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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:

Episode 21: Cooking without recipes — Making dinner easy to get on the table at home! Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Do you have a go-to dish that you make from memory? Many of us lean on recipes for inspiration for our daily cooking, but there's something to be said about the meals we make off the cuff, over and over again.

This episode explores the dishes we cook straight from memory, without consulting a cookbook or app. For instance, Sonya shares her almost weekly routine of roasting chicken, a classic dish from her childhood that she constantly riffs on. Kari reveals that she never makes roast chicken, and instead shares one of her go-to meals: a tomato-based, green bean stew taht she learned how to make from a friend. We also reflect on our favorite coconut lentil dish, which we both make entirely with ingredients we always keep on hand in our kitchens.

This conversation shows us that the dishes we make automatically, without even thinking, are sometimes the most special ones. A good FOOD FRIEND can remind us that it’s possible for a beautiful, home-cooked meal to come together quickly with a few pantry staples... and without a recipe.

We hope this episode encourages you to think about the dishes you're making without a recipe. Reach out and let us know what you're cooking up, and we'll share it with the FOOD FRIENDS community so that we can all learn!

***

Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:

Sonya’s Seattle-style sheet pan chicken teriyaki

Roast chicken with grapes by Angie Mar, via Food & Wine

Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce

NY Shuk harissa and spices, and Diaspora Co spices

Crispy smashed potato recipe by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Curried coconut red lentils by Julia Turshen, The Kitchn

Cashew cream via The Kitchn

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

Episode 20: Let’s celebrate spring with 10 delicious recipes for cooking and hosting at home! Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

We’re celebrating spring in this week’s episode with time-honored rituals and new traditions to welcome light, warmer weather, and connection with family and friends!

In honor of the changing season, we’re sharing a few ways that we like to celebrate. Sonya offers her strategies for hosting Passover, including ways to make it a little easier and more collaborative for everyone. She’ll also share her go-to menu, as well as her favorite make-ahead dishes like savory potato kugel, which reminds Kari of a Midwestern casserole that her family serves at Easter.

Kari tells Sonya all about her delicious new “Spring Turkey” tradition; it’s a version of Thanksgiving inspired by her aunt. There’s only one rule: gather family and friends around the table to share a meal. Also, wear a pink boa!

We hope you’re as excited as we are to cook tasty, seasonal food and celebrate the arrival of spring.

***

Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:

Sonya’s shawarma eggplant with zhug

Cast iron potato kugel from Smitten Kitchen

Kari’s family’s strawberry jello and pretzel “salad” from Taste of Home

Cheesy potato casserole

Haroset recipes from around the world, via The Nosher

Ina Garten’s Green Green Spring vegetables recipe

Cilantro mint sauce from Chinois/Wolfgang Puck

Alison Roman’s wine-braised short rib for the NY Times

Zoe Bakes’ pavlova recipe

Tyler Florence’s flourless chocolate cake

Shannon Sarna’s matzah toffee

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

Episode 19: Edible home gardens — The joy of cooking food you grow yourself, with Grace Chon! Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

We are thrilled to chat with FOOD FRIEND, Grace Chon!

Grace is not only a passionate gardener, but she’s also an acclaimed photographer, best-selling author, creativity coach, and host of Creativity School — a podcast dedicated to finding and expressing creativity (we are both big fans!).

There’s nothing better than cooking with food you’ve grown yourself, and Grace inspires us to plant and grow more in our home gardens this year. Grace shares what she’s learned from her 10+ year gardening journey, which began with growing heirloom tomatoes in pots in her parking space… proof that anyone can start a garden that yields food if they want to. She shares tips about gardening, as well as recipes on how to cook with all that bounty, and tells us all about the essential Korean herb that grows easily and is really versatile in the kitchen.

With the arrival of Spring, this conversation comes just in time to inspire you to grow something…anything!…in your garden, on your patio, or even in a pot next to your parking space.

***

Links to recipes and favorites from this week’s show:

Follow Grace’s gardening adventures on @tinyfoodgarden!

