COULEE REGION COOKS

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler is joined by the talented Jena McGathy, a project manager and food enthusiast, who shares her culinary journey inspired by her mother and grandmother. As they chat about the joys of cooking and the importance of family meals, Jena reveals how cooking has become her love language, a way to show care for friends and family through d...

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler is joined by the one and only Sy Fix from Saxon Hall in Brownsville, Wisconsin, who proudly embraces his new title as the "Pizza Emperor." Sy shares the exciting developments at Saxon Hall, including a brand-new beer garden and plans for live music events that promise to elevate the summer dining experience. The duo dives into the...

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler welcomes Sherilyn Knoll, co-owner of the delightful Cookies and Cream Cafe  in Melrose, Wisconsin. Just a few months into their journey, Sherilyn shares the inspiring story behind the cafe's inception, highlighting how a cottage food business blossomed into a beloved local coffee shop. The duo discusses the unique offerings o...

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler invites the dynamic duo, Mad Dog and Merrill, from Midwest Grilling , to share their passion for grilling and their extensive journey in the grilling industry. With over 45 years of experience, they reminisce about their early days with charcoal grills and the evolution to modern pellet grills, discussing how technology has transf...

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler welcomes back the Paulin's boys, Chris and Ben, from Paulin's Provisions . Join them as they share their incredible journey following a devastating building fire that forced them to rebuild their business from the ground up. The duo discusses the emotional impact of the fire, the challenges of navigating insurance, and the silver...

In this episode of  Coulee Region Cooks , host Courtney Vaaler sits down with Mandi and Justin Lenser from The Butcher Shoppe in Hokah. Discover their journey from processing wild game to opening a beloved local butcher shop in October 2022, filling a vital gap in the community. Mandi and Justin share their experiences in the meat industry, the creative products that have become customer favo...

Join host Courtney Vaaler on this episode of Coulee Region Cooks as she chats with Tim Vodak, a passionate home cook with a rich background in the fast food industry and bartending. Discover Tim's journey from working at Culver's to hosting memorable anniversary dinners, and his love for breakfast and Greek cuisine. Learn about his bartending adventures, including the infamous Martini Wednesdays,...

Welcome to the first new episode of 2025 on Coulee Region Cooks , proudly sponsored by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, join host Courtney Vaaler as she welcomes Abe from Abe's Raves , a local food enthusiast with a passion for discovering hidden culinary gems. Dive into a lively discussion about the vibrant food scene in La Crosse, where Abe shares his journey from writing a love lette...

Welcome to another delightful episode of Coulee Region Cooks , sponsored by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! Join host Courtney Vaaler as she welcomes Kaitlyn Kessler from the Wisconsin Beef Council to the show. Together, they explore the joys of holiday cooking with a beefy twist, just in time for Christmas and New Year's celebrations. In this festive episode, Kaitlyn shares her expertise on maki...

Join us for a festive episode of Coulee Region Cooks , proudly sponsored by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler welcomes Lindsay Mo, the creative mind behind the Live in Kitchen food blog, to share her culinary insights and holiday traditions. In this Thanksgiving special, Lindsay discusses her unique approach to cooking, balancing family meals with her passion for food blogging...

Welcome to another heartwarming episode of Coulee Region Cooks , brought to you by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes a beloved guest, Bill Feehan, a local culinary enthusiast with deep roots in the food industry. Join us as Bill shares his rich history and passion for cooking, cultivated from his family's long-standing connection to the cul...

Welcome to another exciting episode of Coulee Region Cooks , brought to you by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes the dynamic duo from Fat Pat's Brewery , Patrick Longmire and Chelsea, to the show. Known for their lively banter and delicious creations, Patrick and Chelsea bring their infectious energy to the studio. Join us as we dive into t...

Welcome to a delightful episode of Coulee Region Cooks , sponsored by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes Emily, the creative force behind Hunt and Gather Grazing Boards , to the show for the first time. Emily shares her inspiring journey from creating beautiful grazing boards for family and friends to running a successful business. With no p...

