Looking for the perfect make-ahead menu for hosting on a chilly fall evening?

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

By the end of this episode, you’ll be craving Julia Child’s classic boeuf bourguignon; it’s famous for a reason, with tender beef and a rich, velvety sauce. You’ll also pick up our tips for making the best apple-cranberry crisp – a dessert that’s impressive enough for your next dinner party, or even for brunch!

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

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Links:

Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon

Apple Crisp recipe from The Chunky Chef. To make Kari’s breakfast/brunch version, sub maple syrup for the sugar in the apples, and bake them with cranberries in the oven until tender and jammy. Mix up crumble topping and bake SEPARATELY from the fruit for added crunch (use gf oats if you like!). Add crumble topping to roasted fruit before serving. Offer whole milk Greek yogurt as an optional topping!

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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!

Looking for an in-person Food Friends experience? Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

What cookbooks are worth the investment? And which ones will you really cook from, time and time again?

Even the most passionate home cooks struggle with navigating the sea of available cookbooks out there! In this episode, we’re sharing the ones that have earned a permanent spot in our kitchen — these are the books that make weeknight cooking easier, baking more reliable, and hosting more successful.

Whether you’re just starting your collection or looking to fall back in love with the books you already own, this episode helps you discover the ones that make you want to cook.

By the end of this episode you’ll:

• Find out which cookbooks we rely on for weeknight cooking, with repeat-worthy recipes like chicken piccata and one-pot baked lentils with feta
• Learn which baking books made us confident home bakers, with recipes for an outstanding banana cake or the perfect homemade cinnamon rolls
• Discover inspiring recipes you might not expect, like a comforting bean soup from Frida Kahlo’s cookbook or iconic casseroles from a classic vegetarian tome

Pour yourself a cup of tea, open your favorite cookbook, and listen in. This episode might just remind you why you fell in love with cooking in the first place…

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This week’s episode is sponsored by La Baleine, makers of ancestral sea salts harvested from France.

Discover La Baleine’s sister brand’s new, organic Le Saunier de Camargue Fleur de Sel Sprinklers — the iconic finishing sea salt from the South of France, now in an easy, ultra-practical sprinkling format.

Each grain is carefully hand-harvested by salt masters using ancestral methods passed down through generations. This delicate, crunchy sea salt enhances every dish with a perfect touch of flavor and texture, and it’s 100% natural, unrefined, and additive-free.

Choose from three organic varieties: ✨ Original — for everyday flavor, 🌿 Rosemary — for a Provençal touch on meat, fish, and vegetables, and 🌶️ Espelette Pepper — for a bold, subtly spicy finish.

👉 Grab all three Fleur de Sel Sprinklers here on Amazon and bring a taste of the South of France to your kitchen. Use code SALTSHAKE for $2 off your order!

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Links:

Sonya’s favorite cookbooks for:

WEEKNIGHT/EVERYDAY COOKING: Whole Food Cooking Every Day, by Amy Chaplin

ENTERTAINING: At Elizabeth David’s Table, by Elizabeth David

BAKING: Classic Home Desserts, by Richard Sax

RELIABLE: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perelman

GIFTING: Tenderheart, by Hetty Lui McKinnon

ESSENTIAL CLASSIC: The Taste of Country Cooking, by Edna Lewis

INSPIRING/UNIQUE:

What if dinner could practically cook itself?

In this bite-sized episode, we’re sharing our best home-cooking bites of the week, including two sheet pan meals that make busy weeknights a breeze.

By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:

• A Hungarian-inspired sheet pan chicken dinner loaded with veggies and big flavor — all roasted together for minimal effort and cleanup.
• A make-ahead sheet pan quiche that’s buttery, herby, and perfect for brunches, potlucks, or easy weekday lunches.

Press play for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

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Links:

Sonya’s Sheet pan chicken paprika

Spinach sheet pan quiche from Smitten Kitchen. Kari kept the total weight of the greens, but combined added kale as well as spinach, and added in fresh parsley, dill, and mint

Can your favorite diner order be turned into dinner?

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 get inspired to try a classic Greek soup that’s creamy without any dairy, and can cook up quickly with a few shortcuts. You’ll also discover the secret to the best diner-style patty melt, and a trusted recipe for homemade slaw you can serve with it.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

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Links:

Avgolemono Soup from our Substack

Best Patty Melt Ever from Amanda Cooks & Styles

Sonya’s coleslaw from our Substack

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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!

Looking for an in-person Food Friends experience? Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

What’s better than a bowl of homemade soup after a long, chilly day?

If you’ve been craving easy soup recipes that actually work, this episode is your invitation to dive into soup season! We’re sharing our go-to soups for cozy weeknight dinners — the tried-and-true recipes we make every year, plus new favorites you’ll want to add to your rotation.

By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How to make flavorful homemade broth that freezes beautifully — so you can have soup ready any night of the week
2. Vegetarian soup recipes that pack big flavor, like a silky roasted red pepper soup and a bright, gingery twist on classic squash soup
3. Beginner-friendly soups that are hearty enough to serve as a complete meal

Press play now and get inspired with easy, comforting soup ideas to stir, sip, and savor all season long!

