

Toast walnuts in skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently to prevent 

burning. When nuts just begin to brown and become aromatic, remove 

from heat, transfer to small plate and allow to cool. 

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. 

Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. 

To prepare the pesto, combine 1 1/2 cups peas with arugula in bowl of 

food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add cooled walnuts, garlic 

and parmesan and process again until smooth. With food processor 

running, drizzle in olive oil to desired consistency. Taste and add salt and 

pepper to taste. 

Toss pasta with the pesto, then stir in 1/2 cup reserved peas and the 

mozzarella pearls. Add freshly grated parmesan and additional walnuts to 

top of dish, if desired, before serving. 


LENDER 

FOR SALE 

2507 FRANCIS SITES DRIVE, SPIRIT LAKE, IA • $1,980,000 

Baby Red Po 

Family Memories at the Lake 

2 – 2 1/2 pounds baby red 

potatoes 

4 hard boiled eggs 

1/2 cup diced celery 

Juice of one lemon 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

For the dressing: 

8 ounces plain Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons minced chives 

2 tablespoons minced parsley 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

Now is your opportunity to own a remarkable three-level walkout home nestled along 

50 feet of picturesque east lake Okoboji shoreline. This residence boasts a generous 

4,865 square feet of finished living space, featuring 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. 

Building Better 

Communities 

Since 2001 

janie@sellboji.com 

712.339.0574 

Breathtaking 

Outdoor 

Design 

Bringing 

Heaven 

TO YOUR 

OUTDOORS 

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 

OVER 31 YEARS EXPERIENCE 

SERVING THE LAKES & SURROUNDING AREAS 

Outdoor 

Heaven LLC 

dba DeMuth Landscaping & Design 

Highway 71 S., Milford, IA 

Phone 712.320.3021 


Potato SALAD 

Scrub potatoes and quarter or 

cut in eighths to create similar-size 

pieces. Place in medium saucepan, 

add water to cover and bring to boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes, 

or until potatoes are easily pierced 

with a fork, but not mushy. 

Drain potatoes and spread 

on baking sheet. While still hot, 

squeeze the lemon juice over 

potatoes, followed by the salt. Allow 

to cool. 

Peel and coarsely chop the 

eggs. Add along with celery and 

cooled potatoes to large bowl. 

In medium bowl, combine yogurt, 

mayonnaise, mustard, chives, 

parsley and onion powder. 

Pour dressing over the potato 

mixture and toss to combine. Taste 

and add salt and pepper as needed. 

Chill for one hour before serving. 

Note: You will have 

excess chocolate sauce 

from this recipe. Use it 

as an ice cream topping, 

or place in air-tight 

container and freeze. 

Thaw in refrigerator 

overnight before making 

a second batch of these 

ice cream treats. You can 

also substitute any other 

favorite candy for the 

malted milk balls. Coarsely 

chopped Snickers, Twix 

or M&Ms would all be 

delicious. 

Malted 

Milk Ball 

ICE CREAM SANDWICHES 

For the brownie: 

1 cup sugar 

1/4 cup cocoa powder 

1 cup melted butter 

4 eggs 

1 1/2 cups flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

For the chocolate: 

1 can sweetened condensed milk 

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 

To assemble: 

1 cup coarsely-chopped malted milk 

balls 

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 13x18 baking pan with parchment, allowing 

edges to extend on two sides. Alternately, if you have matching 8-inch or 9-inch 

square pans, prepare two for the batter. Coat parchment with baking spray. 

In mixing bowl, whisk sugar and cocoa powder until no lumps remain. Add 

melted butter, whisking until mixture is smooth and shiny. Add eggs, one at a 

time, whisking well after each. 

Add flour and salt, whisking again until smooth. Then add vanilla. 

Spread batter in prepared pan or pans, smoothing surface. Bake 20-25 

minutes, depending on the size of your pan. Test center with toothpick, then 

remove to rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edges with knife, then using parchment, 

lift the brownie out to cool completely. 

While the brownie cools, in microwave-safe bowl, combine sweetened 

condensed milk and chocolate chips. Heat in microwave on low heat setting for 

90-second intervals. Stir and repeat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth 

and thick. 

