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:

52: Grilling Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Grilling is a laid-back kind of summer cooking where you can sip a cold beverage and cook outside. This week we talk about our favorite things to grill and why we love grilling. Get outside with us!

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Lamb arayes (Simply Julia)
Ginger lime chicken (NYT)
Spicy honey-brushed chicken thighs (Cooking Light)
Huli huli chicken (NYT)
Grilled za’atar chicken with garlic yogurt and cilantro (NYT)
Chicken skewers with three marinades (Zahav)
Molasses barbecue sauce (Small Victories)
Barbecue chicken in the oven (The Kitchn)
Ribs with gochujang, fish sauce & honey (Small Victories)
Salmon with lemon-herb marinade (NYT)
Slow-roasted salmon (Salt Fat Acid Heat)
How to Grill (NYT)
Artisan pizza (Grand Central Baking Book)
Pizza crust (Evolutions in Bread)
Grilled summer vegetables with tahini dressing (NYT)
Grilled cabbage with paprika-lime butter (NYT)
Grilled branzino with lemons all the ways (Dining In)

Cookbooks mentioned in this episode:

The Green Barbecue, by Rukmini Iyer

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 8/9/2023): Indian-ish, by Priya Krishna

51: Colombiana Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

This vibrant, beautiful cookbook celebrates Colombia and its flavors, women, music and more. We talk about how beautiful the food is, and whether the flavors kept up with that beauty.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Refajo a la Brooklyn (page 124)
Coquito mio (page 152)
Alegrías de coco y anis (page 201)
Lentejas ahumadas con chorizo (page 95)
Ceviche de palmito y pomelo (page 238)
Ensalada de aguacate y cilantro (page 94)
Plátanos en tentación (page 78)
Arepas con queso (page 33)
Arepas de maiz trillado (page 30)
Pastel “gloria” (page 210)
Almojabanas con agua de azahares (page 51)
Perro caliente con todo (page 230)
Paletas de avena y canela (page 285)
Helado de suero (page 82)
Merengón de fresa y crema de diente de león (page 128)

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 8/9/2023): Indian-ish, by Priya Krishna

50: No-cook dinners Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

Sometimes in the summer, it’s just too hot to bother with applying any heat. This week we share our best ideas for preparing no-cook dinners to keep everyone cool, fed and happy.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Don’t call it a crudité (Nothing Fancy)
Marinated goat cheese with lemony za’atar (Nothing Fancy)
Hummus (Dinner in an Instant)
Hummus tahina (Zahav)
Cowboy caviar (NYT)
Lentil soup dip (Simply Julia)
Meatloaf sandwich (Now & Again)
Sicilian chicken salad (Salt Fat Acid Heat)
Niçoise-inspired summer salad (Real Simple)
Niçoise salad (Mastering the art of French cooking)
Pasta salad with marinated tomatoes and tuna (NYT)
Broccoli salad (NYT)
Bahn mi salad (Salad for Dinner)
Tuna mayo rice bowl (NYT)
Poolside sesame slaw (Smitten Kitchen)

Cookbooks mentioned in this episode:

Superfood smoothies, by Julie Morris

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 7/12/2023): Colombiana, by Mariana Velasquez

49: Dinner in French Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

French recipes brought to life by our old friend Melissa Clark. Renee thinks this book feels more intentionally complex than others Melissa Clark has written and we remember a lovely meal shared from its pages. Pretty sure it's our only episode with a truly surprised gasp in it.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Classic salade niçoise (page 82)
Sweet potato aligot with fried sage (page 44)
Classic fromage fort with chives (page 50)
Campari olive oil cake (page 262)
Sweet potato and bacon quiche with parsley (page 119)
Scalloped potato gratin (page 245)
Roasted beet, caraway and creme fraîche salad with arugula (page 69)
Chicken liver mousse with bourbon (page 191)
Savory gruyere bread with ham (page 55)
Poule au pot pie (page 185)
Classic tarte flambée (page 126)
Lentil stew with garlic sausage and goat cheese (page 208)
Delicate pea and lettuce soup with ricotta and tarragon (page 92)
French-rye chocolate cake with spiced crême anglaishe (page 265)
Rustic buckwheat apple ginger cake (page 259)

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 7/12/2023): Colombiana, by Mariana Velasquez

48: Camping food May 31, 2023

Show notes

Camping and cooking go together — but it all gets a little more complicated when we add kids to the equation. Sara and Renee share their camping strategies and menus to get everyone fed while you’re in the woods this summer.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Skillet weeknight chili (NYT)
Cowboy beans (Hello, My Name is Tasty)
Mac & Beer cheese (The Campout Cookbook)
Vegetarian chili (Cook for Love)
Mushroom fajita mix (Cook for Love)
Tri-tip sandwich bar (The Campout Cookbook)
Pudgie pies (The Campout Cookbook)
Nut brittle (The Campout Cookbook)
Cowboy cookies (The Campout Cookbook)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 6/14/2023): Dinner in French, by Melissa Clark

47: Korean American May 17, 2023

Show notes

To Eric Kim, these recipes taste like home. We both had tender feelings toward his vulnerability throughout this cookbook, as he writes a very personal love letter to his family. But the real question is: did the recipes work for us?

