Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here. Want to join our live monthly calls? Upgrade to a paid subscription for $5/month or $55/year.Our Thanksgiving Zoom is coming up on November 18 at 4:30 PM PT!***What if you could make restaurant-quality pasta in just one pot?Leave your colander behind, because this week, we’re joined by Nora Singley, author of the new book: One Pot Pasta. Nora shares the techniques behind making glossy, flavorful pasta dishes, all with the ease of cooking them in a single pot.She’s also sharing her “Best Bite” of the week, a dish that’s full of surprises and relies on a humble can of tuna.Kari shares her own “Best Bite,” an inventive pasta and salad combination straight from Nora’s book!Tune in for a dose of home cooking inspiration!***LINKSNora Singley’s new book: One-Pot Pasta Saucy, Satisfying, and Simple-to-Make Pastas That Come Together in a Single PanStay connected with Nora on her Substack: Noodle, and follow her on InstagramThe original one-pot pasta recipe from Martha StewartNora’s best bite: Tuna Surprise by Zora Tangorra for Molly Baz’s recipe club (Free trial available) (you have to taste it to believe it)Recipes discussed in this episode that you can find in Nora’s book: Caesar on Caesar, Bottle of White Pasta e Piselli, One Pot Lasagna, Rainy day Tomato Soup and Pastina, Pasta alla Vodka alla BoursinOther recipes mentioned:Roasted fruit and veg with Martha StewartSticky toffee pudding Nora developed for Martha StewartMolly Baz’s pistachio chili crisp****Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.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!

What do private chefs actually cook for families during the week… and what can home cooks learn from it?In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on our client menus. These are the kinds of meals designed to work in real life, they’re flexible, flavorful, make-ahead friendly, and built to stretch into multiple lunches and dinners throughout the week.We’re also sharing the strategies we rely on in our own kitchens, and by the end of this episode, you’ll discover:How to build “mix-and-match” weekly meal plans that don’t feel boringStrategies for prepping proteins, sauces, and vegetables once and using them throughout the week4 unique menus that feature some of our go-to dinnersTune in now to cook like a private chef in your kitchen!***For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here.And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid!***SONYA: Menu #1Main Dishes for Tuesday night (served fresh): Ina’s Perfect roast chicken (used rosemary instead of thyme), and rosemary garlic tofu like this, served with rustic mashed potatoes and arugula parm salad, lemon vinaigretteMix and Match for the week:Soup/Stew for the week: Kitchri + toppings: sliced onion, sliced cucumber, hard boiled eggsProtein: Mediterranean-style marinated and grilled skirt steakA pot of brothy beans – made with pinto beansSides: Crispy parm-roasted brussels sproutsLeafy greensDressing: Homemade ranchDeli salad: Golden egg saladKARI Menu #1: Sunday Meal Prep: pot of black beans, pot of short-grain brown rice, marinate and bake or grill lime chicken, cut up mango and/or pineapple or fruit from the farmers marketSunday Dinner: Roasted fish (snapper, salmon, Arctic Char) with rice and roasted carrots and parsnipsMonday dinner: Lime chicken with black bean and queso fresco salad with chopped zucchini jicama, red peppers, cilantro scallion, chile powder, and lime juiceTuesday dinner: Carrot and radicchio salad via The James Beard FoundationLeftover rice and beans make good burritos or tacos later in the weekSonya Menu #2:Monday Dinner: Roasted salmon with green herbs, saffron rice, and wedge saladTuesday Dinner: Stuffed peppers – turkey stuffed peppers and vegetarian stuffed peppers with chickpeas and cheese Mix and Match for the week:Soup: Georgian tarragon soupProtein: Greek meatballs (you can also use 100% beef, or swap beef for chicken, and add crumbled feta if desired)Side: Cauliflower roasted with red onion and dates (used turmeric and black pepper instead of spice mix)Dressing: Tahini sauce Snack: Tzatziki and cruditésDeli salad: Pepperonicin chicken salad, and a similar one that doesn’t require a subscriptionKari Menu #2:Sunday Meal Prep:Slow cooker caramelized onions (for tomato soup)Tomato soupEarly Bird granola, aka “Nekisia’s olive oil and maple granola” from A Grain of SaltPot of quinoaQuinoa cakes and set aside ½ cup of quinoa for Erewhon greeniesErewhon “greenies”: Blanched or steamed kale and broccoli until bright green and crisp tender, add quinoa, hemp seeds, virgin coconut oil and sea saltSunday Dinner: Honey garlic-glazed salmon with Erewhon “greenies”Additional meals during the week Quinoa cakes with herby salad, leftover greenies with a fried egg, tomato soup, granola with yogurt or over a smoothie bowl or in your frozen yogurt****Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.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!