If you used one large baking sheet, trim the brownie into two squares, either 

8-inch or 9-inch depending on the size pan you will be using to assemble the ice 

cream sandwich. If you baked two squares, omit this step. 

Line your assemble baking pan with parchment, again extending on two sides 

for lifting. 

Layer one square of brownie in the bottom of pan and spread with half of the 

melted chocolate mixture. Sprinkle the chopped malted milk balls over, pressing 

lightly into the chocolate. Top with scoops of softened ice cream, pressing 

lightly to fill the gaps around the malted milk balls. Smooth surface. Top with the 

second layer of brownie. 

Cover with plastic wrap and place pan in freezer for 12-24 hours. 

To serve: Run a table knife around the outside of the pan and lift the ice 

cream brownie by the parchment. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut into 16 squares. 

Serve immediately or return to freezer in plastic storage container. 




LOOK AROUND THE LAKES 

4 Dakota Mushrooms 

and Microgreens 

ON THE MAP 

1 Rooms with a View 

Van Dykes enjoy views of the course. 

READ MORE ON PAGE 12. 

SPIRIT 

LAKE 

2 Get Glazed 

Bakery owner says you can’t be sad while 

8 

eating a doughnut; we think she’s probably right. 


The Spice of Life 

A newly renovated kitchen provides 

Marisa Sidles the ideal space for 

cooking and experimenting. 


1 

11 

3 Summer Exclusive 

Chef Tim Stephenson returns for another 

season in the kitchen at Maxwell’s Beach Café. 


4 Majesty of Mushrooms 

Dan Rislov produces unusual crops 

in his Sioux Falls warehouse. 


CENTER 

LAKE 

5 Cooking with Jean Quinn 

Culinary Arts director at Pearson Lakes Art 

Center shares her perspective on cooking. 

5 

10 

E A S T 

OKOBOJI 


6 All the Meats 

Ruthven Meat Processing owners continue to 

expand their products, services, locations. 


WEST 


3 2 

7 Life is Sweet 

It’s a summertime classic and tasty treat that 

you can afford to indulge in time and again. 


7 

LAKE 

MINNEWASHTA 

8 Home Away from Home 

Patience led to rewards as Munsinger family 

enjoys their spot of perfection on Big Spirit. 

9 

LOWER 

GAR LAKE 

Ruthven Meat Locker 

6 


9 Keeping the Train Rolling 

Antique miniature locomotive takes unlikely 

route on its way back to Arnolds Park. 


[ BY THE NUMBERS ] 

1,000+ walleyes scooped 

up in the annual gillnetting process 

990 quarts of eggs procured 

from those walleyes for stocking 

operations 

4-5 Pounds average 

weight of walleye pulled up in the 

gill nets 


FAREWAY 

10 

A groundbreaking ceremony 

for the construction of a new 

Fareway store was held in early April. 

The building will be located at the 

corner of Highway 71 and 175th St. 

east of Okoboji Summer Theatre. 

BOND VOTE 

The school board in the Okoboji Community School District unanimously approved putting a 

$67 million bond issue on the ballot this fall. If approved the measure would fund construction 

of a new elementary school as well as infrastructure updates at the high school. 

PIPELINE 

The Dickinson County board of supervisors 

voted 5-0 to approve the first reading 

of an ordinance regulating hazardous 

pipelines then voted 5-0 to waive the 2nd 

and 3rd readings giving the ordinance 

final approval. The ordinance establishes 

a 1,600 foot setback from occupied 

dwellings. 

11 

NETTING 

Gillnetting operations in the Iowa 

Great Lakes saw a record quick haul 

as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources 

Fish Hatchery in Orleans concluded after just 

two-and-one-half nights on the water. In that 

time officials gathered the necessary amount 

of female walleyes for the department’s 

stocking operations. 

BUMBLE 

BEES 

The Iowa Department of Natural 

Resources and Iowa State University are 

looking for volunteers to create a Bumble 

Bee Atlas. Iowa is home to at least 14 

species of bumble bees that help pollinate 

native wildflowers and flowering crops in 

farm fields and backyard gardens. The 

national project is part of a collaboration 

with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate 

Conservation. 

900 number of volunteers for 

the Bumble Bee Atlas so far 

20,000+ number of 

bumble bees counted so far 

JUNE 20 

first day of summer for 2024 


Local 

MORTGAGE EXPERTS 

APPLY TODAY! 

