Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

Food Friends
  • 4.7 (330)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

Do you love home cooking but hunger for better recipes that help you deliver quick and delicious meals to your dinner table? Two former personal chefs turned best friends share their expertise with each other and you! Kari and Sonya have been inspiring each other in the kitchen for over 15 years by swapping recipes, tips, and trade secrets in the pursuit of better home cooking. FOOD FRIENDS is a bi-weekly podcast inspiring home cooks to try new dishes in the kitchen by sharing trusted recipes, tips, and friendship. Every Tuesday, each host delivers 3 unique solutions to seasonal home cooking, like: how to make craveable soups with your farmers market haul, the easiest one-pot meals for busy nights, or what to do with leftover rotisserie chicken. On Thursdays, we serve up a pint-sized chat about our “Best Bite” of the week, pantry essentials we can’t live without, and more. Previous guests include Seth & Lauren Rogen, actor Randall Park & writer/director Evan Goldberg, recipe developer Justine Doiron, #1 Food & Beverage Substacker Caroline Chambers, and more. If you’re looking for a boost of fun in the kitchen by discovering recipes that will make mealtime easier and more delicious with a healthy dose of laughter, then you’ll want to dig in with FOOD FRIENDS! First-time listener? Tune into Episode 2: Don’t send flowers, send soup! and Episode 4: What do you bring to a potluck?

  1. 1d ago

    Cookbook Club, Fig & Almond Cake + A Vegetarian Phyllo Pie | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

    What if using phyllo dough didn’t have to be difficult, and you could make a golden, buttery pie with a mountain of vegetables? In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you! By the end of this episode, you’ll discover a seasonal cookbook full of flavorful intuitive recipes, and you’ll also find out why David Tanis’ fig and almond cake is a must-bake that's perfect for fall hosting. You’ll also learn how to make a meatless main packed with chickpeas, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes that reheats like a dream and has a surprise technique that makes it easy to make. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: How to Start a Cookbook Club from our Substack Cookbook club pick: David Tanis’ A Platter of Figs, which is out of print, but can be found used or at your local library too Some highlights from cookbook club were: Corn, squash, and green beans with jalapeno butter Fresh shell beans with sage and garlic Berbere pizza Fig and almond cake by David Tanis for NYT Cooking Spiced veggie phyllo pie by Melissa Clark for NYT Cooking **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    Cookbook Club, Fig & Almond Cake + A Vegetarian Phyllo Pie | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

  2. 3d ago

    What to Cook on Busy Weeknights: 6 Dinners, with Maggie Hoffman

    How do you make dinner happen every night without feeling like you’re starting from scratch? If you’re staring into the fridge at 5 p.m. with no idea what to make, this week Maggie Hoffman, host of The Dinner Plan, shares smart strategies for making weeknight cooking easier, along with a lineup of deeply satisfying fall dinners that come together quickly. Think: chewy noodles tossed in a 5-minute sauce, a crowd-pleasing sheet-pan meal, and a foolproof take on pasta e ceci. By the end of this episode, you’ll discover: Flexible meal-planning tricks that help ingredients stretch furtherFlavorful, low-effort meals that can pull you out of even the deepest cooking rutTwo meatless dinners that might end up in regular rotation in your kitchen Press play now for practical strategies and quick fall dinners that will make answering the question, “What’s for dinner?” a little easier. *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: Follow “The Dinner Plan” now wherever you listen to podcasts Subscribe to Maggie’s Substack: The Dinner Plan for more recipe inspiration. You can also find Maggie and more about The Dinner Plan on Instagram! Maggie’s favorite pasta: Zaynab Issa's Gochujang-Sesame noodles (With Sun Ramen Noodles) Meatless dinner: Georgina Hayden's clean-out-the-fridge pasta salad, from her cookbook: Medesque (with tons of weeknight-friendly recipes) Sheet pan meal: Melissa Clark's Harissa chicken with Leeks, from her book: “Dinner Changing the Game” which has many more sheet pan recipes. Maggie also highly recommends switching from half sheet to using stainless steel quarter sheet pans for this style of cooking (they fit in a toaster oven, and are dishwasher safe!) Maggie (and our!) favorite brand of harissa paste is from NY Shuk Comforting fall dinner: Jamie Oliver's Pasta e Ceci, from his book: Jamie’s Italy. Maggie loves to make small batches of stock with leftover rotisserie chicken bones in an Instantpot. Standout from “The Dinner Plan:” Maureen Abood's Arayes from her cookbook: Lebanese Baking What to cook when you don’t feel like cooking: A great loaded up sandwich like this Feta brined-chicken sandwiches made with grilled chicken. Maggie recommends grilling proteins for multiple meals at the same time, and for recipe inspiration she recs Noah Galuten’s Grill Time! Some of Maggie’s favorite cookbooks right now: River Cafe Green by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers Vegetables the Italian Way by Giulia Scarpaleggia Carla Lalli’s new book: Food is a Feeling **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    What to Cook on Busy Weeknights: 6 Dinners, with Maggie Hoffman

