Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

What if you could make a short rib dinner that tastes better than takeout, in less than 20 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 discover how to make Korean Galbi using beef short ribs – with a little planning, you can have dinner on the table in minutes.
You’ll also discover a healthy summer chopped salad with an unexpected flavor combination of sweet summer peppers, juicy mango, and tangy kumquats.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
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Links:
Sonya made a version of Galbi similar to this one from Onolicious. To learn more about Galbi (also known as Korean short ribs, or “LA Galbi”) check out this post by Maangchi
Summer kumquat and mango salad by Melissa Mayo
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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 stumped on what to serve for your next summer dinner party, backyard BBQ, or weeknight hang?
This week, we’re taking the guesswork out of what to cook with four complete menus full of make-ahead appetizers, low-effort mains, and no-bake desserts that highlight peak summer produce. These are meals designed to minimize your time in the kitchen so you can maximize relaxing with friends and family.
By the end of this episode, you'll discover:
Four complete summer menus, including a farmers’ market feast and an homage to classic Americana
Make-ahead friendly dishes— like a lime cilantro corn salad and smashed potato salad —that free you up to enjoy your guests
Fruit-forward summer desserts, including a no-bake mango pie, and two simple snacking cakes that rely on peak stone fruit

Listen now to discover your next favorite easy summer menu so you can enjoy the party right alongside your guests!

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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 Farmers Market-Inspired Menu:
Fried green tomatoes by Grand Baby Cakes
Fried zucchini blossoms by Nicole Rufus for The Kitchn
Corn salad with tomatoes, avocado and lime cilantro dressing by Melissa Clark from The Splendid Table
Apricot kuchen with labneh whipped cream by Adeena Sussman from Food & Wine

Kari’s Midsummer Dinner Party Menu:
Open-faced tomato sandwiches with creamy cucumber spread by Southern Living Test Kitchen
Grilled salmon with citrus salsa verde by Giada de Laurentis for Food Network
Frizzled-onion cabbage salad by Shilpa Uskokovic for Bon Appetit
Peach ricotta cake (but with nectarines!) by Yossy Arefi for NYT Cooking

Sonya’s Southeast Asian Menu:
Viet-Thai melon salad by Andrew Nguyen
Grilled "PokPok" Thai wings from Natalie Paramore
Thai-glazed corn by Kay Chun for Food & Wine
"Mango Royale" No bake Icebox Mango Cake from Hot Thai Kitchen

Kari’s Americana Menu:
Raw Vegetable Pizza by Trent Pfeifer for Store Bought is Fine
Grilled okra rafts with cajun remoulade by Steven Raichlen for NYT Cooking
Root beer BBQ sauce for basting grilled chicken cuts of your choice
Smashed potato salad from Two Peas and their Pod
Ice cream cookie sandwiches or brownie ice cream sandwiches from Sally’s Baking Addiction Sweet salty frozen grapes by Zainab Issa for NYT Cooking

For more inspiration from our archives:
Here's last year's summer hosting episode with four additional menus
Our No-bake desserts for when it’s too hot to turn on your oven
Plus, how to host a burger night at home that’s better than takeout!
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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 if a pot of beans, or a packet of ramen noodles, could turn into an easy make-ahead meal?
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 vegetarian bean tostadas with make-ahead friendly elements, and that are easy to assemble fresh on a busy weeknight. You’ll also want to try a Dan Dan noodle salad with a tahini-chili crisp dressing that’s perfect for meal prep lunches, and endlessly adaptable with seasonal vegetables.
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:
Vegetarian Mexican tostadas from Muy Bueno Cooking
Sonya used rojo chiquito beans which are also similar to the Domingo Rojo beans from Rancho Gordo
Our favorite coleslaw recipe from our Substack
Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodle Salad by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYT Cooking
Fly By Jing original chili crisp and the extra crunchy version
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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!

Have you ever come home from the summer farmers' market with bags full of beautiful produce and no idea what to make first?
Summer farmers’ markets are overflowing with abundant produce, but that can feel overwhelming. If you've ever wanted simple, seasonal recipes that let peak-season produce shine without spending hours in the kitchen, this episode is packed with ideas for warm-weather hosting and quick weeknight meals that you’ll rely on all season.
By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Learn new ways to make the most of ripe summer tomatoes
Discover a dramatic and easy way to make a delicious cherry dessert
Find out how to take crisp cucumbers and combine them with a package of frozen dumplings for a 30-minute meal.

Press play and make the most of every farmers’ market trip this season!
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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:
Tomatoes
Southeast Asian Tomato Salad by Melissa Clark from The Splendid Table
Heirloom tomato cracker salad by Karen Schroeder-Rankin for Southern Living
Corn
Deborah Madison's coconut corn from Vegetable Literacy, a favorite cookbook of Kari and Sonya
Grilled corn with flavored butters by Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen
Fresh beans
Slow-roasted Romano beans from the AOC Cookbook, by Suzanne Goin
Green bean salad with greens, almonds, and dried cherries by Pamela Saltzman
Cucumber
Dumpling and smashed cucumber salad by Hetty Lui McKinnon from NYT Cooking
Okra
Crispy Okra with Spicy Honey Sauce by Kwame Onwauach and adapted by Millie Peartree for NYT Cooking
Cherries
Cherries Jubilee by Daniel Gritzer from Serious Eats
Wild rice salad with pickled cherries by Lisa Lotts
Bonus cherry recipes:
Alice Water’s sour cherry clafoutis recipe, which recommends keeping the pits in the cherry for an almond flavor
Sonya’s pickled cherry (and watermelon recipes)
More inspiration from previous episodes:
Our 2025 Summer Farmers’ Market Episode includes crispy corn cakes and two gazpacho recipes
Our 2024 Summer Farmers’ Market Episode Episode includes Sonya’s one-bowl sour cherry cake and cauliflower salad sandwiches.
Also check out our “Corn, beans, and squash” episode for more summer produce ideas!
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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!

How do you get a perfectly fudgy brownie with a glossy top without using a box mix?
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 bake a batch of triple-chocolate brownies that are beginner-friendly, deeply fudgy, and achieve that coveted glossy crust. You’ll also discover a simple sole meunière recipe that’s buttery, lemony, and easy enough for a 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:
Seriously fudgy brownies from Sally’s Baking Addiction, Sonya also talked about the recipe in Sally McKenna’s book: Sally’s Baking 101 (which is different from the online version)
More brownies we love:
Alice Medrich’s best cocoa brownies
Sonya’s flourless chocolate tahini brownies
Fudgy brownies from Inspired Taste blog
Glossy fudge brownies from Bravetart

Sole Meuniere by Martha Stewart

Secret Food Tours: NYC – Chinatown & Little Italy
Kari’s best bite: pineapple pork bun at Mei Lai Wah Bakery
And the Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, whose logo was designed by the children at a local public school

Join Sonya on a Portland farmers’ market tour through Airbnb Experiences!
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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.