Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

What comes to mind when you hear “romantic dinner”? Steak? Chocolate cake? A dimly lit restaurant filled with couples?This week’s episode explores the art of cooking for our nearest and dearest, just in time for Valentine’s Day—or any day you want to express your care through an incredible, home-cooked meal! Whether you're planning a meal for a group of your besties, a romantic partner, children (human or furry), or even just spoiling yourself, we’re here to share our favorite ideas for celebrating love with a memorable, home-cooked meal.An intimate dinner provides us, as home cooks, with an opportunity to create dishes that go above and beyond the everyday meal rotation. There’s plenty of space to play and explore when cooking for yourself or for someone you love! Sonya recounts a tradition from her time in Los Angeles when she used to host an interactive dinner for her friends, inviting guests to help with the meal, share a few laughs, and savor a delicious evening together. Kari shares a twist on a classic comfort pasta that can be prepared several days in advance. We also offer a shortcut to serving a stellar meal at home with thoughtful, store-bought items, leaving you with more time to relax and enjoy that special someone (or yourself!).Tune into this episode to discover which recipes will set the mood for a romantic evening in!***Links to from this week’s show:43 Valentine’s Day Recipes You’ll Love from Bon AppetitOur “Steakhouse dinner at home “episodeClassic wine braised short ribs by Ina GartenWine braised short ribs with red sauce rigatoni by Rich RosendalePecorino pepato cheese!The ultimate smash burger by Kenji Lopez-Alt via Serious Eats, and alos his tavern-style pizzaSweet potato fries by Mark Bittman via the NY TimesNobu’s miso-marinated black cod recipe via The KitchnEasy carrot miso dressing by Kale JunkieWine-steamed mussels by Grace Parisi via Food & WineNo knead pizza dough by Jim Lahey via Serious Eats***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes.

Are you in search of the best meatballs for your dreams? Ones that you can easily recreate at home, time and time again?Meatballs (and veggie balls) rank among the most beloved and comforting dishes to prepare at home. In this episode, we're excited to share some of our favorite recipes and tips to guide you toward meatball nirvana!From beef and chicken to turkey, lamb, sausage, lentil, and veggie variations, there are numerous ways to roll up a tasty meatball. But is there a method that can streamline the process? Sonya swears by a ratio she’s relied on for years, and Kari chimes in with a game-changing restaurant tip (hint: you’ll have much less mess in your kitchen!).Additionally, we'll explore delightful sauces and sides that transform a meatball meal from ordinary to extraordinary. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a kitchen novice, this episode is a must-listen for achieving the coziest and most satisfying meatballs every time.***Links to from this week’s show:Meatballs with any meat recipe by Melissa Clark via the NY TimesKorean BBQ-style meatballs by Kay Chun via the NY TimesThe Meatball Shop CookbookTurkish lamb kofte meatballs from Turkish Food Travel, and a version with beef from Give RecipeSerious Eats explains the difference between mincing, pressing, and microplaning, garlicSonya’s Tefteli (rice meatballs), which can also be found in her new book Braids!Vegetarian Manchurian meatless meatballs from the Twin Cooking ProjectsChinese carrot ball recipe via FoodieChina888 on YouTube***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes.

Do you find yourself stressing out before hosting any dinner party, whether it’s big or small? Do you get stumped on the menu, or how and when to set the table? Ever cook something too early only for it to get cold before serving guests? Or worse, do you end up stuck in the kitchen finishing a time-sensitive dish while your guests are having fun in the next room?If you’ve ever felt uneasy about hosting, we’re here to help! In this episode, Sonya is gearing up to host friends, and alongside Kari, they share real-time dinner party tips and strategies. From menu planning to setting the table, to setting up drinks, we've got you covered.Despite our years of experience as personal chefs and catering numerous parties, we still grapple with hosting challenges. However, by openly discussing our hangups, we pave the way towards more confidence and ease. True FOOD FRIENDSHIP is a gift of grace and support, both in and out of the kitchen. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newbie host, this episode is a must-listen for discovering a path to a stress-free, enjoyable, and relaxing dinner party at home.Links to from this week’s show:Cozy cabbage and farro soup from Six Seasons via Smitten KitchenChicken Milanese by Alex Weibel for the NY TimesSony’a schnitzel recipe can be found in her new cookbook, BraidsShaved fennel salad from 101 CookbooksHow to make a great Negroni from Food & Wine***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes.