  3. Sep 3

    Easy Pickles, A Quick Way To Use Up Broccoli + A Surprising Carrot Cake with Leah Koenig | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

    What do you do when you have more vegetables than you know what to do with? In this bite-sized episode, we share the best things we ate this week to inspire each other—and you! By the end of this episode, you’ll discover a quick refrigerator pickle that can be made with almost any veggie, and you’ll also find out about a restaurant-inspired broccoli crostini that makes a satisfying meatless dinner for busy nights. Plus! Author Leah Koenig shares her “Best Bite” too: An easy carrot-date cake that requires no special equipment, with an unexpected ingredient in the frosting. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: Leah Koenig’s new book is: The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets, which includes her recipe for Date-carrot cake with orange blossom frosting. You can find more recipes from Leah on her Substack: The Jewish Table, and on Instagram @leah.koenig **** Other links from today's show: Easy refrigerator pickles from Simply Recipes made with a crinkle-cut knife And here’s another fridge pickle recipe from Coley Cooks, if you want a less sweet pickle, with more spices. Lot 2’s pecorino-fried bread with broccoli adapted by Melissa Clark for NYT Cooking; Kari adapted it by cooking broccoli with butter and garlic, and serving it on toasted sliced bread topped with melty cheese (like young Parmesan, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Gruyere). Italian broccoli salad by Ali Slagle for NYT Cooking **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    Easy Pickles, A Quick Way To Use Up Broccoli + A Surprising Carrot Cake with Leah Koenig | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

  4. Sep 1

    Hosting this Fall? Four Menus for Seasonal Cooking at Home

    What do you serve when you want to host, but don’t want to spend the entire day in the kitchen? Fall is one of our favorite seasons for gathering, from back-to-school dinners and Jewish High Holidays to casual meals with family and friends. But putting together a menu — and getting everything on the table at the same time — can feel like a lot of work. This week, we’re sharing four complete fall menus designed to help you plan ahead, cook strategically, and actually enjoy your own gathering. By the end of this episode, you’ll: Learn how to build a fall menu around dishes that can be prepped, cooked, frozen, or reheated ahead of timeDiscover a fully vegetarian menu that is casual and can feed a big crowdFind out the secrets to achieving tender brisket and flavorful roast chicken Press play for practical hosting strategies and fall recipes that make it easier to get dinner on the table… and enjoy it once you do! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** We also highly recommend The Dinner Plan podcast and Substack for more recipe inspiration! *** Links: Back to the Classics Rosh Hashanah Dinner: Plum challah by Sonya and Shannon Sarna for The Nosher Smoked fish platter Ottolenghi fig hazelnut salad with radicchio and basil Eggplant Caponata from The Gjelina Cookbook, the exact recipe can be found in the book, or try this slightly adapted version from The Brick Kitchen Beer and onion braised brisket from Epicurious Cast iron skillet potato kugel from Smitten Kitchen Farro topped with roasted peppers and eggplants and spicy tahini dressing (recipe coming!) Glazed apple cider doughnut cake from Smitten Kitchen Vegetarian pizza party in Southern California Hot September Street corn dip with tortilla chips Mushroom pizza with kale and red onions Potato rosemary pizza Roasted vegetable salad with farro and goat cheese by Walder Wellness Arugula fennel apple salad (no cheese) by The First Mess Ice cream Fall bounty dinner: Harissa apricot braised chicken by Samin Nosrat from Good Things Charred green beans and lemony yogurt by Yossy Arefi for NYT Cooking Ottolenghi pomegranate tomato salad David Leibovitz' oven-roasted plums over pound cake, angel food cake or with vanilla ice cream Roast Chicken Dinner at Kari’s Portuguese chicken and potatoes from Feasting at Home Alison Roman’s Bitter, Leafy Salad German chocolate cake by Tastes Better From Scratch **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    Hosting this Fall? Four Menus for Seasonal Cooking at Home