Welcome to another enlightening episode of Coulee Region Cooks , brought to you by  Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes a very special guest, the 2024 American Honey Queen, Kaelyn Sumner. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of bees and honey with this expert who represents the beekeeping industry across the United States. Kaylyn sha...

Welcome to another scrumptious episode of Coulee Region Cooks , brought to you by Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler steps in for Mike Hayes and welcomes back the delightful Jen Barney from Meringue Bakery , a true favorite guest known for her irresistible treats. Jen shares her journey of being a pastry chef and the joy of bringing happiness through desserts. She discusses the...

Welcome to another flavorful episode of Coulee Region Cooks, brought to you by Midwest TV and Appliance ! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and invites a very special guest, her husband Barry Vaaler, to share his culinary adventures and love of cooking. Barry reveals how food is his love language, expressing his passion for experimenting with new recipes and spices, despite his wi...

Welcome to another exciting episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes back Katie Glaze from  Wild Child Homemade  for her second appearance. Katie shares her journey of creating Wild Child Homemade , a business dedicated to sourdough-based products. From bread and cinnamon rolls to pretzel bites and bagels, Katie offers a variety of flavors tha...

Welcome to another delightful episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and welcomes back Sarah Burns from  Omega Bakery  for her second appearance. Sarah shares her journey of transitioning from baking out of her home kitchen for six years to celebrating one year at her brick-and-mortar location in Holmen. Discover how Omega Bakery offers an extensive menu...

Welcome to another delectable episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, Courtney Vaaler fills in for Mike Hayes and has an enriching conversation with Greg Jaworski, the chef-owner of  Nosh Scratch Kitchen  in Winona. Greg shares his passion for farm-to-table dining, emphasizing the importance of sourcing the freshest ingredients from local farmers markets and produce stands. Discover how he main...

Welcome to another mouth-watering episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, producer Courtney Vaaler steps in as host and welcomes Lee from Bubba's Meats for an in-depth discussion on all things tailgating and grilling. As football season kicks off, Lee shares expert tips on preparing the perfect bratwurst, emphasizing the importance of grilling before simmering in beer and onions to maintain tha...

Welcome to another scrumptious episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, Mike Hayes chats with Isaac Wilde and Micah Rupprecht from Kwik Trip, diving deep into the fascinating world of large-scale food production. Isaac and Micah share the intricacies of developing new soups and sandwiches, starting from small test batches to scaling up to thousands of gallons. They discuss the challenges of main...

Welcome to another delicious episode of Coulee Region Cooks ! This week, Ken Cooper sits in for Mike Hayes and has a delightful conversation with Chris Wysong from Bucket of Bread . Dive into Chris's inspiring journey from childhood memories in the kitchen with his mom to baking bread in a tandoori oven with Iraqi soldiers. Chris shares the story behind Bucket of Bread , a unique business that off...

Join us for another exciting episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, host Mike Hayes sits down with Megan Larson from Apothik to explore the dynamic world of food trucks and catering. Discover how Megan and her team differentiate their culinary offerings with two unique trucks, Apothik One and Apothik Two, affectionately named Carrie and Cindy. Megan shares insights into their catering approach...

Get ready for another mouthwatering episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, Mike Hayes is joined by Hayden Beach from TimeOut Tavern for an engaging and fun-filled conversation about the culinary creativity and camaraderie that drives their kitchen. Hayden shares how TimeOut Tavern keeps its menu fresh and exciting with monthly features like the Philly Mac and Cheese and Turkey BLT, highlightin...

Get ready for another delicious episode of Coulee Region Cooks! This week, host Mike Hayes is joined by Sy Fix from Saxon Hall for a lively and fun-filled conversation about the joys and challenges of running a kitchen. Sy shares the latest creations from Saxon Hall, including the McSaxon Pizza, inspired by the classic McDonald's double cheeseburger but with a unique twist featuring Thousand Islan...