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Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

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?

Copyright: © Food Friends Podcast 2022

Latest Episodes:

Where Did I Save That Recipe? How to Keep Track, Plus 2 Quick Kid-Friendly Meals! Our best home cooking bites of the week + a hotline question answered! Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Drowning in recipes?

Whether you’ve got stacks of cookbooks, screenshots galore, or a folder full of old magazine clippings, figuring out how to organize the recipes you love (or want to try) can feel overwhelming.

In this bite-sized episode, we share what’s working for us and how to make your recipe stash more usable and inspiring.

We’re also sharing thebest things we ate this week to inspire each other—and you!

By the end of this episode, you’ll discover two quick, kid-friendly ways to turn a pound of ground meat into a flavorful, filling dinner, and you’ll learnsimple, effective ways to organize all those recipes you’ve bookmarked, ripped out, or saved on your phone.

Tune in for a quick, satisfying dose of home cooking inspiration—plus practical answers from our kitchen hotline!

***

Links:

Ground beef taco filling similar to what Kari and Sonya make, from Feel Good Foodie

“Middle School Tacos” by Sam Sifton for NYT Cooking - the kind Kari grew up with

A simple version of Arayes from All Recipes, andarayes packed with more herbs from Little Spice Jar

Paprika recipe organizer app, suggested by our listener Roy

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers’ market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

Strawberries! Our Top 8 Recipes for Making the Most of Summer Sweetness Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

What’s the best thing you’ve ever made with a pound of strawberries?

Whether you’ve picked up a perfect pint at the farmers market or opened a slightly-too-early clamshell from the store, we’ll show you how to coax the deepest, juiciest flavor from your summer strawberries—no matter where you got them or what shape they’re in.

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

Learn how to turn a pound of strawberries into show-stopping desserts like a giant sheet pan pastry or a tender, easy-to-make cake
Discover a silky strawberry tiramisu, layered with tropical juice-soaked ladyfingers and clouds of whipped mascarpone
Get inspired by summery ideas beyond dessert, like a fruity iced tea with an unexpected ingredient upgrade, and a way to use up those past-their-prime berries for a tangy, refreshing drink.

Hit play now and walk away with your new go-to strawberry recipe (or eight) before berry season passes you by!

***

Links:

Strawberry summer cake via Smitten Kitchen, and her sheet cake version for when the 9” cake isn’t enough

Giant strawberry turnover (like a giant pop tart) by Yossy Arefi for NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Ina Garten’s Strawberry Country Cake

Double strawberry shortcakes by Melissa Clark for NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Sonya’s strawberry tiramisu and watch her make it on ABC/KATU’s AMNW

Gabrielle Hamilton’s strawberry milk from her cookbook Prune, via Smitten Kitchen

How to make strawberry shrub with two separate techniques from Food52

Strawberry Hibiscus Limeade by Millie Peartree for NYT Cooking, that makes use of overripe berries

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

How we turn store-bought staples into a quick weeknight meal and a dinner party-worthy dessert! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Need a meal that’s fast, flavorful, and starts with what’s already in your pantry?

In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!

You’ll learn how a humble packet of ramen turned into a produce-packed weeknight favorite (yes, there’s a jammy egg involved), and how a store-bought cookie became the secret star of a dreamy layered trifle that can feed a crowd. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for your next dinner party, these pantry-meets-fresh combos are all about making home cooking feel easy… and a little bit unexpected.

Tune in for a quick dose of inspiration, a few clever tips, and your next best bite!

***

Links

Momofuku ramen noodles, and this one is Sonya’s favorite flavor (not sponsored)

Grilled asparagus from Love & Lemons

A bok choy salad similar to what Sonya made from The Cozy Apron

Japanese BBQ sauce to top noodles with

For the “Chocolate Cookie Crunch Trifle”: make chocolate pudding, make vanilla pudding, make a batch of whipped cream, and grab one package of Tate’s cookies. Layer all three in a big bowl or trifle dish just before serving! (And for the vanilla pudding, Kari added a bit of white chocolate ganache, a tip she learned from Nicole Rucker’s book, Fat + Flour)

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

A Food Person’s Summer: Cookbooks, Hosting, A Must-Read Novel, and What to Cook Right Now, with Adam Roberts Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Ever wonder what food people actually cook when guests come over—and why those recipes always work?