  5. Aug 27

    One-Pot Meatballs & Greens + Two Italian Cookies | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

    What do you make when you have a package of ground chicken but no plan for dinner? In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you! By the end of this episode, you’ll discover a 5-star-rated, one-pot dinner of lemony meatballs and greens that’s perfect for busy weeknights. You’ll also want to try two Italian cookies: an easy double-chocolate biscotti that can be made ahead and freezes well, and a buttery cookie with a distinctive shape and texture that would be right at home on a weekend brunch table. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: One-Pot Chicken Meatballs with Greens by Yasmin Fahr for NYT Cooking. To make this dairy-free, swap the yogurt for unsweetened coconut yogurt, or for 2 large eggs Double chocolate biscotti by Jenn Segal from Once Upon a Chef Torchetti al burro (Italian butter cookies) from Recipe from Italy **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    One-Pot Meatballs & Greens + Two Italian Cookies | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

  6. Aug 25

    Recipes We’re Really Cooking! A Summer Recap + The Best of Season 4

    What if the best recipes aren’t the newest ones, but the ones you keep coming back to? This week, we’re revisiting some of our favorite summer meals and sharing the recipes from Season 4 that have earned a permanent spot in our kitchens. By the end of this episode, you’ll: Discover make-ahead salads that have become staplesFind a hosting-worthy sheet-pan dinner that’s easy enough for a weeknightGet two cookie recipes we bake year-round — and that are perfect for cookie boxes and gifting Tune in now for easy, reliable recipes you’ll want to make again and again! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: Tostadas: Vegetarian Mexican tostadas from Muy Bueno Cooking Kari also mentioned making a take on tostadas based on Roasted Broccoli and Potato Tacos by Kay Chun for NYT Cooking Salads: Sweet and spicy melon salad by Christian Reynoso from NYT Cooking Savory watermelon cucumber salad from the Mediterranean Dish (similar to what Sonya makes, but hers doesn’t have feta) Korean carrot salad recipe from Alyona’s Cooking, and watch Danielle walk you through making her viral version on TikTok Sweets: Sonya’s galette recipe Sonya made a version with apricot + sour cherry and marzipan (she used frozen fruit), and Kari made a version with nectarine, peaches, and frangipane (with fruit from her Flamingo Estate farm box) OUR TOP RECIPES FROM SEASON FOUR: Mains: Broiled salmon and asparagus with creme fraiche by Molly Gilbert for Sunset Magazine Kung Pao Tofu by Ham El Waylly for NYT Cooking Salads: Smitten Kitchen’s simplified version of the famous roasted chicken and bread salad from the Zuni Café Cookbook Frizzled-onion cabbage salad by Shilpa Uskokovic for Bon Appetit Sweets: Pistachio Halvah Rice Krispie Treats by Miro Uskokovic from NYT Cooking (unlocked) Jam sugar cookies by Hewn restaurant in Chicago Mag MORE RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: How to Start a Cookbok Club The date fudge recipe Kari talked about can be found in Ham El-Waylly’s book: Hello, Home Cooking Sonya mentioned great tostadas from El Sazaon Di Mi Rancho in Portland, OR, and her Chicken Tinga recipe