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Scorched skillet rice with raw spring veggies (page 145)
Crispy lemon pepper bulgogi with quick-pickled shallots (page 241)
Sheet pan bibimbap with roasted fall vegetables (page 151)
Yangnyeom roast chicken (page 211)
Crispy yangnyeom chickpeas with caramelized honey (page 198)
Kimchi-braised short ribs with pasta (page 93)
Jean’s perfect jar of kimchi (page 67)
Roasted bo ssam (page 227)
Sheet-pan LA Kalbi with Sprite (page 233)
Sesame-soy deviled eggs (page 215)
Gem lettuce salad (page 190)
Cheesy scallion stuffing (page 212)
Chewy black sesame rice cake (page 268)
Milk bread with maple syrup (page 251)
No-churn ice cream with dalgona butterscotch sauce (page 261)
Korean pear galette (page 259)
Charred cauliflower with magic gochugaru dust (page 200)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kid-Friendly Bibimbap (Serious Eats)
Mooncakes and Milk Bread, by Kristina Cho
Evolutions in Bread, by Ken Forkish

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 6/14/2023): Dinner in French, by Melissa Clark

46: What we're cooking now May 02, 2023

Show notes

We are always looking for new inspiration in the kitchen, and always facing the challenges of everyday life with kids, families and work demands. In this episode, we talk about what we’ve been cooking in our kitchens in the hopes that it’ll inspire you.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Raisin pecan bread (Evolutions in Bread)
Chewy earl grey sugar cookies (NYT)
Apple & toasted oat muffins (Small Victories)
Big cluster granola (The Smitten Kitchen cookbook)
Eleven Madison Park granola (NYT)
White bean tomato (Dinner in One)
Miso-marinated salmon (Dinner in One)
Pork chop skillet (Dinner in One)
Orzo minestrone soup (Dinner in One)
Italian roast potatoes (NYT)
Sesame, cucumber and avocado salad (NYT)
Rao’s meatballs (NYT)
Jennie’s chicken pelau (Small Victories)
Caribbean kidney bean pelau (Simply Julia)
Potato chip ricotta fish cakes (Simply Julia)
Sour cream pancakes (Small Victories)
Chicken and black-eyed pea chili (Now & Again)
Chili non carne (Linda McCartney’s family kitchen)
Caramelized shallot pasta (NYT)
Steak fajitas (NYT)
Hummus tehina (Zahav)
Marinated goat cheese (Nothing Fancy)
That Cheese Plate will change your life

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Melissa Clark interview on NPR
Caro Chambers

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 5/17/2023): Korean American, by Eric Kim

45: Cannelle et Vanille Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Cannelle et Vanille is a comforting and lovely cookbook full of gluten-free recipes that are “for everyone.” Do we agree? Listen to find out.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Nordic Rye-style seed bread (page 101)
Cinnamon buns (page 78)
Black olive, caraway and honey yeast bread (page 110)
Raspberry pancakes with maple yogurt (page 95)
Buckwheat crepes with chocolate-hazelnut butter (page 92)
Ginger-turmeric milk (page 66)
Crispy chickpeas with rice, sweet potatoes, avocados and greens (page 188)
Braised chicken with apples and cider (page 205)
My mom’s fish soup (page 238)
Crunchy romaine salad with soft eggs and feta (page 168)
Salted hazelnut butter truffles (page 321)
Espresso and no-churn honey ice cream (page 312)
Buttermilk-poached salmon salad with herb, leek and caper dressing (page 152)
Braised beef ragu with tagliatelle (page 232)
Amama Miren’s flan (page 297)

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 5/17/2023): Korean American, by Eric Kim

44: Reducing food waste Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Everything is SO expensive right now. We got together to chat about how to reduce our grocery bills by using it all up in creative ways. Join us!

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Tuna mayo rice bowl (NYT)
Kale sauce with any noodle (Six Seasons)
Lubav’s green spaghetti (Simply Julia)
The most adaptable one-bowl poundcake (NYT)
Quiche lorraine (NYT)

Cookbooks mentioned in this episode:

Now and Again, by Julia Turshen
The Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 4/19/2023): Cannelle et Vanille, by Aran Goyoaga

43: Provisions Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

This ingredient-focused Caribbean book caught our attention and stretched our cooking repertoire a bit. We talk about our favorite recipes from the book, shopping at specialty markets and stepping outside our comfort zone, with delicious results.

Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Red pea puree with avocado (page 122)
Provisions bowl (page 18)
Mamacita's arepas with black beans and queso blanco (page 162)
Curried chickpeas with mango chutney (page 119)
Island goddess kale cobb salad (page 97)
Sesame-roasted garlic and eggplant caviar (page 45)
Roasted hearts of palm and artichoke dip (page 77)
Raspberry and coconut cream scones (page 179)
Ebony and Ivory: Double chocolate pistachio brownies and Coconut-macadamia blondies (page 205)
Ackee tacos with island guacamole (page 57)
Bellefield Jamaican ginger beer (page 213)

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! Next cookbook episode (releasing 4/19/2023): Cannelle et Vanille, by Aran Goyoaga

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