In this episode, Adam Roberts—aka The Amateur Gourmet—takes us inside his kitchen, shares his favorite cookbooks and go-to recipes, and tells us all about his fantastic debut novel, Food Person. We talk summer cooking, dinner party philosophy, and why even a slightly undercooked salmon can still lead to a great night.

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

Get a sneak peek at Food Person, Adam’s twisty, funny, page-turning, novel (think The Devil Wears Prada, but for cookbook publishing).
Discover the dessert that never fails a dinner party.
Find out the #1 mistake home cooks make when hosting, and the mindset shift that turns chaos into calm.

Press play for Adam’s best dinner party advice, his all-time favorite cookbooks, and the recipes he relies on most to make hosting feel like a breeze.

***

Links:

Food Person, Adam Roberts’ debut novel,is out now!

Subscribe to Adam’s Amateur Gourmet Newsletter on Substack

Follow Adam on Instagram

Adam’s cookbook recs from today’s episode:

The Barefoot Contessa books (especially for beginners)

Or level up your home cooking with Mozza at Home, by Nancy Silverton and Carolyn Carreno

For the best homemade ice cream recipes and techniques, check out David Leibovitz’s The Perfect Scoop

Anything by Melissa Clark is dependably excellent

Some of the cookbooks highlighted in Food Person: The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, The Chez Panisse Cookbook, and The Auberge of the Flowering Heart

Food writing that has inspired Adam:

Amanda Hesser’s Cooking for Mr.Latte

Nora Ephron’s Heartburn

Who Adam channels in his kitchen:

Lidia Bastianich, and one of her recipes is his go-to pasta dish for dinner parties.

He might follow that with warm freshly baked chocolate chip cookies

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

A nostalgic one-pot pasta, an easy brunch dish that travels well, and what do you do with leftover tomato paste? Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Looking for easy dinner ideas that you can cook up in minutes, all in one pot?

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 get out your pasta pot and make scratch-made SpaghettiOs that are shockingly delicious, and only use a handful of ingredients. You'll also hear about a throw-back brunch option that travels well and can be made with a store-bought save.

Plus: wondering what to do with leftover tomato paste? We're answering questions from our kitchen hotline, and you'll also hear a great tip from a listener!

Tune in for a quick hit of home cooking inspiration!

***

Links:

Maurice in Portland for their incredible quiche

A spinach, tomato and feta quiche from Food.com, and a mushroom and gruyere quiche by Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes

One pot homemade “Spaghetti O's” by Ree Drummond from Food Network

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

Hosting This Summer? Four Seasonal Menus for Cooking at Home with Ease Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Planning a backyard dinner, summer party, or easy weeknight hangout but have no idea what to serve?

If you’re craving a relaxed way to bring people together around food, this episode serves up four summery, crowd-pleasing menus that are just as low-effort as they are flavor-packed. Think: charred corn brushed with lime butter and spiced with harissa, salads bursting with juicy peaches tossed in a tangy vinaigrette, and creamy no-bake desserts that you can make ahead and forget until it’s time to wow your guests.

By the end of this episode ,you’ll:

Discover 4 complete menus that highlight peak summer produce and are designed to be make-ahead friendly and low-effort
Learn how to make a quick 10-minute main that keeps time at the stove to a minimum
Find your go-to no-bake dessert made with fresh berries and a few smart shortcuts

Press play to hear easy, flavor-packed summer menus — your next delicious get-together is waiting!

***

Links:

Sonya’s Menu #1

Main: Grilled chicken with yogurt marinade (whole chicken) by Tom Mylan from Food and Wine, and a version with boneless skinless chicken breasts by Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes (you can also use cut up chicken parts). You can swap a dairy yogurt for an unsweetened plain coconut yogurt.