Check out Grace's Website, her podcast Creativity School, and follow her on IG @thegracechon

Korean Perilla leaves: what are they and how to buy? From Sue Pressey of My Korean Kitchen

10 ways to enjoy Perilla from JinJoo Lee of Kimchimari

How to make tomato confit, from Sonya’s TikTok

Immersion blender options for creating Grace’s favorite tomato sauce texture

Heirloom tomatoes from Logan’s Garden if you’re near Los Angeles, or find out more about/order Goose Creek Heirloom Tomato seeds

All three of us love Belle’s Bagels

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

Episode 18: Lunch at home doesn’t have to be sad — Home cooking tips for delicious midday meals! Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

What are the key elements of a great lunch salad? How can you elevate a sandwich from ordinary to extraordinary? What simple kitchen tool is a game-changer when it comes to making crave-able meals? How do you make delicious lunches at home?

This week’s episode was inspired by a lunch that Kari experienced at Sonya’s house several years ago. Sonya and her husband Jonathan created a beautiful midday meal, and Kari was struck by how effortlessly it came together. Kari’s approach to lunch fits into the “grab an apple and peanut butter” category, so sitting down to enjoy a lovely lunch felt different (in a good way). Kari asks Sonya to get specific about her approach to lunch, and this conversation explores classic lunch fare while offering a few new approaches that you might have never considered before. Sonya shares so many great tips and recipes, including her secret to the popular tuna salad she made at her restaurant, Beetroot Market & Deli.

What inspires you at lunch? Drop us a line and let us know!

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Our favorite Benriner mandolin

Carrots really do taste sweeter when they’re grated, via Food52

Sonya’s tuna salad recipe

Quick pickled red onions, via Dana Velden for TheKitchn, and how to quick pickle any vegetable

Turkish sumac onions, by Whisk Affair

Molly Yeh’s yogurt ranch

Annie’s Goddess dressing for salad sandwiches

Maria’s Italian Kitchen in Los Angeles

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

Episode 17: When home cooking is your job… What’s it like to be a personal chef in Hollywood? Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

Being a personal chef is, well…personal…and in this episode, we’re taking you on a behind-the-scenes look at our unique experiences cooking in our clients’ kitchens. We’ll share how we got to know our clients’ preferences, meal planning, shopping, and some of the unexpected realities of the job. Being a personal chef has its ups and downs, and we get real about what the profession is really like, and how it’s different from our other experiences working in the culinary world.

“Do you cook like that at home?” is a common question we’re asked. It’s easy to imagine that a personal chef cooks beautiful meals for herself every day at home, and while the reality is far different, we are going to share tips we picked up that we still use in our home kitchens.

P. S. If you’re curious about our chef beginnings, be sure to listen to Episode 11, “How We Started.” (You may be surprised to learn that neither of us went to culinary school!)

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Smitten Kitchen’s Chickpeas & Spinach

Anne Burrell’s Braised Chicken with Almonds

Carrot Ginger Dressing from Caroline Phelps

Green Thai Curry from Hot Thai Kitchen

Lemon Pesto Spaghetti Squash from Love & Lemons

Ali Slagle’s Turkey-Zucchini Burgers from the NY Times

Homestyle Indonesian Cooking Cookbook

Vicente Foods and Santa Monica Seafood

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

Episode 16: Weeknight entertaining made easy – Home cooking stand-out meals for your guests! Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

“I want to run some ideas by you” launches these FOOD FRIENDS into a spirited conversation where they join forces to share ideas and recipes to make casually hosting during the week that much easier.

Sonya asks Kari for advice on what to serve alongside the main dish. Kari eagerly (and firmly!) pitches ideas for suitable sides. Sonya shares her brilliant tip for a make-ahead dish that actually tastes better a day or two later, as well as a time-saving strategy that builds flavor to a delicious sauce. Kari adds smart tips on building a menu around mindful cleanup at the end of the night. The flurry of ideas and tips that emerge benefit any aspiring host (including these two food friends!).

If you want to create a delicious dinner, but feel stuck with a menu item, or just need a boost of inspiration for future hosting, this is the episode for you!

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Sonya’s guest for dinner, Adrian Hale, and her amazing dough recipe. Stay tuned for her upcoming book!

Ina Garten’s couscous with pine nuts and currants

Schug/Zhoug recipe adapted from Michael Solomonov via Tasting Table

Reem Assil’s kofta recipe

Sonya’s recipe for Amba, or find the premade condiment online and at Middle Eastern markets

Mark Bittman’s braised lamb with wine and prunes for the NY Times

Baked orzo recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi via The Guardian

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

Episode 15: Hosting & Guesting — Tips and tools for successful home cooking! Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

What happens when FOOD FRIENDS reunite? This episode captures all the excitement of Sonya’s recent trip to Los Angeles to visit Kari. Tune in to find out where Kari took Sonya out for dinner, and what treats Sonya brought to Kari in her suitcase.

