Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

It’s time to celebrate the richness and abundance of the season…with the best part of Thanksgiving! Warm…nutty…spicy…rich…toasty…we share all our favorite Thanksgiving sides that are sure to please a crowd, regardless of whether you’re hosting or joining a potluck! We’re thinking about fun flavors, contrasting textures, and balancing out your overfilling plate with everything from green beans to corn pudding, to sweet potatoes, and stuffing. We’re sharing our own personal traditions, and comparing and contrasting notes for what has to land on both our tables!Thanksgiving is a time to feed many mouths, as well as many traditions. We can gather our nearest and dearest, and maybe a few new friends, around a table stacked with sides that are sure to inspire deeper connections and lasting memories. ***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Potato rolls via Simply Recipes Pampushky rolls by Sonya Big batch dinner rolls from King ArthurCreamed corn with saltine crackers from Tastes of Lizzy T (similar to Kari’s version) Carla Lalli Music’s 3 sweet potato recipes, including our fave topped with tahini butter and lime Hasselbeck butternut squash by Ann Redding and Matt Danzer via Bon AppetitChris Morroco’s green bean casserole from scratch via Bon Appetit, or the Midwestern classic recipe from Campbell’s Skillet cornbread similar to Kari’s great-grandmother’s, via Grandbaby Cakes Louisiana Cookin’ andouille cornbread dressingAndy Baraghani’s fennel and celery stuffingShaved brussels sprouts salad from Little Ferraro Kitchen Roasted squash with pomegranate molasses from Govind ArmstrongWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Warm…nutty…spicy…rich…toasty…we share all our favorite dishes that are sure to please a crowd, regardless of whether you’re hosting or joining a Thanksgiving potluck! We’re thinking about fun flavors, contrasting textures, and balancing out your overfilling plate with everything from green beans, to corn pudding, to sweet potatoes, and stuffing. We’re sharing our own personal traditions, and comparing and contrasting notes for what has to land on both our tables (homemade dinner rolls!). Thanksgiving is a time to feed many mouths, as well as many traditions. We can gather our nearest and dearest, and maybe a few new friends, around a table stacked with sides that are sure to inspire deeper connections and lasting memories. Tune in for more…

From the simplest weeknight quick stews and stewy dishes, to slowly cooked culinary powerhouses like bouillabaisse, gumbo, gormeh sabzi, and pozole, stews offer us more than just a meal. A steaming bowl of stew is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with family and friends, and linger at the table for a shared experience. With an opportunity for customization, stew also offers each guest to summon exactly what they need at the moment they need it: a squeeze of lemon to heighten flavors, a dash of hot sauce for extra punch, a handful of herbs for freshness, or thinly sliced raw veggies to elevate texture and crunch. This week is all about the wide world of stews and stewy dishes, because any way you like it, stew is here for you!***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Roasted tomato and white bean stew by Colu Henry via the NY TimesMoroccan fish stew (Chraime) via NY ShukJulia Child’s Bouillabaisse from Family Style FoodSonoko Sakai’s curry brick kits and video on how to make curry bricksJapanese curry from scratch from Namiko Hirasawa Chen via Just One CookbookHow to make Japanese curry from premade cubes via Table for TwoChicken pozole verde from Yvette Maruqez’s Muy Bueno Frijol con puerco (beans with pork) from Pati JinichSonya’s turkey chili Doenjang-jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew) by Maangchi, with links to recommended brands of soybean pasteAlison Roman’s viral chickpea stewGormeh sabzi with beef by Tannaz Sasooni for The Nosher, and gorhmeh sabzi with lamb by Samin Nostrat for the NY TimesCoconut miso salmon curry by Kay Chun for the NY TimesSeafood gumbo by Edna Lewis, and chicken and sausage gumbo by Paul Prudhome via the NY TimesWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Is there anything more comforting than baked pasta??From lasagna to stuffed shells, ziti to spaghetti pie, we’re rounding up the coziest baked pasta dishes that will warm you up all winter. We both share stories about memorable lasagnas, and we’ll discuss our own tips and tricks for making a delicious version at home – with or without meat. We also dive deep into stuffed shells – something Kari’s been making since her early cooking days! And Sonya reveals a method for baking orzo that’s creamy like risotto, and loaded with veggies.Tune in and get cozy with a heaping serving of comfort food!