Do you have a hectic schedule and want to spend less time cooking, but still eat delicious homemade dishes? Or, do you feel overwhelmed by a pile-up of dishes in the sink? Or do you wish you had a fail-proof recipe in your back pocket that can effortlessly feed a crowd?We can think of a thousand reasons why keeping dinner contained in a single pot is a great idea, so we’re sharing some of our favorite one pot meals with each other, and you! And when we say 'one pot,' we mean just that – a solitary pot, not the main pot plus a 'side pot' for boiling pasta or rice. It’s true, chicken and rice can cook perfectly together, with a dose of veggies to boot, but so can creamy comforting pasta and hearty complex stew. Just because dinner can be easy doesn't mean it can't be fancy!Curious about our secrets to the ultimate one-pot meal? Tune in this week to find out! ***Links to from this week’s show:Weeknight fancy chicken and rice – recipe from Asha Gomez and Martha Hall Foose, adapted by Sara Bonisteel via the NY TimesDried Apricots from KachkaSonya’s plov  (one pot chicken and rice)One-pot turmeric coconut rice with greens by Ali Slagle via the NY TimesIna Garten’s Italian Wedding SoupTashkent Market in Valley Village, CAEuropean-style egg noodlesBudae Jjigae (army stew) from My Korean Kitchen One-pot broccoli mac n’ cheese by Ali Slagle via NY TimesNora Singley’s substackTannaz Sasooni’s Instagram ***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes.

Name a veggie that’s available at virtually any grocery store, lasts for weeks in your fridge, is both healthy and versatile, and tastes even better in the winter when most other veggies are sad…CABBAGE! If you’re wondering how to get a healthy meal on the table with maximum satisfaction, and minimal effort, and want to choose from a roster of recipes with a generous range of flavors, look no further than this week’s conversation! In this episode, we share some of our favorite ways to prepare one of our very favorite vegetables. From crunchy and raw to crispy and charred, from Napa to Savoy to caramelized, sultry, melty, and jammy, we’ll inspire you to fill your market bag with cabbage and head straight to your kitchen! ***Links to from this week’s show:New York Post’s take on cabbage as a sexy vegetableShredded roasted cabbage by Minimalist BakerRussian-style sauerkraut with carrots via VikalinkaAdeena Sussman’s book, Sababa, and her melted cabbage recipe Six Seasons’ cabbage and farro soup via Smitten KitchenSonya’s white borscht recipe for The NosherMelissa Clark’s parmesan cabbage rice soup via The NY TimesCabbage posole via Edible CommunitiesGrilled fish tacos via Eating WellMagnus Nilsson’s Nordic Cookbook and his amazing Instagram feed Bon Appetit’s article on how to revive a stale loaf of breadA range of 11 cabbage recipes from The New York Times***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids

Have you ever had one of those meals that you just can’t get out of your head? Do you keep dreaming of returning to that one restaurant? Did you recently discover a recipe that you can’t stop cooking on repeat, because it’s just that good?This week, we're wrapping up 2023 by reflecting on our most memorable dishes – these are the foods that inspired us, connected us to friends, or added a new dish to our repertoire. We’re exploring what makes a meal stand out: is it the ingredients, the recipe, the ambiance, the company? All of it?! We’re sharing the dishes we want to return to again and again, whether it’s traveling back to an amazing eatery or recreating a dish in our home kitchens.Before we step into the new year, we’re taking a short break over the next few weeks, but we can’t wait to reconnect in 2024. We wish you all a peaceful, wonderful holiday season and a new year ahead full of food, friends, and memorable meals!***Links to from this week’s show:Buck & Johnny’s in Beaux Bridge, LAChef Josephine LaCosta’s Elbows Catering in Portland, ORLa Merenda farm heirloom beans Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Crispy Bar-Style Pizza via Serious EatsMonical’s Pizza in Illinois Rusa PDX and Sonya’s article about Chef Sasanna and her foodTamaliza Cafe in Sedona, AZHow to make tepache at home by Mely Martinez/Mexico in my kitchen Instant pot congee by Maggie Zhu/Ominvore’s CookbookStovetop congee by Fuchsia Dunlop via the NY TimesFind out more about Chef Minh Phan of Porridge and Puffs, and Phenakite***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Order Sonya’s debut cookbook Braids

