Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

Can a humble pound of ground beef from your freezer turn into the best dinner of your week?
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 irresistible snacking cake recipe by Alison Roman that uses up any seasonal berry you have on hand and is easy enough for a beginner baker!
You’ll also want to try a homemade take on a Bodega-style chopped cheese sandwich. It’s the perfect way to use up kitchen staples for a quick, unexpected weeknight dinner.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
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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!
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Links:
Blueberry cake with almond and cinnamon by Alison Roman from her cookbook, Dining In
Alison Roman’s blueberry muffin recipe
Chopped cheese by Melissa Knific for NYT Cooking
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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.
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 sweet treats do you make when you feel like hosting, but temperatures are climbing, and you can't imagine turning on an oven?
This week we're re-releasing a fan-favorite episode. We’re sharing our tried-and-true easy summer dessert recipes to make at home, all with zero cooking required!
By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:
How to stay cool with a refreshing icebox cake and an over-the-top frozen pie
A classic Midwestern cookie loaded with chocolate and peanut butter
A make-ahead dessert that maximizes seasonal fruit and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Tune in now to add sweetness to your summer gatherings with these exciting and easy no-bake desserts!

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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!
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Links:
Sonya’s raspberry mocha icebox cake, strawberry tiramisu, and fruit compote recipes
Ina Garten’s mocha icebox cake
Chocolate wafers for icebox cake
18 ice cream pie ideas from Taste of Home
Not-so-classic peach melba from David Tanis for the NY Times
Classic Scotcheroos 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

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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.
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!

Are you looking to beat the heat with an easy, refreshing, and QUICK dessert?
By the end of this episode, you'll want to try a tapioca pudding topped with fresh summer berries that's vegan, gluten-free, and ready in just 10 minutes on the stove.
You’ll also discover a lemony pasta dinner that comes together fast, with the help of a can of chickpeas, a bundle of greens, and crumbled feta.
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!

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Links:
How to Start A Cookbook Club from our Substack
Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook by Chef Nini Nguyen and Sarah Zorn – in the book you’ll find the recipes for:
Green Jackfruit and Cabbage Salad
Lemongrass Ground Meat
Pickled eggplant (here’s a similar version to try)
And Coconut Tapioca banana pudding (here are two similar recipes: one from Serious Eats with crushed peanuts, and another with caramelized banana on top from Food 52)

You can find more of Chef Nini Nguyen’s recipes here
Lemony Chard with chickpeas and feta by Hetty Lui McKinnon, tossed with pasta
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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.
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 you do with a pile of zucchini?
If you're torn between making the same tired zucchini bread again or scrolling through hundreds of recipes hoping to find one that’s actually delicious and not a soggy mess, this episode is for you.
This week, we’re sharing tried-and-true zucchini recipes, and by the end of this episode, you’ll:
Discover 30-minute dinners, like a one-skillet meatless meal with a 5-minute game-changing yogurt sauce
Learn cooking techniques to get the best texture and flavor out of your zucchini – like crisp edges and lots of caramelization
Find out an unexpected, delicious, and easy way to freeze and use up any summer squash

Press play now and turn your zucchini overload into the most delicious problem you'll solve all summer!

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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:
Zucchini and crispiest chickpeas in garlic yogurt from Smitten Kitchen
Seared zucchini with halloumi by Ali Slagle
Ina Garten’s Parmesan roasted zucchini
Zucchini tots from Recipe Tin Eats
Grated zucchini orecchiette from Hailey Catalano
Corn and zucchini orzo casserole by Half Baked Harvest
Zucchini roll-ups from Wholesome Yum
White Zucchini Pizza by Yumna Jawad, from The Pioneer Woman
Zucchini in smoothies (frozen ahead of time) from Love & Lemons
Zucchini cookies with lemon glaze by Foodie Crush

Also mentioned:
Gabrielle Hamilton’s zucchini tops

A few all-time favorites;
Thomas Keller's viral zucchini
Elizabeth Minchili’s pasta with zucchini and herbs, and her TikTok
Giada’s scarpaccia video and her recipe (gluten-free!) and Vegan version of scarpaccia from Earth To Rocco
Kari’s favorite carmelized zucchini pasta by Ali Slagle for the NY Times
Farfalle with yogurt and zucchini by George Germon and Johanne Killeen for Food & Wine
Zucchini bruschetta (aka zucchini crostini!) by Martha Stewart (add a little basil in it too!)
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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.
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 makes one recipe become the most popular in the New York Times Cooking’s history?
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 want to make crisp, stuffed zucchini blossoms that are restaurant-quality but come together in under 30 minutes. You'll also discover why the legendary Marian Burros plum torte has become one of the most beloved dessert recipes of all time – it's endlessly adaptable, freezer-friendly, and approachable for even beginner bakers.
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:
Stuffed zucchini blossoms from Carolyn’s Cooking – this recipe calls for parsley and chive, but Sonya likes to add basil to the filling instead.
Original plum torte by Marian Burros for NYT Cooking, plus suggestions for adapting the recipe. Kari used plums with butter, whole wheat flour and cardamom in addition to cinnamon (¼ tsp each) mixed with turbinado sugar on top, then apricots with non-dairy butter, GF flour with almond meal, and the same cardamom and cinnamon mixed with turbinado sugar on top.
Other mentions:
Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop
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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.
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!