***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Lasagna Bolognese by Sue Li, via Bon AppetitIna Garten’s famous turkey lasagna recipe Stuffed shells with spinach and ricotta by Martha Rose Shulman via NY TimesMarcella Hazan’s tomato sauce with onion and butter via Food 52Ratatouille pasta from The Wok’s of LifeCreamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Bread Crumbs by Alison RomanWinter squash and spinach pasta bake from Smitten KitchenGreek baked orzo from Pinch of YumWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Our shared love of beans is infinite! This episode explores just a tiny corner of the vast and beautiful world of bean dishes that we each cook at home. Sonya shares the easy, fool-proof steps for her basic pot of beans, and Kari divulges all the details of the satisfying lentil meatballs she used to make for clients (that can also be made ahead, boom!). We also wax poetic about all the ways we like to use a pot of chickpeas, and how even a can in the pantry can jumpstart dinner. Tune in for easy and delicious ways to use legumes in your own kitchen!Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:La Merenda Farm Bean CSARancho Gordo beansMeatball Shop cookbook, and the lentil meatball recipeLentil bolognese via BBC foodDiaspora co spicesPizza beans via Smitten Kitchen Roasted chickpeas from Love & LemonsWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Are you intimidated to cook steak at home? This week, we’re talking about turning your kitchen into a steakhouse! Sometimes it’s fun to cook an extra-special meal at home, and this episode offers our best tips and tricks for preparing steak (hint: we each do it differently). And since the sides are usually the best part of any steakhouse dinner, we share some of our favorites — from gratins to baked potatoes, and garlicky greens to our must-have salads. We also make sure to include a few sweet treat suggestions to round out the meal. Tune in for all the ways to create a delicious steakhouse-style meal in the comfort of your own home!***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Reverse-seared steak recipe by Kenji Lopez Alt via Serious EatsGarlic butter roasted mushrooms via Smitten Kitchen Crispy smashed potatoes via Simply RecipesIna Garten’s potato gratin with fennelSwiss chard and sweet potato gratin via Smitten Kitchen Saveur’s brussels sprouts gratinGooey butter cake by Melissa Clark via NY Times  Claire Saffitz’s Key Lime PieAlden’s key lime ice cream sandwichesJim Lahey’s no-knead bread recipe via NY TimesWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

This week’s episode takes us on a journey of homemade kimchi and FOOD FRIENDship as we speak to Randall Park and Evan Goldberg about their mutual love of fermented foods. Actor, writer, and director Randall Park (Fresh Off The Boat, Veep, Neighbors, The Interview) and writer, director, and producer, Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Knocked Up, Neighbors, The Interview), talk about their shared love of, and shared recipe for, kimchi. Evan embarked on a kimchi-making journey after sampling a friend’s superb homemade version. Fast forward to many years later, when Randall and Evan met in Los Angeles and became friends. Randall took note of Evan’s deep appreciation for kimchi, and… you’ll have to tune into the episode to find out what happens next! ***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Kim’s Home Center Los Angeles for all your kimchi needsMaangchi’s kimchi recipe - a great starting point for a kimchi journeySaeujeot - Salted fermented shrimpRandall’s LA Korean restaurant recs: Kobawoo House and Han But Sul Lung Tang in Los AngelesGenghis Cohen restaurant in LAArt’s Deli in Studio City, CASaltie Girl in Los AngelesWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Whether you’re a novice or expert baker, this week we’re offering simple paths to homemade desserts, and share several different recipes that yield sweet treats with minimal effort. Snacking cakes, we’ve learned, come in different flavors and shapes but share one common ingredient: they are unfussy. That means they’re typically made by hand in one bowl, then poured into a cake pan and baked. Another unfussy dessert category leans on assembling rather than baking; chocolate-covered fruit, banana pudding, and easy tiramisu. We also chat about the latest easy dessert trends that are taking TikTok by storm. Don’t miss this sweet conversation! ***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Sonya’s Apple Sharlotka, Tzimmes Cake, and  Tahini Coffee Cake Sonya’s Tea Biscuit/Tiramisu-like Ice Box Cake via The Nosher Apple Sauce Cake by Julia Turshen via Tasting Table Dorie Greenspan’s Poached Pears via the NY Times Banana Pudding from Natasha’s Kitchen Chocolate dipped fruit Ina Garten’s Chocolate BarkYogurt Bark from Eating Well Our favorite dessert-like Ellenos yogurtBlueberry Pudding Cake via Epicurious Strawberry pretzel “salad” from Betty CrockerPlum crumb bars by Cambrea BakesWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