Download our Northwest Bank 

Mortgage App 

Angie Peterson 

712.336.1034 

NMLS#488226 

LeAnne Hamrick 

712.332.5636 

NMLS#1437688 

Arnolds Park | Milford | Spirit Lake | www.NW.bank 

NMLS#486668 

27 HOLES. 3 DISTINCT 1 CLEAR 

COURSES. CHOICE. 

NEW MEMBERS 

25% 

OFF 

ALL MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES 

Sat. 5/25 - Mon. 5/27 ... Memorial Weekend Veterans Free 

Green Fees 

Sat. 6/1 ..................................................8 inch big cup 

Mon. 6/3 - Wed. 6/5 ........................... Junior Camp 1 

can accommodate three foursomes every 

Sat. 6/15 ............................................... MS Fundraiser 

l tree-lined fairways, or for the Scottish 

Mon. 6/24 - Wed. 6/26 ....................... Junior Camp 2 

nge yourself on great greens and beautiful 

Sun. 6/30 ............................................ Love Takes Root 

Mon. 7/1- Wed. 7/3 ............................ Junior Camp 3 

Sun. 7/7 ..................................................Parent/Child 

40 Acre natural grass driving range 

Sat. 7/20 ........................... Humane Society Putt For Pups 

Mon. 7/22 ....................................... Okoboji Junior Tour 

Large putting green, chipping 

green and practice bunker 

Sun. 7/28 ..................................... Iowa PGA Jr. Tourney 

Mon.7/29 - Wed. 7/31 .............................Junior Camp 4 

Tue. 8/6 - Wed. 8/7 ...... Dakota Tour Okoboji Open Pro-Am 

27 holes = excellent tee time 

availability & pace of play 

Fri. 8/9 ............................... Mammoth Hockey Fundraiser 

Sun. 8/11 ..............................................Mixed Couples 

Mon. 8/26 .....................................................SGOWA 

Fri. 8/30 ......................................... IGLA Chamber GOLF 

Mon. 9/2 ................................................. Sportsmans 

Sun. 9/15 ................................. Hwy 71 Club Team Event 

Mon. 9/16 ............................................. Ladie's 9 hole 

Mon. 9/30 .....................................................SGOWA 

Sun. 10/13 ............................................ The Chili Bowl 

Sun. 10/27 ........... Brooks Gives Back/Customer Appreciation 

CALL (712) 332-5011 

www.brooksgolfclub.com 

1201 BROOKS PARK DR. | OKOBOJI, IA 


The NEW 

2024 Atlas. 

More style, More power, More fuel economy, More technology. 

Come into Graham Volkswagen and experience your personalized road test. 

GrahamVW.com 

605-336-3655 | 1-888-540-6399 

801 West 41st St. Sioux Falls, SD

For Sale 

WALKING DISTANCE TO 

EAST LAKE OKOBOJI 

1203 SANBORN #18 | OKOBOJI 

$255,000 

2 2 

For Sale 

WEST LAKE OKOBOJI 

7114 LAKESHORE DR #26 


$575,000 

3 2 

For Sale 


15235 215TH AVENUE 

SPIRIT LAKE 

$2,200,000 

3 3 

Nestled in Nature 


1612 JOY LOY 

WAHPETON 

$625,000 

4 2 

Accepted Offer 


5411 LAKESHORE 


2 1 

Accepted Offer 

LOWER GAR LAKE 

88 HELEN 

MILFORD 

4 3 

YOUR OKOBOJI REAL ESTATE EXPERTS 

The Brickyard south of Kum & Go l 1003 Hwy. 71 South l Okoboji, IA 51355 

www.ExploreOkobojiHomes.com • www.OkobojiHomes.com 

LENDER 

KIRK STAUSS 

kirk@okobojihomes.com l 712.320.0123 

NICK STAUSS 

nick@okobojihomes.com l 712.320.1230 

NICK BJORNSTAD 

nickb@okobojihomes.com l 712.339.0580 

MARK LEISS 

okobozo@aol.com l 712.330.2045 

MEGHAN SLOMA 

meghan@okobojihomes.com l 402.290.4764 

JJ NEWMAN 

jj@okobojihomes.com l 320.733.2399

01 OKO 05-31

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