Arts

Cookbook Club

Each month I cook through one cookbook and share my favorite recipes, my not-so-favorites, and what I’ll make again. Then you cook along, send me a short voice memo, and I weave listener voices right into the episode. Sometimes friends from my real-life cookbook club in Portland join in too. New episodes monthly. Follow along on Instagram @cookbookclubshow.

Latest Episodes:

92: Cravings: All Together Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

This book is our first foray into the Chrissy Tiegen food universe, and it was a surprise to us — Renee enjoys Chrissy’s sense of humor and family-friendly dishes, Sara loves some of the fun treats and umami hacks.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Peanut butter and potato chip seven-layer bars (page 238)
Two-berry crumble with HBO crumble (page 22)
Orange chicken fried chicken sandwiches (page 161)
Meatloaf Wellington (page 141)
Sourdough Jack hamburger helper (page 68)
Shortcut khao man gai (page 170)
Spicy sausage pasta fagioli (page 120)
Crispy chicken caesar wedge salad (page 129)
Chicken tikka masala with “garlic naan” pita (page 188)
Broccoli salad with creamy cashew dressing (page 93)
Frosted circus animal cookies (page 240)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our Amazon storefront
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 5/14/2025): My Everyday Lagos, by Yewande Komolafe

91: Meringue & Pavlova Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

We deeply love the magic that happens when you combine whipped egg whites with sugar. Join us as we fall down the rabbit hole of meringue treats, including one of our favorites, the pavlova.

Recipes and resources mentioned in this episode:

Salted lemon cream pie (Sweet Enough)
Vanilla meringues (NYT)
Marshmallowy meringues (Salt Fat Acid Heat)
Strawberry pavlova (NYT)
Cookies-and-cream pavlova (NYT)
The best pavlova wreath (Food52)
Pull-apart pavlova wreath (Simply Delicious)
Roasted rhubarb pavlova with pomegranate molasses (Sweeter off the Vine)
Mary Berry’s baking bible

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 4/16/2025): Cravings: All Together by Chrissy Tiegen

90: The Woks of Life Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

This cookbook brings the unique perspective of an entire family — a collaboration between parents and young adult children with personal stories, family history and some delicious Chinese recipes. Renee went for some weeknight-friendly easier recipes and Sara took on a big baking project.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Cantonese steamed fish (page 211)
Mapo tofu (page 250)
Chili oil wontons (page 87)
Ultimate chili oil (page 275)
Shredded potato & carrot salad (page 74)
Fast sizzled cucumber salad (page 73)
Beef and broccoli (page 194)
Milk bread (page 284)
Red bean pineapple buns (page 287)
Char siu roast pork (page 173)
Char siu mini bao (page 29)
Lazy veggie noodles (page 115)
Eggplant with garlic sauce (page 231)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our Amazon storefront
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 4/16/2025): Cravings: All Together by Chrissy Tiegen

89: Noodles Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

We’ve talked about pasta recently, but in this episode, we dig into noodles. From noodle soups to a range of Asian noodle dishes, we talk about the delicious things we like to make. Just try to listen to this on without your mouth watering.

Recipes and resources mentioned in this episode:

The Kitchn guide to Chinese noodles
Vietnamese rice noodle salad bowl (Vietnamese Food Any Day)
Ever-Green Vietnamese, by Andrea Nguyen
Umami garlic noodles (Vietnamese Food Any Day)
Sesame brown butter udon noodles (NYT)
Pressure cooker miso chicken ramen with bok choy (NYT)
Pressure cooker beef pho (NYT)
Perfect instant ramen (NYT)
Peanut butter noodles (NYT)
Gochujang butter noodles (NYT)
Super simple ramen (Japanese Cookbook for Beginners)
Bulgogi with noodles (Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking)
Noodle soup with kimchi seasoning (Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 3/19/2025): Woks of Life, by the Leung Family

88: Cooking in Real Life Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

Lidey Heuck’s recipes are classic — maybe to a fault? For Sara, this book has been a weeknight workhorse, and Renee loves the inventive flavor combinations.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Blueberry muffin sugar cookies (page 108)
Honey-roasted cashews with a kick (page 33)
Baked crap dip with sweet corn and Old Bay (page 41)
Coconut creamed corn (page 182)
Kale salad with gouda, honeycrisp & walnuts (page 50)
Little gem salad with avocado goddess dressing & pickled red onions (page 65)
Raddichio salad with pear, cornbread crumbs & muffins (page 77)
Shaved carrot salad with creamy sesame-ginger dressing (page 54)
Spiced sweet potatoes with pecans & pomegranate seeds (page 177)
Avgolemono-ish chicken noodle soup (page 74)
Cider-glazed sausages with caramelized apples & fennel (page 87)
One-pan chicken meatballs with red sauce & spinach (page 84)
Creamy polenta (page 162)
Oven-baked polenta (NYT)
Red potato and leek frittata with goat cheese and dill (page 245)
Lidey bars – vegan date & almond bars (page 246)
Peanut butter & ginger cookies (page 190)
Lemon rosemary olive oil cake (page 221)
Rainbow sprinkle ice cream cake (page 213)
Spicy paloma punch (page 22)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our Amazon storefront
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 3/19/2025): Woks of Life, by the Leung Family

87: Savory Pies Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

We love pie! In this episode, we dig in to savory pies that run a wide gamut of influences and flavors. Sara talks about the tamale pie of her youth, Renee used her precious postpartum support time to make a steak & mushroom pie, and we deem pies perfectly worthy of dinner.

