Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy

How can a few pieces of chicken and a bag of frozen peas become a spring dinner worth repeating?
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 Nigella Lawson’s famous chicken and pea tray bake: easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for guests.
You’ll also discover a beginner-friendly strawberry rhubarb streusel bar that’s buttery, nutty, and jammy – and it’s ideal for making ahead for a picnic or potluck.
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:
Chicken and pea tray bake from Nigella Lawson
Kari's recipe for strawberry rhubarb crumb bars comes out Sunday (5/20) on our Substack ! It was inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction and Cooking Classy.
Simple strawberry rhubarb compote to serve with scrambled oats from Feel Good Foodie
****
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 bring to a picnic or potluck that’s guaranteed to impress, and won’t wilt, melt, or fall apart before guests arrive?
Summer entertaining sounds fun — until you’re staring at a sign-up sheet, wondering what to make besides the same pasta salad.
In this episode, we share 10 crowd-friendly recipes that travel well and hold up in warm weather. By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Discover quick and easy appetizers, like a Los Angeles-inspired fruit cup, and a summer twist on cheesy artichoke dip
Learn how to stabilize deviled eggs, build sandwiches that improve over time, and choose desserts that are easy to transport and serve
Get inspired to try two no-bake desserts – a s’mores take on Rice Krispies treats, and a no-bake milk chocolate pie

Press play now and discover your next potluck dish – it’s the one everyone will be asking you to bring again next year!
***
This episode is brought to you by: Little Sesame Hummus

We’ve both been longtime store-bought hummus skeptics… until Little Sesame. Their hummus is unbelievably smooth, bright, and it was created by passionate chefs, they use regeneratively farmed chickpeas, and it's clean label certified.
And now, Little Sesame has launched snacking options available at Targets nationwide. The lineup includes: a hummus snacker with pretzel pita chips, protein hummus with 10g of protein per pack, and hummus for kids — a grab-and-go pack perfect for lunch boxes and long car rides.
Find Little Sesame at Targets nationwide or visit eatlittlesesame.com to find a store near you. Use code SNACKING10 for 10% off!
***
Appetizers and Small Bites:
Mexican Fruit Cups by Isabel Eats
Million dollar deviled eggs by Sugar Spun Run or Parsi Deviled Eggs from Niloufer Ichaporia King’s cookbook, My Bombay Kitchen, via Sujata Massey
Spinach corn dip by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYT Cooking
Salads and Veggies:
Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodle Salad by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYT Cooking
Kasha Varnishkes salad by Adeena Sussman
Sandwiches:
Muffaletta Sandwich by Laura Fuentes
Hailey Catalano’s Mean Green Turkey Sandwich
Desserts
S’mores Bars from Sarah Carey via Martha Stewart
Cheesecake bars with all the berries from Smitten Kitchen
Strawberry Biscuit Sheet Cake by Sarah Carey via Martha Stewart
Carolina Gelen’s Easy No-Bake Chocolate Milk Pie

More inspiration from our archives!
Potlucks and Picnics! Episode 179
What do you eat on a road trip? Episode 195

****
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 recipes actually stick with you when you discover a new cookbook?
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 warmly spiced turmeric banana snacking cake. It's easy to make, easier to eat, and it comes from the "Diaspora Spice Co Cookbook" —the featured book at a recent cookbook club gathering.
You’ll also want to try a bright, simple carrot and cauliflower soup that feels especially right for spring cooking.
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!
Our next gathering is May 13th at 4:30 PM PT! See you soon!
***
Links:
The Diaspora Spice Co Cookbook
Turmeric Banana Snacking Cake shared by Have a Little Something
Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup by Melissa Clark for NYT Cooking
****
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 wonder what private chefs actually cook for themselves when they’re tired, busy, craving comfort food, or stuck in a cooking rut?
If your meals have been feeling repetitive lately, this episode offers a look at two real days of home cooking with new ideas to get you through the week. Through practical meal planning, freezer clean-outs, farmers market finds, and smart store-bought shortcuts, we share the kinds of meals we actually make on a regular day—approachable, flexible, and satisfying.
By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Discover make-ahead breakfast: including a new take on chia pudding, a prep-friendly frittata, and a whole-grain muffin you can bake in minutes
Learn simple ways to rely on your freezer to get dinner on the table — all you need is a bag of dumplings and a bunch of greens
Find out how lunch can come together in 10 minutes or less and still feel fresh and substantial

Press play now for a behind-the-scenes look at what two food-loving home cooks actually eat in a week — and leave with ideas you’ll want to make right away!

***
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!
Our next gathering is May 13th at 4:30 PM PT! See you soon!
***
Sonya Day #1
Breakfast: Blackberry coconut chia pudding topped with fruit and almonds (blackberries and strawberries)
Lunch: Jammy eggs, sauerkraut, fruit, veggies, sourdough crackers (Share crackers brand)
Dinner: Berbere meatballs from NYT Cooking (unlocked), oven roasted sweet potatoes cubes with lemon rounds and onion wedges, spring salad with radishes and snap peas
Kari Day #1
Breakfast: Breakfast brownies, a recipe I’m testing, but using this chocolate amaretti cookie as a starting point, subbing in oats, banana, dates, wheat bran, etc. Recipe forthcoming!
Lunch: Beef kimbap from H Mart, dragon fruit, crunchy ramen chips
Dinner: One-pan dumplings with kale by Ali Slagle from NYT Cooking
Sonya Day #2:
Breakfast: Millet muffin from Super Natural Every Day alongside a yogurt bowl with ground flax, pepitas, wild blueberries, goji berries, kiwi
Lunch: Spring chicken salad (with leftover chicken roasted chicken breast, sugar snap peas, scallions, celery stalk + leaves, mayo, whole grain dijon), strawberries, Bittman’s sourdough, simple green salad with lemon and olive oil
Dinner: Black bean soup + “all the greens salad” with lettuce, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, bok choy, mint, scallion in a sesame soy dressing
Kari Day #2:
Breakfast: Life-changing egg frittata: I followed ratios with eggs, heavy cream, sharp cheddar, and caramelized onions; added tarragon, oregano, basil, blanched greens and ½ cup of pickled jalapenos.
Lunch: Green leaf lettuce with lemony vinaigrette (use both whole grain and dijon mustard, add maple syrup, omit the thyme, use good olive oil) with tons of dill, chunks of avocado, and nasturtium from my garden
Dinner: Beef bulgogi (pre-marinated from H Mart), lettuce wraps with kimchi, spinach, and bean sprouts, and the hoisin sauce approved by my friend Malin :)
****
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 the key to more creative home cooking isn’t more options — but better constraints?
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 a simple, no-knead, no-rise dough for Turkish poğaça—savory pastries filled with spinach, herbs, and feta. You’ll also discover a jam-swirled sugar cookie that came to us from a listener suggestion.
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!
Our next gathering is May 13th at 4:30 PM PT! See you soon!
***
Links:
Ayse’s poğaça (Turkish pastry) from Sonya
Sonya’s baklava recipe
Jam sugar cookies from Hewn Bakery in Evanston, IL, and chef Ellen King’s book, Heritage Baking (Thanks, Diane, for the rec!)
****
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!