Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

Food Friends
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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. The Crispiest Roast Potatoes and Easy Chicken Enchiladas — Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week!

    2D AGO

    The Crispiest Roast Potatoes and Easy Chicken Enchiladas — Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week!

    Do you want to know the secret to cooking the crispiest, fluffiest roast potatoes at home?  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 want to try British-style roastie potatoes known for their golden, crackly exterior and fluffy interior. You’ll also want to cook up our go-to chicken enchiladas; they're perfect for weeknight dinners, feed a crowd, and make smart use of leftovers so you can get dinner on the table with ease.  Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** Links: British roast potatoes from The Jam Jar For a deep dive on roasties, check out  The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes by Kenji Lopez-Alt for Serious Eats Sam Sifton's Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde for NYT Cooking (unlocked) But this week, Kari used leftover roasted chicken and green enchilada sauce by Siete Foods (not sponsored!), and topped them with Monterey Jack and Queso Fresco *** 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 free Substack here. And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid! Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

    15 min
  2. Winter Salads! 10 Recipes to Make the Most of Seasonal Produce

    4D AGO

    Winter Salads! 10 Recipes to Make the Most of Seasonal Produce

    Think salads are a summer thing? Great salads don’t have to disappear in the colder months. If you’re craving something crisp, bright, and alive during the winter, this week we're making the most of peak cold-weather produce. We’re sharing 10 salad recipes built around seasonal ingredients like juicy citrus, crunchy celery, hearty winter greens, and smart pantry staples. By the end of this episode, you’ll: Discover make-ahead–friendly salads that work just as well for meal prep as they do for entertainingFind stunning, flavor-packed salads that might completely change how you cook with celery, citrus, and even Brussels sproutsLearn which two salads are hearty enough to stand alone as a full meal Press play now and let this episode change the way you enjoy salads all winter long. *** Sign up for our Substack here for original recipes and a roundup from each episode. Upgrade to paid, and join our monthly live Q&A! *** Links:  Sonya’s citrus, pomegranate, mint and feta salad with pomegranate molasses dressing Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate & Pistachio by Sheela Prakash for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Celery root remoulade by Alice Waters, shared by Full Belly Farm  Celery dates almonds parmesan inspired by Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden, recipe by Cookie & Kate Sonya’s celery and kohlrabi salad with date and almond Ultimate Winter Salad by Natalie Perry for The Pioneer Woman Thai Pomelo Salad from Healthyish and Happy Thai Peanut and Cabbage Salad from Cookie & Kate  Anna’s California salad from A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones, shared by 101 Cookbooks Winter Panzanella from Floating Kitchen *** 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. Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at a...

    28 min
  3. Viral Japanese Yogurt Cheesecake, A No-Bake Treat, and Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos! Our Best Bites of the Week

    FEB 5

    Viral Japanese Yogurt Cheesecake, A No-Bake Treat, and Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos! Our Best Bites of the Week

    Is the viral Japanese yogurt cheesecake worth making? 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 want to find out for yourself if you should jump on the Japanese yogurt cheesecake trend, and you'll also discover a next-level take on no-bake rice crispies treats! You'll also want to try our favorite slow-cooker braised chicken dish, which relies exclusively on pantry staples and can be the foundation for countless dishes -- like a delicious weekday taco. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** To join our monthly live hang, or for more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. *** Links: Two-ingredient viral Japanese yogurt cheesecake recipe from Food & Wine Pistachio Halvah Rice Krispie Treats by Miro Uskokovic from NYT Cooking (unlocked) Kari’s slow cooker braised chicken for an easy taco lunch Tortilla Land ready-to-cook flour tortillas that Kari uses (not sponsored!) *** To join our monthly live hang, or for more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

    17 min
  4. Date Night Dinners – Our Top 10 Recipes for Cooking for Someone You Love

    FEB 3

    Date Night Dinners – Our Top 10 Recipes for Cooking for Someone You Love

    What if you could easily cook up an incredible meal at home for someone you love? Date night doesn’t have to be fussy or complicated to be special, and we firmly believe it can be about cooking incredible food for anyone you're close to: a partner, family, roommates, or friends. This week, we’re sharing our top 10 date night recipes, and by the end of this episode, you’ll: Learn simple fuss-free dishes, like a 30-minute crispy artichoke pasta, and a no-churn ice creamDiscover interactive meals, like a home-cook-friendly Japanese hot potFind out about our favorite 15-minute, elegant classic French main course Listen now to get inspired to make a memorable date night dinner at home... no hard-to-get reservations, waiting in line, or complicated cooking required! *** Links: Japanese shabu shabu (hot pot) at home from Just One Cook, or sukiyaki from White On Rice Couple Classic sole meuniere by Molly Wizenberg, serve with steamed asparagus Ricotta gnocchi by Mark Bittman for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Crispy artichoke pasta by Andy Baraghani for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Crepe night with savory buckwheat crepes by Martha Rose Shulman, and chocolate crepes by Zeynab Issa, both for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Heart-shaped french toast by Sew White, and use the outside of the heart for “Egg-in-a-heart” (aka toad-in-a-hole) Nigella Lawson’s one-step no-churn coffee ice cream Heart-shaped pastry with strawberries and whipped cream from Bos Kitchen Kiwi fool by Eric Triesit Tiramisu dippers by Anna Painter for...