In this conversation, we’re also exploring what it means to be together with the people we love. As we begin to travel and reconnect with our nearest and dearest, how do we communicate care when someone comes to visit? What do we bring and how do we share parts of ourselves when we travel to visit our loved ones? From home cooking and flowers to restaurant recommendations and local points of interest, this episode offers many approaches to being a host as well as a guest. The tips we share about our experiences together might inspire you the next time you find yourself in the company of one of your favorite FOOD FRIENDS.

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Pickle Soup, from Love Soup by Anna Thomas

Sonya’s grandmother’s pumpkin pirozhki recipe and Sonya’s Tahini Cookies (replace chocolate with chopped dried fruit)

KariKari chili crisp

Pizzeria Mozza and Boreaks in Los Angeles

Maurice in Portland

Check out our Cookie episode to hear more about Sonya’s chocolate chip cookies, and our Party Snacks episode for more on Kari’s family’s Chex mix!

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

Episode 14: What’s in your freezer? The secret to better home cooking success is already in your kitchen! Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever wondered what chefs keep in their freezers? This week we’re waxing poetic about one of our favorite appliances, divulging some unexpected staples we always keep on hand, and offering some game-changing tips on how to store favorite freezer items.

We like to think of our freezers as treasure chests filled with delicious possibilities, and we share the many ways we use our freezers to store both homemade and store-bought items. In this conversation, we’ll also discuss (and debate!!) what to do with all of the frozen treats we stash away, and ultimately we make the case that a freezer is a place for food investments of all kinds.

Whether you’re a freezer pro or a newbie, tune in for hot takes on the coldest place in the kitchen!

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Kari’s favorite coffee cake comes from Pfaff’s Bakery in Pontiac, IL, and Sonya’s favorite place for chocolate cake in Portland, OR is Papa Haydn’s

Our favorite Blueberry Pudding Cake from the late, great, Gourmet Magazine

Sonya’s potato kugel recipe

Breakfast cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction

And check out our Soup Episode to learn how we make broth (it’s always in our freezer)!

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

Episode 13: What’s the best pizza? From home cooking to restaurants we explore our FAVORITE food! Feb 07, 2023

Show notes

This week’s episode answers an essential question: what’s the best pizza? You may be relieved to hear that the answer is a very loud “ALL OF THEM!” We reminisce about the pizzas of our childhood, the slices that we’ve enjoyed together, and the pizza memories that we hold in our hearts, plus a few of the ways we love to make pizza at home.

Our conversation explores pizza in its many forms: from cracker-y thin crusts and chewy sourdough slices to Sicilian + Chicago deep dish, from a classic cheese to a pie piled high with toppings. We embrace the notion that almost anything can serve as a pizza canvas: a bagel, an English muffin - even matzo! And we’ll share some of our favorite pairings for pizza dinners.

We invite you to share your favorite pie and what you like about it, or maybe tell us about your favorite FOOD FRIEND that you wish you could have a slice with right NOW!

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles, CA

Gjelina Takeaway, Venice CA

Kari’s Midwest favorites: Gumby’s in Champagne-Urbana, IL, Mario’s Pizza in Pontiac, IL, and Monical’s Pizza, Fairbury, IL

Sonya’s Northwest favorites: Scottie’s Pizza Parlor, Portland OR, Ken’s Artisan Pizza, Portland, OR, and from back in the day, Pagliacci Pizza in Seattle

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

Episode 12: Friends who help friends love tofu Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

frying, encourages you to freeze your tofu (who knew!), and describes several ways that silken tofu can be delicious in both savory and sweet dishes.

***

Links to recipes from this week’s show:

Sweet and Crunchy Tofu (made with potato starch) from Maangchi

(Frozen) Tofu Braised in Soy Sauce from Chichi Wang of Serious Eats, and How to freeze Tofu by Jessie Yuchen of Bon Appetit

Tofu Guide from Serious Eats

Silken Tofu with green onion from Garlic Delight

Vegan Mapo Tofu from David Tanis via the New York Times

Hetty McKinnon’s Creamy Vegan Tofu Noodles for the New York Times

Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ Tofu Balls and Tofu Short Ribs

Tofu Chocolate Mousse from Martha Stewart)

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

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