Recipes and resources mentioned in this episode:

Tamale pie (Simply Julia)
Kale and mushroom pot pie (Simply Julia)
Pasta alfredo (Cook for Love)
Shepherd’s pie (Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen)
Shepherd’s pie (Whole30)
Steak, ale & mushroom pie (goodFOOD)
Samosa pie (NYT)
Chicken pot pie (America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book)
Chicken pot pie (Small Victories)
Chicken pot pie (Salt Fat Acid Heat)
Skillet chicken pot pie (NYT)
Deep dish broccoli quiche (Smitten Kitchen Keepers)
Sweet potato & bacon quiche (Dinner in French)
The Book on Pie
Everything bagel hand pies (Simply Julia)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our Amazon storefront
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 2/19/2025): Cooking in Real Life, by Lidey Heuck

86: My Kitchen Year Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

This memoir with recipes is an unusual cookbook — it follows the year after the folding of Gourmet magazine, when Ruth Reichl was left reeling and found her way through that transition through cooking and food. We talk about the wide variety of recipes, mixture of prose and recipes, and whether we liked the things we made from this book.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Khao man gai
Borscht salad
Cider-braised pork shoulder
Thomas Keller roast chicken
Food cart curry chicken
Roast leg of lamb with fresh mint sauce
Chicken liver pate
Beef, wine and onion stew
Tart lemon tart
Gingered applesauce cake with caramel
Linzer torte

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our Amazon storefront
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 2/19/2025): Cooking in Real Life, by Lidey Heuck

85: Budget-friendly weeknight meals Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

After the hemorrhage of the holiday season, we are ready to get back to simple cooking in the evenings, with a budget-friendly spin. We focus on cleaning out the freezer/pantry, maximizing protein and using our yummiest budget-friendly recipes.

Recipes and resources mentioned in this episode:

White bean dip (Super Natural Every Day)
Lentil soup dip (Simply Julia)
The Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler
Super Natural Every Day, by Heidi Swanson
White beans & cabbage (Super Natural Every Day)
Miso curry delicata squash (Super Natural Every Day)
Green lentil soup (Super Natural Every Day)
Curried red lentils with coconut milk (Small Victories)
Pureed winter squash & lentil soup (NYT)
Red lentil soup with lemon (NYT)
Creamy lentils (Indian Instant Pot)
Stewed chickpea, zucchini & peppers (Simply Julia)
Roasted chickpeas (NYT)
Spaghetti with garlicky breadcrumbs & anchovies (NYT)
I Dream of Dinner, by Ali Slagle
Dinner in One, by Melissa Clark

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 1/22/2025): My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes that Saved my Life, by Ruth Reichl

84: Health Nut Dec 24, 2024

Show notes

This cookbook from Martha Stewart alum Jess Damuck rides high on crunchy California hippie vibes. Whole wheat baked goods (yikes), smoothies and salads rule this book, which we liked and disliked in almost equal measure.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Tuna, Avocado and Grapefruit with Seed Crackers (page 129)
Test Kitchen turmeric tonic (page 74)
Morning glory muffins (page 50)
Morning glory muffins (NYT)
Savory brown rice porridge with greens and soft egg (page 54)
Creamsicle smoothie (page 70)
Peach and burrata caprese with hot honey (page 176)
Crispy rice and salmon bowl with quick pickles and greens (page 111)
Sweet potato bread with miso tahini butter (page 240)
Whole wheat sesame challah (page 262)
Buckwheat brownies (page 244)
Simple Any-stone-fruit cake (page 254)
Marian Burros’ plum torte (NYT)
Black bean tostadas with avocado and crispy leeks (page 91)
Very good vegan chili (page 103)
Mushroom “carnitas” tacos with citrusy radish slaw (page 232)
Lemony kale salad with crispy chickpeas and avocado (page 183)

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our sponsor: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 1/22/2025): My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes that Saved my Life, by Ruth Reichl

83: Foodie Gifts Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

By listener request, some ideas for gifts for yourself or the other cooks and foodies in your life. We discuss the best gift exchange gifts we’ve received, thrifting for treasures and buying more than one of your favorite spatula.

Recipes and resources mentioned in this episode:

SNL: Christmas morning (YouTube)
Strawberry huller (Amazon)
Renee’s Amazon storefront
Mason jar juicer lid (Amazon)
Thermopro probe thermometer (Amazon)
Get it Right spatulas
Figmint mini rubber spatulas & mixing bowls with lids (Target)
Hydro Flask insulated bowl (Amazon)
Fly by Jing chili crisp
Olympia Provisions
Jacobsen salt
Raaka chocolate
Sugarpine Drive-In sundae sauces

Join our Cookbook Club!

Our Instagram, @cookbookclubshow
E-mail us: cookbookclubshow@gmail.com
Find Renee and Sara on Instagram: @hipchickdigs and @realtor_saragray
Our sponsors: Dropcloth Samplers
Cook along with us! Our next cookbook episode (airing 12/25/2024): Health Nut, by Jess Damuck

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