    35 min
  5. Pizza Night at Home, a Great Veggie Sandwich, and Sauerkraut Made Easy! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week

    JAN 29

    Pizza Night at Home, a Great Veggie Sandwich, and Sauerkraut Made Easy! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week

    What are the building blocks of the perfect veggie sandwich? 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 crave a veggie sandwich that’s packed with easy-to-make homemade saurekraut, and you’ll get inspired to cook up restaurant-style pizza at home – loaded with crispy kale and savory crumbled sausage. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! *** Links: Tabor Bread is one of Sonya’s favorite spots for sourdough loaves in Portland, OR Our favorite brand of hummus is Little Sesame (not at all sponsored) An easy reliable homemade sauerkraut recipe from The Gefilteria Sweet Salt Food in Los Angeles inspired Kari’s pizza at home Sourdough pizza dough made from Adrian Hale’s “Communal Table Bread - My easiest first bread recipe” And our favorite super easy no-knead pizza dough

    17 min
  6. Winter Farmers’ Market Must-Haves! Our 10 Favorite Recipes for Seasonal Home Cooking

    JAN 27

    Winter Farmers’ Market Must-Haves! Our 10 Favorite Recipes for Seasonal Home Cooking

    Looking for more answers to your home cooking questions? Every month, we'll gather on Zoom for "Around the Table with Food Friends: Live Q&A". Together, we'll connect in real time as a community and share recipes, tips, and solutions to everyday cooking struggles and successes. Join in by becoming a paid subscriber on our Substack today. Sign up here! *** What if a seasonal winter produce haul could be as versatile, delicious, and exciting as a flat of berries in peak summer?  This week we’re sharing our 10 must-have winter farmers’ market produce picks, and the recipes to go with them. By the end of this episode you’ll: Discover a viral sweet potato recipe that will change how you make it foreverLearn simple and quick techniques for coaxing sweetness and depth from veggies like parsnips, turnips, and cabbageFind out about our go-to winter weeknight meals, like a sheetpan chicken dinner full of greens and a rustic cabbage skillet dish Tune in now to learn how the winter farmers' market might surprise you, and how to turn seasonal produce into satisfying meals you’ll want to dig into all season long! *** Links Sweet Potato: New technique for the best whole roasted japanese sweet potatoes by Jamesyworld, + the viral TikTok cheese stuffed version from The Kitchen  And our favorite Carla Lalli Music recipe for steamed sweet potatoes with tahini butter for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Squash: Zucotte, garlicky braised squash, by Whistling Train Farm in Kent, WA  Bok Choy/Tatsoi: Sheetpan Scallion Chicken with Bok Choy by Kay Chunfrom for NYT Cooking (unlocked) We also like to use bok choy and tastoi instead of lettuce in salads Cabbage: Venetian smothered cabbage, “Verze Sofegae”  And a shout out to our favorite cabbage soup from Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg Leek: Two takes on a leef tart, one straightforward Leek puff pastry tart  from It’s A Veg World Afterall, or a stunning upside down leek tart from Live Eat Learn And we love Braised leeks from Fox and Briar too! Turnips: a...

    35 min
  7. Cold-Weather Cooking with Beets and Greens — Our Best Bites of the Week!

    JAN 22

    Cold-Weather Cooking with Beets and Greens — Our Best Bites of the Week!

    Ever bring home beautiful winter vegetables from the market, and then completely blank on what to cook with them? 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 want to make a deeply comforting, grandmother-approved borscht that celebrates winter vegetables, plus a one-pot, meatless main designed to use up every last leafy green, finished with a bold, garlicky, crispy topping that makes it irresistible. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration, and turn your winter produce into meals you’ll genuinely look forward to cooking. *** Links: Sonya’s family borscht recipe from our free Substack Utica Greens from Chesterfield Restaurant in Utica, NY; adapted by Jim Shahin 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. Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

    17 min
  8. 30-Minute Meals! Our Top 10 Recipes for Quick Winter Home Cooking

    JAN 20

    30-Minute Meals! Our Top 10 Recipes for Quick Winter Home Cooking

    Struggling to put together easy, satisfying weeknight meals during these chilly winter months? This week, we’re taking the guesswork out of meal planning and sharing ten fast dinners for nights when you don’t want to rely on takeout or make an extra trip to the grocery store. All quick. All comforting. All genuinely delicious. By the end of this episode, you’ll: Discover flavorful ways to turn a single package of ground beef, turkey, or pork into a dinner that rivals your favorite takeoutLearn a simple tofu technique that transforms it into a craveable, meatless mainExplore pasta dishes beyond spaghetti and red sauce — think silky sauces, peppery greens, toasted breadcrumbs, and brothy bowls of comfort Press play now and walk away with a handful of reliable weeknight dinners you’ll want to make on repeat all winter long! *** Links:  Turkish pasta by Rachel Perlmutter for The Kitchen (sub red pepper paste, or with a few roasted bell peppers, with a spoonful of tomato paste)  Salad pasta, by Anna Stockwell for Epicurious  10-minute Thai Basil from The Woks of Life Egg Roll in a Bowl by Ree Drummond  Garlic butter steak bites by Coco Morante for Simply Recipes, and easy mashed cauliflower from Joyful Healthy Eats Chicken with mustard cream sauce, by Sarah Carey for Martha Stewart 30-minute gado gado bowl by Minimalist Baker  Salmon patties by Nagi Maehashi of Recipe Tin Eats  I can't believe it's not chicken (it’s tofu!) by Nisha Vora for NYT Cooking (unlocked) Butter beans, paprika, and piquillo peppers, excerpted from Three: Acid, Texture, Contrast by Selena Kiazim *** 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. Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at a href="mailto:foodfriendspod@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    34 min
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4.7
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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?

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