Are you hosting for fall holidays, gatherings, or dinner parties but have no idea what to make? And more importantly, are you wishing it could be easier and smoother?

Autumn is packed with reasons to celebrate — holiday feasts, game-day spreads, or casual weeknight dinners — but hosting can feel overwhelming when you’re juggling dietary needs, timing, and presentation.

This episode is your shortcut to planning beautiful, seasonal menus that impress without keeping you in the kitchen all night. By the end, you’ll discover:

1. Four ready-to-roll menus with mains, sides, and desserts that will have guests asking you for the recipe
2. Dietary-restriction-friendly swaps to keep your hosting vegetarian-friendly, kosher, or grain-free without sacrificing flavor
3. Tips for make-ahead dishes so that hosting can feel calmer

Press play now to plan fall gatherings that buzz with energy, taste incredible, and keep you at the heart of the party!

***

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

La Baleine’s Kosher Sea Salt is uniquely naturally harvested from the Mediterranean Sea, crystallized by the sun and sea breezes, and responsibly sourced.

Additive free and 100% pure, 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, or find it at your local Whole Foods Market, and make this sea-harvested kosher salt a staple in your kitchen. Use code BALKOS10 for $1 off your order!

***

Links:

Sonya’s Menu 1: Rosh Hashanah or Fall Festive Gathering

Salad: Crunchy cabbage slaw with farro and pecorino (swap mayo for pecorino in the dressing to keep it non-dairy) from The Kitchen

Main: Sonya & Kari’s port and wine braised short ribs from the pop-up they cooked together

Side: Fried eggplant and honey “Berenjenas con Miel” by José Andrés for Food & Wine

Dessert: Pistachio cake with pomegranate glaze by Tannaz Sassooni for King Arthur Baking, or for a similar cake with plums try Andy Baraghani’s pistachio plum cake

Kari Menu 1: “Take it Outside” Picnic, Potluck, Camping, or Tailgate-worthy

Main: Swiss Chard Slab Pie by Kristin Donnelly for NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Side: Oven-roasted parsnips with hazelnut picada from the Gjelina Cookbook, via Stacey Snacks

Dessert:

What’s the secret to cooking fish so that it doesn’t stick to the pan?

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 an easy way to turn seasonal shelling beans into a brothy, rustic meal, and you’ll find out why grilled fish with tropical fruit salsa might be the next thing you’ll cook up for dinner.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

***

Links:

Sonya’s style of cooking cranberry beans, and a similar recipe from Taste Space (just use fresh tomato and basil instead of tomato paste, and add stock to simmer the beans in)

A recipe for grilled swordfish with mango-pineapple salsa from Kevin is Cooking blog

The secret to perfectly grilled fish: mayonnaise! from The Kitchn

Kari tried this dish at Bluewater Grill Avalon on Catalina Island

Nicole Rucker’s amazing banana bread recipe can be found in her 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!

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

Struggling to find baking recipes that look great online but flop when you try them at home?

That’s why we asked Sally McKenney, of Sally’s Baking, to share her foolproof fall bakes from her site and her new cookbook: Sally’s Baking 101. These are recipes that actually work every time, are stress-free, and will fill your home with the scent of brown sugar, warm chai, and buttery caramel.

By the end of this episode, you’ll be excited to bring these seasonally inspired treats to your own table and share them at potlucks, tailgates, and fall gatherings. You’ll discover:

1. How to bake up cozy fall treats with ease, from quick wins like Chai-spiced blondies to an impressive beginner-friendly apple cake
2. The unexpected ingredient that will be the go-to addition to your next batch of muffins
3. The secret behind Sally’s all-time most popular recipe: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Press play now to get inspired by fall recipes that will make your home baking easier, more delicious, and perfect for autumnal gatherings!

***

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

A high-quality finishing salt can transform just about any dish, and their Le Saunier de Camargue Fleur de Sel with Herbes de Provence takes it a step further.

Blended with organic herbs — thyme, savory, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, and hyssop — it’s a timeless mix that adds fragrance and flavor to everything from roast chicken and vegetables, or even breads.

👉 Grab a jar here, or at your local Whole Foods Market, and bring the flavors of Provence straight to your kitchen. Use code LESAUNIERH15 for $2 off!

***

Links:

Get your copy of Sally McKenney’s new cookbook: Sally’s Baking 101!

Follow Sally on Instagram, and find more of her trusted recipes on Sally’s Baking

Sally’s recipes mentioned in this episode:

Sally’s most popular recipe from her website: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

A cake Sally hopes more people might try: Burnt Sugar Caramel Cake

An easy fall baked good: “Chai Spiced Blondies” (from Sally’s Baking 101)

A fall breakfast baked good: “Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins” (from Sally’s Baking 101)

A cozy fall quick bread: “Apple Cider Spiced Bread” (from Sally’s Baking 101)

Sally's favorite fall cookie: Maple Brown Sugar Cookie

A delicious apple dessert:

How do you like your egg salad? Simple and classic with minimal ingredients? Or do you like a maximalist version with tons of flavor?