    Recipes We’re Really Cooking! A Summer Recap + The Best of Season 4

  7. Aug 20

    A Must-Try Pizza Recipe + A Favorite Breakfast Dish | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

    Can a mountain of zucchini turn into a homemade pizza you can’t stop taking “just one more” slice of? In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you! By the end of this episode, you’ll discover a standout Smitten Kitchen recipe for a thin-crust summer pizza that’s loaded with zucchini yet somehow still crispy, golden, and nutty with browned Gruyère. You’ll also want to try a saucy, spicy breakfast dish inspired by a recent visit to a street food stand in Los Angeles. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: Smitten Kitchen’s summer squash pizza Chilaquiles from ChiLAquiles on Venice and Hauser in Los Angeles Chilaquiles master recipe from Rick Bayless, and a store-bought sauce recommendation (and great article!) by Jarret Melendez from Epicurious Also mentioned: Giada’s scarpaccia video and her recipe (gluten-free!) And a vegan version of scarpaccia from Earth To Rocco **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    A Must-Try Pizza Recipe + A Favorite Breakfast Dish | Our Best Home Cooking Bites

  8. Aug 18

    Meatless Sheet-Pan Dinners for Easy Home Cooking (Re-Release)

    What if your next vegetarian dinner could be packed with flavor - and made entirely on a sheet-pan in your oven? Whether you're trying to cook more plant-based meals, accommodate a vegetarian at your table, or just need low-effort dinner ideas, this episode is full of satisfying recipes that are anything but boring. By the end of this episode, you’ll: Learn how to make a sheet pan lasagna dotted with creamy ricotta cheese — no layering or béchamel-making requiredDiscover how to turn basic veggies into shawarma-spiced mainsFind out about a gluten-free, noodle dish that takes less than 30 minutes to make Hit play and turn your veggie drawer into crowd-pleasing vegetarian meals you’ll want to make any night of the week! *** For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! *** Links: Vegetarian sheet pan lasagna from Busy in Brooklyn, and Giada’s original version Sheet pan eggplant parm from Food & Wine, or sheet pan cauliflower parm from How Sweet Eats – and here’s a video of Sonya + Kari’s version How to make crispy garlic breadcrumbs (to top your eggplant or cauli parm) Mushroom shawarma from Eating Well, or Sonya’s eggplant shawarma Roasted chickpea gyros by Sarah Bond from Live Eat Learn Sheet pan feta chickpea tomatoes by Ali Slagle for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Vegetarian stuffed peppers from Love & Lemons Eric Kim’s Sheet-pan Japchae for NYT Cooking (unlocked), and his sheet-pan bibimbap Sweet potato and black bean tacos by Sarah Bond from Live Eat Learn **** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

    Meatless Sheet-Pan Dinners for Easy Home Cooking (Re-Release)
See All (300)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
330 Ratings

About

Do you love home cooking but hunger for better recipes that help you deliver quick and delicious meals to your dinner table? Two former personal chefs turned best friends share their expertise with each other and you! Kari and Sonya have been inspiring each other in the kitchen for over 15 years by swapping recipes, tips, and trade secrets in the pursuit of better home cooking. FOOD FRIENDS is a bi-weekly podcast inspiring home cooks to try new dishes in the kitchen by sharing trusted recipes, tips, and friendship. Every Tuesday, each host delivers 3 unique solutions to seasonal home cooking, like: how to make craveable soups with your farmers market haul, the easiest one-pot meals for busy nights, or what to do with leftover rotisserie chicken. On Thursdays, we serve up a pint-sized chat about our “Best Bite” of the week, pantry essentials we can’t live without, and more. Previous guests include Seth & Lauren Rogen, actor Randall Park & writer/director Evan Goldberg, recipe developer Justine Doiron, #1 Food & Beverage Substacker Caroline Chambers, and more. If you’re looking for a boost of fun in the kitchen by discovering recipes that will make mealtime easier and more delicious with a healthy dose of laughter, then you’ll want to dig in with FOOD FRIENDS! First-time listener? Tune into Episode 2: Don’t send flowers, send soup! and Episode 4: What do you bring to a potluck?

Information