What are the best food gifts to give your FOOD FRIENDS during this holiday season? We’ve got you covered with all the food gifts we love to give and receive from tried and true crowd pleasers to unexpected shippable delicacies. Not surprisingly, some of the best gifts we’ve ever received were from each other. Learn which gift basket always makes Kari squeal when she receives it, and hear what Sonya brings with her when she is being hosted by friends or family member. We’re even covering tips for all your last minute needs!  Whether you plan to cook something yourself or ship a treat to a distant relative, we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you for the most delicious season of gift giving yet!***Links to from this week’s show:Early Bird Granola, aka “salty oatmeal cookie” granola from BrooklynSeka Hills olive oil Exilior coffeeTrade Coffee subscription Starterbread CSA in Portland, OR for bread deliveryZabar’s gift basketsVeselka soups, or order a soup sampler from Kenny & Ziggy’s via GoldbellySalt & Straw ice creamCajun Grocer where you can order Louisiana products like andouille sausage and Zapp’s potato chips Greenberg smoked turkeys from Texas The Best Stop for Turducken and specialty meats like boudin and andouille sausage Portland specialty markets: Wellspent Market, Barber World Foods, ProvidoreMonsieur Marcel Gourmet Market in Los AngelesFish Wife tinned fishGreat Jones colorful baking sheets and moreSonya’s brand new cookbook!***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Is there anything better than a perfectly golden, crispy, fried fritter??This week, fritters are the name of the game: flavorful bites of fried dough or batter, made with endless combinations of ingredients. Every culture in the world has a fritter to offer, and we’re swapping notes about our favorite sweet and savory varieties, while debating what actually defines a fritter.Whether you’re gathering around a skillet to fry latkes for Hanukkah, or stuffing your baguette with akara (crispy fried bean cakes), or carefully flipping an okonomiyaki in a skillet before drizzling it with kewpie mayo and tangy sauce, we’re certain you’ve likely eaten at least one kind of amazing fritter and might just be curious about how to recreate it in your home kitchen.Frittering can be as easy as following a recipe, or completely improvised, making it as versatile as it is delicious. Along with the linked recipes in our show notes, we’re also talking about ratios that will help any home cook mix up a fresh batch.Tune in for fritter inspiration and tips for your next holiday gathering, weeknight meal, or crispy snack! ***Links to from this week’s show:Sonya’s apple oladi (fritter) and her syrniki (cheese pancake) recipes, you’ll find her latke recipe in her new cookbook!How to make 2 Ingredient Pancakes from The KitchnHush puppies via Southern LivingCorn Fritters via A Southern Soul  Ottolenghi’s leek frittersIna Garten making her zucchini pancakesCabbage, Carrot, and Purple Kale Latkes by Martha Rose Shulman via NYT CookingOkonomiyaki recipe from Just One CookbookKorean vegetable pancakes from MaangchiOnion Bhajis from A Saucy Kitchen Akara by Ozoz Sokoh via Serious EatsBuffalo cauliflower bites from Feel Good Foodie***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to write a cookbook? Sonya is publishing her first cookbook, “Braids – Recipes from my Pacific Northwest Jewish Kitchen,” and she and Kari are talking all about the ins and outs of writing and producing a cookbook. The title, Braids, is a nod to the strands of dough that are woven to create challah bread, but it also harkens to the stories, people, and places that have shaped Sonya’s culinary life, from working as a personal chef in Hollywood to opening up her beloved Portland restaurant, to her friendship with Kari. After all, friendship can be critically intertwined in our creative projects. This week, we go deep and personal, sharing memories of times we came to each other’s aid, and times when we wish we could have been together as we reflect on the process of putting something out in the world. No episode is complete without some recipe talk, and so we’re also discussing how to make challah. If you’ve been intimidated to bake bread at home, this episode will help you take the plunge into home baking!A cookbook can represent many ideas: family, lineage, geography, and a moment in time… Tune in to hear about how a cookbook comes to life!***Links to from this week’s show:Find out more about Sonya’s book and order Braids here.Our Classic Latkes & Country Ham episode!Smitten Kitchen’s confetti cookies (rainbow sprinkle cookies)***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

This week we’re honored to share a wise and generous conversation with Javier Lara, a Nahau from Mexico, and program manager of the Anahuac Farm, a part of the Capaces Leadership Institute. This conversation centers on the lessons of reciprocity in farming, land stewardship, cooking, friendship, and community. Javier generously imparts his knowledge on the culinary and cultural significance, versatility, and richness of the "three sisters" – corn, beans, and squash.In addition to sharing vibrant knowledge of the "three sisters," Javier recounts his personal journey of growing up in Mexico, later working as an agricultural laborer on the West Coast, subsequently venturing into independent farming, and now being an integral part of a non-profit organization dedicated to imparting traditional education in agriculture, culinary and cultural arts, wellness, and Indigenous languages to the local community and its youth. And since no FOOD FRIENDS episode is complete without recipes, Javier offers several and shares insights into how to use a few unexpected ingredients.We are so grateful for this illuminating conversation with Javier, and can’t wait for you to tune in!***Links to from this week’s show:To find out more and support the organizations Javier is a part of head to: Anahuac Farm or Capaces Leadership InstitueA recipe for Ayomole in Spanish shared by JavierFind out more about Quelites, and see the poster Javier shared with usAvocado leaves from MasiendaLearn more about the Nahua  ***Javier’s recipe for Ayomole:Ingredients-two bolds of the guts of two squashes together with their seeds, preferably dark greentwo pieces of the green squash (optional)125 grams of tomatillo 4 chiles guajillos 2 sprigs of epazote (fresh better) Directions:Boil in water the pumpkin guts and seeds with salt to taste. Once cooked, it is taken out and ground in a blender (traditionally we grind it in a stone molcajete). When grinding, don't blend it too fine, let the blender just break it up. Once blended, it is cooked again on the stove.Remove the stem from the chiles, cut them in half and soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.  Remove the husk from the tomatillos, wash them and blend them together with the chilies in a blender (very finely). Once this is blended, add them into the squash. Finally, add the two springs of fresh epazote and salt.  ***We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!