Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy
Do you love home cooking but hunger for better recipes that help you deliver quick and delicious meals to your dinner table? Two former personal chefs turned best friends share their expertise with each other and you! Kari and Sonya have been inspiring each other in the kitchen for over 15 years by swapping recipes, tips, and trade secrets in the pursuit of better home cooking. FOOD FRIENDS is a bi-weekly podcast inspiring home cooks to try new dishes in the kitchen by sharing trusted recipes, tips, and friendship. Every Tuesday, each host delivers 3 unique solutions to seasonal home cooking, like...
A 5-ingredient pasta and an easy dinner with ground beef! Our best home cooking bites of the week

What if you could whip up a spring-inspired dinner with less than five ingredients and in 30 minutes or less?Â
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 a farmers' market-inspired asparagus pasta that’s creamy, healthy, and perfect for an easy weeknight meal. You’ll also learn how to cook up Aryaes (Lebanese stuffed pita)that’s made with ground beef, a few simple spices, and is ideal for a quick lunch or dinner.<...
Deli salads at home! Our top 10 recipes for meal prep friendly dishes

Tired of the same old lunch routine or searching for the perfect crowd-pleasing dish to bring to your next potluck?Â
This week we’re sharing deli-style salad recipes that are anything but boring — think crisp, creamy, tangy, and deeply satisfying dishes that get even better with time. These recipes aren’t just tasty; they’re make-ahead winners designed to simplify your week or help you shine at your next potluck.
By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:
Shake up your bean game with a fresh, crunchy chickpea salad with an unexpected...A 15-minute vegetarian main and a classic French salad! Our best home cooking bites of the week

What if your next favorite dinner took just 15 minutes—and started with a humble can of beans?
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!Â
By the end of this episode, you’ll want to make a creamy, vegetarian butter bean recipe that you can whip in 15 minutes, but feels luxurious enough to bring to a dinner party. And you’ll discover a classic French bistro dish that will transport you to Paris with its topping of warm goat cheese – it makes for a...
Meatless sheet-pan dinners for easier home cooking

What if your next vegetarian dinner could be packed with flavor - and made entirely on a sheet-pan in your oven?Â
Whether you're trying to cook more plant-based meals, accommodate a vegetarian at your table, or need low-effort dinner ideas, this episode is packed with satisfying recipes that are anything but boring.
By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Learn how to make a sheet pan lasagna dotted with creamy ricotta cheese — no layering or béchamel-making requiredLearn how to turn basic veggies into shawarma-spiced mains to serve up with warm pitas and creamy...Strawberry rhubarb pie with a game-changing crust + French onion flavor in crostini form! Our best home cooking bites of the week!

Want a pie crust that actually works and makes you feel like a baking genius?
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!Â
By the end of this episode, you’ll want to make a buttery, flaky, foolproof pie crust so you can fill it with juicy, fragrant strawberries and tangy rhubarb. You’ll also discover the ultimate make-ahead appetizer: crispy French onion soup crostini bites oozing with melted Gruyere, a low-effort high-reward recipe we can’t stop talking about.Â
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What if making pie crust and homemade cookies could be easy? New baking methods with Nicole Rucker

Do you dread making pie dough… and wish you could feel confident when baking your favorite treats like pies, cookies, and quickbreads?Â
You’re not alone! So many of us home bakers struggle with outdated, overly complicated baking rules. If you’ve ever been frustrated by vague instructions like “add water as needed” or the impossible quest for “light and fluffy,” this conversation with noteable baker Nicole Rucker will change your entire outlook on baking.
By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Learn how to make a foolproof pie crust - no guesswork or high-level bak...Dinner solved with two one-pot chicken dishes! Our best home cooking bites of the week

Could a one-pot braised chicken dish be the answer to "What should I make for dinner?"
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 cook up a Central-Asian inspired chicken and potato dish that has an unexpected ingredient, and you'll discover how to make a classic French coq au vin that’s make-ahead friendly and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspir...
Spring farmers’ market must-haves! Our 8 favorite recipes for seasonal home cooking

What’s in season right now? From crisp asparagus to the sweetest peas, tender greens, and fragrant green garlic, the farmers market is bursting with fresh flavors!Â
But what do you cook with all the seasonal produce you bring home?
Cooking with early spring produce is exciting, but it can also feel tricky. This week, we’re exploring how to turn seasonal ingredients into delicious meals.Â
By the end of this episode, you’ll:
Learn how to shop for and cook with peak-season ingredients like snap peas, green garlic, and strawberriesGet foolproof recipes...Easy Pudding Desserts + A Genius Brownie Tip! Your Home Cooking Questions Answered

Are you looking for a quick and easy dessert to serve at your next dinner party?
In this bite-sized episode, we answer a listener question from our hotline that will help you whip up a few easy pudding recipes with confidence. Plus, a caller reveals their foolproof method for getting the glossy, crackly brownie texture of your dreams!
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration, and give us a call to ask your home cooking question at: 323-452-9084!
LINKS:
Old fashioned vanilla pudding from Modern Mediterranean that...
Bold Flavors Made Simple – Ethiopian Cooking with Chef Beejhy Barhany

What if you could make your next soup or stew less bland... by just adding a flavorful homemade spice blend or aromatic paste?Â
If you’ve ever wondered how to cook spicy, aromatic stews and Ethiopian-style dishes at home, tune in for our conversation with Beejhy Barhany, chef and owner of Tsion Café in Harlem.
Barhany breaks down the keys to making nourishing dishes accessible and vibrant at home, and by the end of this episode, you’ll:Â
Learn how to build bold, aromatic dishes with simple pantry staplesDiscover meal-prep tricks, like whipping up a garli...