Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

What do professional chefs do differently — and how can you use those skills at home?
It can feel like a lofty goal, but in this episode, Ham El-Waylly shows us how approachable it really can be. He shares practical, real-life cooking tips and easy, flavor-building techniques that work in any kitchen, no matter how busy or overwhelming daily life feels.
By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:
How toasting pasta might change the way you think about spaghetti forever
A surprising method for transforming tofu into something everyone at the table will love
The inexpensive, often-overlooked tools restaurant chefs rely on that can make a big impact when added to a home kitchen

Press play to hear our conversation with the insightful and inspiring Ham El-Waylly, and discover new recipes and techniques you’ll want to try out right away!
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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:
You can find Ham El Waylly on Instagram, and visit his restaurant Strange Delight in Brooklyn!
Check out his new book: Hello Home Cooking! Doable Dishes For Every Day
Some of our favorite recipes by Ham, from NYT Cooking (unlocked):
Kari’s favorite Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches
His very popular Kung Pao Tofu
Corn and Miso Pasta Salad
Brown Butter Bucatini with Charred Cabbage
Recipes we can’t wait to make from Hello Home Cooking:
Toasted Thin Spaghetti with Black Beans and Parm
Eggplant and Tofu Ragu
Tahini roasted swordfish
Date Fudge
Frito Chocolate Ganache Tart
Some of Ham’s favorite kitchen appliances and tools:
Zojurushi Rice cooker
Fish Spatula
The Kunz Spoon
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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!

Ever had a recipe surprise you in the best possible way?
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 our new favorite crispy vinegar-roasted chicken with garlicky crushed olive sauce that’s easy enough for a weeknight and impressive for hosting guests.
You'll also discover a one-bowl black bean brownie recipe that’s ultra fudgy, gluten-free, and comes together with simple pantry staples.
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:
Alison Roman’s vinegar chicken with crushed olive dressing
Fudgy black bean brownies from Live Eat Learn
A pineapple beet smoothie from Three Little Chickpeas
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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 it could be easier to host and plan your next spring dinner party?
Whether you're preparing a Passover Seder, an Easter dinner, or a casual spring gathering with friends, this episode delivers four complete seasonal menus with appetizers, mains, sides, and showstopping desserts. Every menu relies on the best ingredients of the season, includes make-ahead options, and works around common dietary restrictions and holiday traditions.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Dishes you can prep days in advance (both vegetarian and meat options)
Simple, high-impact recipes like slow-cooked salmon, an herb-packed salad, and a cozy soup-and-grilled-cheese dinner menu that guests will rave about
Grain-free and gluten-free desserts starring seasonal fruit like tangy rhubarb and sweet strawberries

Hit play and walk away with the recipes and hosting confidence to pull off beautiful, relaxed spring gatherings all season long!
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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:
Previous Spring Hosting episodes with menus:
Last year’s and our very first episode on spring hosting from season one
Sonya’s Passover Menu:
Sicilian tuna crudo by Coley Cooks
Sonya’s golden chicken and veggie soup with matzo balls and dill pistou
Slow cooked lamb with white wine and potatoes by Alison Roman
Roasted fennel onion and orange by Molly Stevens
Sephardic leek patties from Fashion Tales Blog
Simplest almond torte by Chaya Rappoport of Retro Lillies
Grain free carrot cake from Smitten Kitchen
Grain free dairy free chocolate chip pecan blondies from Ambitious Kitchen
Kari’s Seasonal Dinner Party:
Spinach and artichoke dip by Tastes Better From Scratch, served with baguette or chips
Steak + spring veg with spicy mustard by Claire Saffitz for Bon Appetit
Malted Strawberry Cream Puffs from Midwest Living
Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote with Ginger and Lime via Live Earth Farm and based on a Bon Appetit article, served over Sonya’s rice pudding
Sonya’s Spring Entertaining Menu:
Oma’s green mountain salad by Sara Grueneberg for Food & Wine
Slow salmon with citrus and herb salad by Alison Roman
Green rice pilaf by Mark Bittman for NYT Cooking (unlocked)
Strawberry cheesecake ice cream pie by Smitten Kitchen
Kari’s Casual Grilled Cheese and Soup Night:
Bagna Cauda Dip with Assorted Vegetables from Epicurious
Creamy asparagus soup from Dishing Up The Dirt, paired with white cheddar grilled cheese from Love & Lemons
No-bake lemon mousse by Kristina Razon for The Kitchn
Episode 263: BB French Yogurt Cake from Substack + Roasted Cabbage Salad with Kimchi Ground Turkey

A “No-Measure” French Cake and Combining Two Dinner Recipes into One! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week
A “No-Measure” French Cake and Roasted Cabbage Salad! Our Best Home Cooking Bites of the Week
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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!