Side: Grilled corn chili lime butter, but swap the chili powder for a Harissa spice mix, and if you want it butter free you could also do this grilled corn with harissa from Serious Eats

Salad: Sliced peaches and tomatoes with a pomegranate molasses dressing like this one from Maureen Abood, topped with fresh mint and/or basil

Dessert: Blueberry lemon icebox cake from Sally’s Baking Addiction, make it dairy-free with a whipped coconut topping or your favorite non-dairy heavy cream replacement

Kari’s Menu #1

Salad starter: A bibb lettuce salad from Two Peas and Their Pod, but skip the avocado, cucumber, and cheese

Main: Butteriest Black Pepper Fish by Shilpa Uskokovic from Bon Appetit

Side: Mustardy smashed potatoes with jalapeno gremolata from Athena Calderone and her book “Cook Beautiful”

Dessert: Simple glazed lime cake from Bon Appetit, served with a trio of sorbets (thanks for the suggestion, Sonya!)

Sonya’s Menu #2

Main: Sungold tomato pasta from Wishbone Kitchen

Side: Grilled garlic bread by Bobby Flay with roasted garlic, and one with fresh garlic without from Recipe Tin Eats

Salad: Maria’s chopped salad recipe (which Sonya mistakingly called Mary's in the episode, oops!) is coming out this Sunday 6/8 on our Substack! It’s free to Subscribe!

Dessert: Raspberry buttermilk cake via Smitten Kitchen from Gourmet Magazine

Kari’s Menu #2

Starter: A platter of corn Ribs from Recipe Tin Eats

Main: Sheet-Pan Feta with Tomatoes and Chickpeas by Kendra Vakulin from Bon Appetit, serve with crusty bread or pita for scooping (Kari often makes this sourdough pita recipe by Adrian Hale)

Dessert: Chocolate-cookie crunch trifle from Punch Fork, served with a bowl of summer strawberries

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

Can you make pasta sauce with a container of hummus? And a springy sheet-pan meal! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week May 29, 2025

Show notes

Are you tired of the same old pasta and red sauce? What if a store-bought container of hummus could be transformed into a family-friendly weeknight pasta dish?

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 this 5-star lemony hummus pasta that is kid-approved, and you’ll also discover an easy sheet-pan dinner that uses an unexpected seasonal ingredient!

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

Links:

Lemony Hummus Pasta by Christian Reynoso via NYT Cooking

Our favorite brand of storebought Little Sesame Hummus (not sponsored, we just love it!)

Greek lemon potatoes from Recipe Tin Eats

Sonya’s sheet-pan lemony baby artichokes and potatoes, and also her simple roasted artichoke recipe

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

Burger Night at Home! Cooking Tips for Classic Burgers, Turkey Patties, Veggie Options & More May 27, 2025

Show notes

When’s the last time you made a burger at home that was better than takeout?

Whether you're craving a juicy smash burger, need a foolproof turkey patty, or want a plant-based option that actually tastes good, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking great burgers only come from restaurants. But burger night at home can be quick, easy, and way more customizable than you might think — especially when you’ve got pro tips from two former personal chefs.

By the end of this episode you’ll:

Master the art of deeply savory, crisp edged burgers, from the of smash burgers to the secret to juicy turkey patties. No grill required!
Discover unexpected flavor upgrades—like mustard-brushed patties, kimchi toppings, and a 5-star recipe for an entirely vegan option
Learn how to build a low-stress, high-impact burger bar with topping must-haves and sides that make even a weeknight dinner feel like a party (without the stress).

Press play for your next easy, healthy dinner that is stacked, sauced, and sizzling with flavor!

***

This episode is sponsored by Spicytude: premium Indian spice kits and flavorful recipes!

Spicytude makes Indian cooking easy with all-in-one spice kits. They source and blend the finest spices in perfect proportions, providing you with recipe cards and video instructions to guide you through the cooking process. Say goodbye to half-used spice jars turning to dust at the back of your pantry, and say hello to the era of precise and flavorful culinary experiences!

