70 episodes
Food Friends Podcast: Home Cooking Made Easy Kari Lauritzen & Sonya Sanford
-
- Arts
-
-
4.8 • 69 Ratings
-
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, and NY Times Recipe Developer, Sue Li!
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?
-
Cauliflower’s charisma: 10 home cooking recipes with the most versatile veggie!
Do you ever stare at a head of cauliflower and have no idea how to make it taste amazing? Or, maybe you’re tired of simply roasting or steaming it?
This is your opportunity to stretch your imagination and embrace the versatility of the humble cauliflower!
In this episode you’ll discover:
10 new cauliflower recipes, including how to use this veggie for meaty substitutes and creamy sauces
How to cook cauliflower so that it yields a sweet, caramelized, and luxurious bite, or so it can turn into the base of a silky soup
And how to make a cauliflower the main course or your next meal, while still delivering a big wow factor for your guests!
If you’re ready to up your veggie game, tune in now to unlock a world of cauliflower possibilities that you never knew existed!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Mark Bittman’s recipe for whole roasted cauliflower for the NY Times
Cauliflower steak with green yogurt sauce by Max Nelson for Food52
David Tanis’ cheese-topped cauliflower steaks for the NY Times
Cauliflower nachos from Hungry Happens
Cauliflower chips from Eating Well
Cauliflower pizza crust from The Ambitious Kitchen
Andy Baraghani’s cauliflower bolognese from Bon Appetit
Cauliflower alfredo by Yumna Jawad from Feel Good Foodie
Buffalo cauliflower wings from Love & Lemons
Nigella Lawson’s cauliflower cheese
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Best bite of the week: The secret to cooking the crispiest chicken wings at home, plus a vegetarian take on a classic French stew!
Have you ever dreamed of making crispy, crave-worthy chicken wings at home, but without all the mess?
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!
You’ll want to find out all about Sonya’s pantry swap for a lip-smacking wing sauce, plus a vegetarian twist on a classic French stew that will satisfy your cravings and is easy enough to make on a weeknight.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Sonya’s spiced pomegranate molasses wings
Serious Eat’s best oven fried chicken wings
Melissa Clark’s mushroom bourginon from the NY Times
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Weekday Breakfast: Cooking easy, healthy, and exciting recipes at home!
Are you tired of the same boring bowl of oatmeal, cold cereal, or sad, hard-boiled egg? Are you ready to break free of your breakfast rut?
Step into the exciting world of breakfast possibilities!
In this episode, you’ll learn …
How to transform last night’s grains and veggies into a hearty start to your day,
How to whip up healthy breakfast cookies you can make ahead of time and freeze for a speedy and portable meal or snack on the go.
Time-saving tips for making your mornings easier, plus upgrades to classics like chia pudding and overnight oats that will make you excited to bounce out of bed.
Don’t settle for boring or uninspiring breakfasts anymore! Tune in now to give your mornings a makeover with these tasty and simple breakfast ideas!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Belle’s Bagels and Sycamore Kitchen in Los Angeles
Breakfast cookies with banana from Sally’s Baking Addiction, breakfast cookies with pureed squash from Dishing Up Dirt
Brown rice farina
How to sprout buckwheat
Lots of fun ways to make overnight oats from Minimalist Baker!
Chia pudding base from Love & Lemons
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Can a Frittata change your life? Simple home cooking tips for the best brunch! (Re-release)
Looking for the perfect brunch dish for spring entertaining that will impress guests AND can be made ahead of time?
This week, we’re replaying a fan-favorite episode where we share the secrets to making memorable frittatas and egg casseroles, including the frittata that forever changed the way Sonya thinks about baked egg dishes.
You’ll learn:
Which straightforward ingredients go into creating a luscious brunch dish that takes flavors to the next level, and can be made ahead of time for easy hosting.
A simple ratio that yields the most luscious baked eggs.
Tips on how to swap out different herbs depending on what you might (or might not!) already have in your fridge or garden.
If you’re looking for a swoon-worthy brunch dish that will have your guests begging for the recipe, tune into this episode about frittatas and egg casseroles!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Lauren Chandler’s reference recipes + her notes about the frittata:
Bon Appetit’s - How to Master Frittata for a Crowd, as was as their How to Make a Perfect Frittata: Rules to Follow and Mistakes to Avoid
Lauren adds: “This was the jumping-off point. They say any dairy, but I used 1/2-cup of heavy cream per dozen eggs. The creaminess was definitely also due to the heavily caramelized onions. Also, I added 3/4=cup shredded Tillamook cheddar per dozen eggs, as well as herbs.”
Kari’s family’s Breakfast Casserole
Melissa Clark’s Green Strata with Goat Cheese and Herbs
Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Recipe
The kind of quiche Sonya grew up with, from Peas Love & Carrots
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Best bite of the week — A taco night upgrade and a quick weeknight stew
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!
If you’ve been looking for a delicious upgrade to your weekly taco night, Sonya shares a stellar recipe for making refried beans that’s crowd-pleasing and vegetarian.
With a rotisserie chicken tucked away in the fridge, Kari tells Sonya about how she put a seasonal one-pot stew on the table in minutes with this healthy shortcut.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Creamy artichoke spinach stew by Sarah DiGregorio for the NY Times
Sonya’s chicken tinga recipe via her Substack
The Muy Bueno Cookbook by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack and her recipe for refried beans
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
How do you make delicious gluten and grain-free desserts? Home cooking tips for sweet treats!
Are you searching for gluten-free or grain-free desserts that are so delicious that you don’t realize anything is missing?
Indulgent grain-free desserts are not only possible, but they can also be easy to make and fun to serve your guests!
You already may know that high-quality ingredients are the secret to making simple recipes better, but by the end of this episode, you might be surprised to learn about an unexpected pantry staple that lends texture and softness to any flourless cake. You’ll also find out about a classic modifiable crepe technique that will charm you with its endless variations — from a simple sprinkle of sugar to seasonal fruit and beyond. You’ll also discover several of our favorite classic desserts that are naturally grain-free, with no alterations or difficult-to-find ingredients involved!
This episode is your ultimate guide to indulgent treats without compromise, so don’t miss your opportunity to include these flourless wonders at your next dinner party or holiday!
***
Links to from this week’s show:
Flourless chocolate brownie cookies by Alison Roman for Bon Appetit, adapted by SonyaKari’s favorite flourless chocolate cake by Tyler Florence
Baked by Melissa’s chickpea cake
Black bean cake recipe from Clean Eating
Passover crepes made with eggs and potato starch from Diary of a Recipe Collector, easy paleo crepes from Elana’s pantry, and 2 ingredient banana pancakes from The Kitchn
Bananas Foster by Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans
Nielsen and Massey vanilla bean paste
***
We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!
Customer Reviews
My favorite food podcast!
I just ADORE this podcast. I get so excited when I see a new episode in my feed. The hosts are so lovely and knowledgeable, and the way they describe food is simply sublime. They always share the recipes in the show notes, and I’ve tried (or saved!) a ton of them. Keep up the great work Food Friends!!
Speaks to my heart!
I love listening to Kari and Sonya talk about food. I look forward to new episodes every week. Their discussions are so fun -- it's like I'm in the kitchen with them. As someone who aspires to be a better cook, they inspire me to try and create new memories around my own kitchen.
The way that I begin every Tuesday!
Kari and Sonya are not only exceedingly passionate about food and creating experiences through it. They are also accessible, humble, fun and knowledgeable beyond words. I anxiously await their episodes and could listen to them talk about food and how they cook for hours on end. Thank you, Sonya and Kari, for being who you are and offering your wealth of wisdom and joy!