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This episode is sponsored by La Baleine — makers of ancestral sea salts naturally harvested from the South of France.

Their Fine and Coarse Sea Salts are crafted through natural crystallization, harnessing the sea, wind, and sunshine to create clean, unrefined crystals. The Fine Sea Salt is perfect for everyday cooking, seasoning, and baking, while the Coarse Sea Salt adds texture and bright bursts of flavor to any dish.

La Baleine’s salt-harvesting methods also help protect an extraordinary ecosystem in the South of France, which is home to over 500 species of birds and plants.

Grab La Baleine’s Fine and Coarse Sea Salt Bundle here on Amazon, or find it at your local Whole Foods Market, and enjoy a true taste of the French Mediterranean Sea in your kitchen. Use code LABALSALT for $1 off your order!

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Links:

Kari’s Sunny Chicken Soup with Lemon and Coconut from Food Friends’ Substack

Ribollita soup from Ina Garten

Kari’s Tomato Soup from Food Friends’ Substack, and slow cooker caramelized onions from Gimme Some Oven

Sonya's Indian tomato soup

Creamy Broccoli and Spinach Soup

Soviet-style "Monday"...

Ever wondered what it would be like to host a cookbook club and taste restaurant recipes with the help of a few friends?

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 try a velvety eggplant caponata with burrata to serve as a stunning appetizer at your next dinner party. You’ll also discover how an unexpected swap in a recipe can result in a rich, rum-kissed cake that’s easy enough for a beginner to bake.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

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Links:

The Gjelina Cookbook by Travis Lett

Eggplant Caponata recipe can be found in the book, or try this slightly adapted version from The Brick Kitchen

Kabocha Olive Oil and Bittersweet Chocolate Cake from Gjelina, developed by Nicole Rucker

Radicchio salad with crispy shallots and shallot oil vinaigrette slightly adapted by No Crumbs Left

French apple rum cake by Jennifer Segal from Once Upon a Chef, Kari swapped the bananas for the apples for supper club, and it was a big hit!

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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!

Looking for an in-person Food Friends experience? Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

What do you bring to a potluck that’s guaranteed to be a hit, is easy to prepare, and can travel well?

Choosing what dish to bring to a potluck or tailgate can feel tricky, and that’s why this week we’re sharing our go-to dishes for feeding a crowd. These trusted recipes will allow you to show up to your next potluck with a dish that’s guaranteed to be one of the first things to disappear from the table.

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

1. Stress-free recipes, like an eye-catching twist on pigs in a blanket and a buttery take on sliders
2. Two meatless mains that showcase seasonal produce
3. Sweet, simple treats that can be baked days in advance and are easy to pack up and transport, anywhere you want to go

Press play and get inspired with recipes that will make you the MVP of your next potluck or tailgate!

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This week’s episode is sponsored by La Baleine, makers of ancestral sea salts harvested from France.

La Baleine’s Kosher Sea Salt is 100% natural. Unlike other kosher salts, it is uniquely harvested from the Mediterranean Sea, crystallized by the sun and sea breezes, and responsibly sourced.

Additive-free, its small, flake-like crystals make it perfect for everyday cooking. It seasons evenly, is easy to pinch, and enhances everything from soups and pastas to vegetables and meat.

👉 Grab a box here on Amazon, or find it at your local Whole Foods Market, and make this sea-harvested kosher salt a staple in your kitchen. Use code LABALKOS for $1 off your order!

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Links:

Ham & Swiss Sliders by Lisa T from Allrecipes

Hasselback salami from Busy in Brooklyn blog

Rotel Sausage Dip by Patricia S York from Southern Living

Sonya’s Wedge Salad from Food Friends’ Substack

Duff Goldman’s Purple Potato Salad for Food Network

Vegetable pot pie by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks

Pull-apart dogs in a blanket ring from the Food Network Kitchen (and the Tarte de Soleil from Smitten Kitchen)

Swiss chard and sweet potato gratin from Smitten Kitchen

Sally McKenney’s browned butter

What five tools or pieces of equipment do you actually need to cook confidently at home?

Whether you’re moving into your first apartment, upgrading from the mismatched pans of your college days, or just wondering which tools really deserve a spot in your cupboards, this episode takes the guesswork out of stocking a smart, lifelong kitchen.

This week, we’re answering a listener question, and by the end of this episode, you’ll:

1. Discover what simple tools are absolute musts for any avid home cook
2. Find out the types of pans that chefs rely on most, and why
3. Learn strategies and tips for building your kitchen from scratch, or upgrading what you already have on hand for more successful and smoother cooking

Tune in now and find out which pieces of equipment make the cut for us—you might just discover your new favorite sidekick in the kitchen!

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LINKS:

Sonya’s Top 5

Stainless steel pot and pan set – there are many great options on the market, it doesn’t have to be AllClad, all those are amazing too!

Large wood cutting board or butcher block board

Meat thermometer

Tongs and fish Spatula

Sheet pans

Kari’s Top 5

Cutting boards: Wood + Dishwasher-safe

Set of 3 Knives - Chef’s, Pairing, and