***

Links:

Homemade smash burger by Kenji Lopez Alt for Serious Eats

Bacon and kimchi burgers by Wesley Genovart from Food & Wine

A classic turkey burger recipe; add finely diced peppers, or shredded zucchini, chipotle pepper, sliced scallions, or herbs to modify it to your liking. Worcesteshire is a great addition too.

Sonya’s turkey kotleti (small turkey patties)

Mark Bittman’s salmon burger from NYT Cooking made with fresh salmon (unlocked)

Ina Garten’s salmon cakes made with leftover salmon

Homemade tartar sauce and Kenji’s shake shack sauce from Serious Eats

Double Drive-Thru veggie burgers by Chloe Cascarelli for Food & Wine, with Thousand Island sauce made with tofu

Portobello smash burger by Ali Slagle for NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Stellar quinoa burger from Cafe Pascual’s in Santa Fe, NM, published by Bon Appetit at the request of a reader

Homemade Jojo potatoes from A Mindfull Mom

Nancy Silverton’s deep-dive on burger parties for the LA Times

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

Cookbook club wins and how to make the easiest biggest batch of monster cookies! Our best home cooking bites of the week May 22, 2025

Show notes

Searching for a recipe you can bring to your next potluck?

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 discover two recipes that can serve a crowd, or are great for make-ahead meals. You'll want to make a spinach ruffle milk pie—a savory, veggie-packed twist on spanakopita that’s perfect for meal prep, healthy lunches, or dinner parties—and a nostalgic monster cookie recipe that’s chewy, gluten-free, and ideal for freezing ahead.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

Links:

Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Tenderheart Cookbook, which has her recipe for savory spinach and mint ruffle milk pie

Here’s another take on a savory phyllo spinach and feta pie from Super Golden Bakes, and one that looks delicious from Serious Eats

Sonya’s apple and honey ruffle milk pie with video on how to ruffle your phyllo dough

Monster Cookie recipe (double to make 15 lbs of cookie dough just like Kari did!)

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

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

Potluck and Picnic-Perfect Dishes! Summer Home Cooking Everyone Will Love May 20, 2025

Show notes

Ever feel overwhelmed with what to bring to a potluck or summer picnic?

Whether you’re heading to a park gathering or a crowded family reunion, choosing the right dish can feel weirdly high-stakes, especially when you want something portable, crowd-pleasing, and easy to make ahead. We’ve got you!

We’re sharing all our tips and inspiration to ensure that your dish is the one people can’t stop talking about—the one that’s gone before you can even grab a plate!

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to make:

Two easy sides that you can prepare in individual portions
No-fuss desserts like a creamy no-bake blueberry cheesecake and a citrusy creamsicle pie
How to make presentation, prep, and adaptability easier so your dish stands out and survives the buffet table

Hit play now and walk into your next gathering with a dish that looks great, travels well, and was easy to make!

Links

Sides:

Corniest corn muffins from Smitten Kitchen

Mini pimento cheese balls

Salads:

Sonya’s rainbow salad recipe from her Substack

Julia Turshen’s zucchini, red onion and pistachio salad with a preserved lemon vinaigrette

Mains:

The famous grinder TikTok sandwich with the salad part + how to assemble the sandwiches from the Country Cook, and a fully vegetarian version from I Heart Vegetables

Slow cooker beef sliders from The Defined Dish, and a similar take on slow cooker beef with a Mississippi roast by Jenn Crippen for All Recipes

Creamy vegetable casserole, aka Midwest vegetable casserole

Foil packs of carnitas from Serious Eats for griddled tacos

Desserts

A slightly gussied-up version of a no-bake blueberry cheesecake from Natasha’s Kitchen, and an easy classic no-bake blueberry cheesecake made with whipped topping from All Recipes

No-bake orange creamsicle pie made with orange marmalade from Every Day Pie, and a no-bake creamsicle pie with shortbread crust made with jello from I Am Baker

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

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!

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