Baking can be intimidating, but what if there was a recipe that was so easy, it was virtually impossible to have it not to have it turn out incredible?
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 French yogurt snacking cake that’s foolproof for beginner bakers of all ages, and a roasted cabbage rice bowl that’s a fridge-cleanout dinner and is packed with protein, flavored with tangy lime juice and salty-rich peanuts.
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:
“No Measure” French Yogurt Cake from our Substack
Roasted Cabbage Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing by Kristina Felix for NYT Cooking
Kari topped her salad with kimchi ground turkey from this lettuce wrap recipe by Alexa Weibel via 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!

You know that feeling when you open your fridge at 5pm and think: Okay, what am I actually making tonight?
We’ve all been there. That's why today we're each sharing our top eight essential ingredients and the recipes that go with them. These kitchen essentials live in our pantry, fridge, or freezer at all times, no matter what. They’re the real workhorses that pull double and triple duty across breakfast, dinner, weeknight meals, and entertaining.
By the end of this episode, you'll:
Discover why a simple jar of whole grain dijon belongs in every fridge, and how it transforms everything from egg salad to a creamy pan sauce for salmon
Learn how two humble ingredients — shelf-stable milk and yogurt — unlock a surprising range of recipes, from a stack of perfect pancakes to a gorgeous 4-ingredient yogurt cake
Find out why hoisin deserves a permanent spot in the pantry, and how it can become the star of a weeknight noodle dish that will become your new go-to

Press play now for inspo on how to stock your kitchen and make home cooking feel a whole lot easier!
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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:
Yogurt for…
Green Goddess dressing from Love & Lemons
4 Ingredient Yogurt Cake by Dels Cooking Twist
And for ranch dressing, yogurt bowls, to make labneh, and more
Shelf Stable Milk…
Marcella Hazan’s bolognese sauce from NYT Cooking (unlocked)
Sonya’s rice pudding
Everyday pancakes by Mark Bittman from NYT Cooking (unlocked)
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins adapted by Marian Burros for NYT Cooking
Mac and cheese (box or homemade), guests who need milk in their coffee or tea, for smoothies and overnight oats
Ground turkey or chicken for…
Sheetpan turkey meatballs with chickpeas from Smitten Kitchen
Or for Keema Shimla Mirch (Ground chicken with bell peppers) by Zainab Shah for NYT Cooking (unlocked), or Sonya’s turkey kotleti (small turkey patties), or taco filling similar to what Kari and Sonya make from Feel Good Foodie,
Mirepoix — aka carrots, celery, and onion…
Many great soups start with carrots, celery, onion: like classic chicken soup and Clean-out-your-fridge veggie soup from our Substack
Big pot of beans or beans on toast from NYT Cooking
Beef Stew from Spend with Pennies
Whole grain dijon mustard…
For classic vinaigrette like this one by Samin Nosrat from NYT Cooking
Sonya’s golden egg salad
Creamy mustard pan sauce from Serious Eats for salmon
Sonya’s herby potato salad from our Substack
Hoisin…
Soy-Basted Chicken Thighs with Spicy Cashews by Sam Sifton for NYT Cooking
Hoisin Garlic Noodles by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYT Cooking
Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Hoisin & Ginger by Sam Sifton for NYT Cooking
Kimchi Chicken Lettuce Wraps by Alexa Weibel for NYT Cooking
White beans…
Spicy white bean stew with broccoli rabe by Alison Roman for NYT Cooking
Mediterranean white beans and greens from Grateful Grazer
Big bars of chocolate and bags of mini chocolate chips…
Bars of chocolate for any chocolate chip cookie recipe and Kari’s family’s favorite flourless chocolate cake by Tyler Florence via Food Network
Mini chips to make Zoe Francois’ Breakfast Cookies & homemade granola bars
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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!