What is the best chocolate cake recipe?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 a classic chocolate cake with ganache frosting that makes for the perfect dinner party dessert.You’ll also discover a new technique for tender scones swirled with marmalade before baking, and are just right for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat!Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!***For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here.And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid!***Links:World’s Best Chocolate Cake by Helen Goh and Yotam Ottolenghi, from Food52; the original recipe comes from their book: Sweet: Desserts from London’s OttolenghiTexas Sheet Cake from Tastes Better From ScratchSmitten Kitchen chocolate cake that Sonya baked for Kari’s son Mac’s first birthdayPreppy Kitchen’s base scone recipe. The marmalade scone recipe can be found in John Kannell’s new book: Preppy Kitchen Everyday Baking ***Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.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!

There are more cookbooks published every season, but which ones are worth keeping on your shelf? And which ones will you actually reach for, year after year?This week, we’re joined by Molly Stevens and Kate Leahy, two hosts of the Everything Cookbooks podcast. Both are accomplished cookbook authors and avid collectors, and they know what makes a cookbook worth returning to.They’re sharing the books they rely on for everything from weeknight dinners to baking, along with underrated finds and cookbooks that open the door to new cuisines and experiences.By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:Essential baking books for beginners and experienced bakers alikeCookbooks to turn to for everyday dinners, new cuisines, and inspiration when you don’t know what to cookWhat makes a cookbook stand the test of time, and which trends are worth paying attention toPress play now to get recommendations from two cookbook experts, and find your next favorite cookbook today!***For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here.And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid!***Links:Most used (wouldn’t get rid of) cookbooks:Molly: All About Dinner, by Molly StevensKate: Dorie Greenspan’s Dorie’s Anytime Cakes, and she especially loves the “Almost Maida Heatter’s Buttermilk Lemon Bundt Cake” (and here’s the original recipe) Essential cookbooks:Kate: Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin (especially for West Coast cooks)Molly: Richard Olney’s Simple French Food, Joy of Cooking, The Silver Palate, and Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit and Andrea NguyenTransportative Cookbook:Kate: Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen, by Elizabeth AndohMolly: Amy Thielen’s Company: The Radically Casual Act of Cooking for OthersBaking books:Molly: Richard Sax’s Classic Home Desserts and Chez Panisse Desserts, by Lindsay ShereKate: Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season, by Elisabet der NederlandenUnderrated Cookbooks:Kate: I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef, by Vishwesh Bhatt and John CurrenceMolly: Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day, by Roy FinamoreCookbooks for Figuring out Dinner:Kate: Andrea Nguyen’s Vietnamese Food Any DayMolly: Nigel Salter’s Eat: The Little Book of Fast FoodDiscoveries from the Everything Cookbooks podcast:Kate: Anna Voloshyna’s Budmo: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen Molly: Her co-hosts' books like Turtle Island and Kate’s Wine Style, as well as Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Acheivable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret and Irene Li****Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.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!

How can you get a satisfying, vegetarian dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less?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 have a new pantry-friendly dinner to try, plus tips for getting bakery-style muffin tops at home, and a reason to appreciate the seasonal foods that don't stick around for long.Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!***For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here.And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid!***Links:Cheesy, spicy black beans in 15 minutes by Ali Slagel, for NYT CookingPreppy kitchen pumpkin muffins with tall bakery-style tops, and the ones with streusel topping can be found in John Kannell’s new book: Preppy Kitchen Everyday Baking Sonya’s pumpkin bread from her Substack****Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.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!