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 Kari’s 4-ingredient easy egg salad for quick meal prep and sandwiches, or Sonya’s golden egg salad with a secret ingredient and a special technique. Plus, you’ll hear about a sweet-and-salty twist on Rice Krispies treats that you’ll want to whip up for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, and back-to-school gatherings.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

***

Links:

Our two takes on egg salad from our Substack!

Brown butter rice crispie treats from Smitten Kitchen – which Kari added crumbled pretzel and golden raisins too

***

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!

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

What if the secret to making effortless, delicious meals was already in your pantry?

If you’ve ever opened your pantry searching for dinner inspiration but ended up cooking the same-old boring meal, this episode is for you!

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

1. Learn how a staple like tomato paste can be the base of a flavor broth or quick sauce
2. Learn why chefs swear by anchovies to bring a punch to countless dishes… including an easy dressing!
3. Find out how Japanese curry cubes are your ticket to a quick dinner with any protein or veggies you have on hand

Hit play now! The secret to flavor-packed cooking is already sitting on your pantry shelf!

***

Links:

Tomato paste: in Sonya’s manti in brothy tomato sauce, and Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta, and for our go-to coconut red lentil dish

Canned chickpeas: Kari’s #1 quick meal = bite-sized pasta with chickpeas, and whatever veg/herbs she has (we also love Serious Eats' pasta e ceci), and a simple chickpea salad is always a great base for a bigger salad. We love a simple chickpea coconut curry, and also using a can for a 5-minute hummus!

Anchovies: Discover what to do with a tin of anchovies from Serious Eats, and we love them for a simple dressing, and as the base of pasta sauces like Midnight pasta

Coconut Milk: for a 30-minute veggie coconut curry from Minimalist Baker, and for Coconut Miso Salmon Curry from Kay Chun for NYT Cooking (unlocked), and in Kari's sunny chicken soup with lemon and coconut milk

Tahini: Some of our favorite tahini brands: Soom, Seed & Mill, Whole Foods

Have you ever wanted to make a deli-style pickle at home, but are too intimidated to try?

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 learn how easy it is to turn a bevy of cucumbers + salt into homemade pickles – with no fancy equipment or complicated ingredients required! You’ll also discover a vegetarian Italian pasta dish that uses up all the gorgeous eggplant at the farmers’ market right now.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

***

Links:

One of our favorite recipes for lacto-fermented (sour) pickles is from The Gefilteria. They use 2 Tablespoons of kosher salt to 4 cups of water. For half-sour pickles, ferment for a shorter amount of time.

A more exact and very helpful guide to making lacto-fermented pickles at home from Farmhouse on Boone!

A simple guide to lacto-fermentation from Noma

Pasta alla Norma by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for Serious Eats, similar to how Kari made hers, and David Lebovitz’s Pasta alla Norma that uses roasted eggplant

***

Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084

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

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here. You can also now find us on YouTube.

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

Craving a sweet treat to beat the summer heat, but can’t even imagine walking into your hot kitchen, let alone turning on the oven?

In this episode re-release, we’re divulging our tried and true easy summer dessert recipes to make at home, from cold and creamy to perfectly packable, no cooking required!

This week you’ll discover:

1. Fast and easy icebox cakes and frozen pies that bring excitement to any table and rely on easy to find ingredients
2. A chocolatey cookie treat that travels easily to the beach, picnic, or on a road trip
3. A make-ahead dessert from Sonya’s childhood that maximizes seasonal fruit and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Tune in now for a spoonful of sweet inspiration!

***

Links:

Sonya’s raspberry mocha icebox cake, strawberry tiramisu, and fruit compote recipes

Ina Garten’s mocha icebox cake

Chocolate wafers for icebox cake (or use oreo thins!)

18 ice cream pie ideas from Taste of Home

Not-so-classic peach melba from David Tanis for the NY Times

Classic Scotheroos recipes from Tastes Better From Scratch

Buckeyes recipe by Tammy Winters for All Recipes

Tricia Yearwood’s no-bake rocky road bars

All the rocky road bar combos on TikTok

Ina Garten’s limoncello fruit salad 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!

What if you could make the creamiest, smoothest hummus in only 5 minutes?

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 learn how to make the easiest, most delicious 5-minute hummus that can be the start of your next great dinner or might become a lunchbox hero. You’ll also discover a recipe for a colorful red pepper relish that’s smoky, tangy, and perfect for crostini, which can be made ahead and easily packed up for al fresco dining.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

***

Links:

Michael Solomonov’s 5-minute hummus recipe

Sabich sandwiches from Serious Eats

Make-ahead grilled pepper relish by Elaine Johnson from Sunset Magazine

Hetty Lui McKinnon’s roasted tomato and dumpling salad from NYT Cooking

Broccoli spoon salad by Beverly Kim from Bon Appetit

***

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!

Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!