It’s time to add soups back into the cooking rotation! This episode is dedicated to all the best fall soups like creamy tomato, roasted squash, and bean + veggie combos like a classic lentil soup, or white beans with garlic, parmesan & herbs…side of crusty bread, please and thank you! We share our best tips for building layers of flavor with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, including a hot tip for a very secret ingredient for your next butternut squash soup! ***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Rich Rosendale’s butternut bisque with bananaAnna Thomas’ Love Soup cookbookSweet potato soup from Love & Lemons, add turmeric black lentils to make it like KariIna Garten’s Lentil SoupAli Slagle’s parm white bean soup with greens via NY TimesJ. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s potato leek soup via Serious EatsGabrielle Hamilton’s white borscht via NY TimesGrace Chon Episode of Food Friends Cabbage farro soup from Six Seasons via Smitten KitchenWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Autumn’s abundance is upon us and we’re back in our podcast seats! Summer corn, tomatoes, and eggplant mingle with a new bounty of crisp apples, juicy pears, and orange-fleshed winter squash. It’s a literal cornucopia, and we’re here for it. As we head into the kitchen and turn on the oven again, we’re ready to explore the explosion of sweet and savory flavors that define this season. We share the many ways we plan to enjoy fall, from rich ratatouille to stuffed veggie dishes. What does Sonya make with quince from her neighbor’s tree? What kind of skillet pie does Kari make? What are both of us eager to try for the first time? Tune in and get a generous boost of fall cooking inspiration!***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Six Seasons Cookbook by Joshua McFadden with Martha HolmbergMelissa Clark’s Ratatouille for the NYTimes Smitten Kitchen’s RatatouilleDorie Greenspan’s Stuffed Pumpkin with Everything Good via The KitchnLamb Stuffed Quince from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi Sonya’s savory pear galette recipePear Slab Pie by Justin Chapple for Food & Wine What to know about different kinds of persimmonsKari’s favorite Skillet Apple Pie from America’s Test KitchenWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Thirty-two episodes ago, we began this podcast with one goal: to spend more time with one another. Our conversations celebrate the beauty of home cooking through our friendship, and we both feel a deep sense of pride in the content we’ve shared. Through our weekly collaboration on this podcast, we’ve learned more about each other and home cooking, and feel a deeper connection with one another despite the distance between our cities. This podcast has inspired new ways of cooking, shopping, and eating for us and our listeners. We’re grateful for each and every text/email/comment we receive when one of our FOOD FRIENDS says “Oh yes, me too!,” or “I’ve never cooked xyz that way before,” or when a listener poses a question that challenges us to think deeper. We’ve learned that our listeners tune in from all over the world, including Iran, India, and Ethiopia, and that our largest community of listeners is from Seattle. We see all of you, and we’re so glad you’ve joined us! A heartfelt thanks to the special guests who shared their stories with us this season: Lauren & Seth Rogen, Shannon Sarna, Grace Chon, and Danielle Bell.Part 2 of our finale celebrates the sweetness of being together at long last in Portland, OR. We reveal the many gifts that our FOOD FRIENDSHIP offers from cooking together, to eating out in the world, to foraging for local fruit, to just spending time in the company of each other. Thanks for tuning in this season! We’re excited to take a break and spend time with our families and travel, and to collect new ideas and momentum for next season! See you soon! xoxo, Kari & Sonya  ***Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:Keep in touch with Sonya on her site or IGKeep in touch with Kari on her site or IG De Porres Catering in Los Angeles Exilior coffeeMoney Bowl for the best rice balls Hat Yai Thai foodWe love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!