75 episodes
Food Friends Podcast: Home Cooking Made Easy Kari Lauritzen & Sonya Sanford
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- Arts
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4.8 • 69 Ratings
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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: how to make craveable soups with your farmers market haul, the easiest one-pot meals for busy nights, or what to do with leftover rotisserie chicken. On Thursdays, we serve up a pint-sized chat about our “Best Bite” of the week, pantry essentials we can’t live without, and more.
Previous guests include Seth & Lauren Rogen, actor Randall Park & writer/director Evan Goldberg, and NY Times Recipe Developer, Sue Li!
If you’re looking for a boost of fun in the kitchen by discovering recipes that will make mealtime easier and more delicious with a healthy dose of laughter, then you’ll want to dig in with FOOD FRIENDS!
First-time listener? Tune into Episode 2: Don’t send flowers, send soup! and Episode 4: What do you bring to a potluck?
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Best bite of the week! Frito pies for all ages, and cooking a simple sweet potato sheet pan meal at home
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!
You want to find any excuse to make an easy and comforting Frito Pie (also known as a walking taco), and you’ll learn about a simple, nutritious sheet pan meal that can help you get dinner on the table quickly and easily.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
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Links to from this week’s show:
Walking tacos/Frito Pie recipe from the Girl Who Ate Everthing
Doritto walking tacos from Eating on a Dime
A sheet pan chicken sausage, potato, and asparagus meal that’s similar to what Sonya made fro dinner (swap sweet potato for potato/carrot)
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Brownies, Blondies, and Bars! Baking and cooking the ultimate comfort desserts at home
Have you ever had a fudgy, chewy, glossy, crackly-topped brownie and wondered: How can I replicate this brownie bliss? How can I make it at home?
If you're looking to create the brownies and blondies of your dreams with help from expert bakers and tried-and-true recipes, this episode is your ticket to home cooking heaven!
This week you’ll learn…
1. Insider secrets from baking experts like Nigella Lawson and Alice Medrich for achieving the glossy, shatter-y top and rich chocolate flavors that make for an ideal brownie
2. Delicious takes on classic brownie and blondie recipes, from gooey caramel swirl brownies to nutty coconut blondies
2. How to make an easy pecan bar straight from Kari’s childhood!
Are you ready to take your baking skills to the next level and indulge in a world of decadent brownies, blondies, and bar cookies? Tune in now and embark on a delicious exploration of sweet treats that are sure to please!
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Links to from this week’s show:
A helpful brownie chart with ingredients, baking times, and bakeware can change the texture and look of your brownie, from Delish
Nigella Lawson’s Feast cookbook, and her recipe for snow-flecked brownies
Alice Medrich’s famous cocoa brownie recipe via Food 52
Sonya’s flourless tahini brownies, featured in her cookbook Braids
Smitten Kitchen cheesecake marbled brownies
Cherry Bombe Cookbook for Kari’s favorite salted caramel brownies
Caramel brownies made with cake mix and storebought Kraft caramels from The Recipe Critic
Grasshopper brownies by Yossy Arefi for the NY Times
Butterscotch blondies from the Lemonade Cookbook
English Toffee Bars from Hersheyland
Chewy chocolate cookie bars from the Shabby Creek Cottage
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Best bite of the week: a home cooking tip for easy refrigerator jam, and a quick satisfying lunch made from leftovers!
Are you in a breakfast or lunch rut?
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!
You’ll want to make this easy refrigerator jam made with frozen fruit that will elevate your morning toast. It has a secret ingredient that adds a boost of nutrition!. You’ll also learn how to upcycle last night’s salad into a delicious and satisfying lunch that’s filled with veggies and can be made vegan-friendly.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
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Links to from this week’s show:
Strawberry rhubarb chia jam from Bakerita (Sonya uses sugar in place of maple syrup)
Adrian Hale’s Mama Bread Cookbook
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Italian Night at home: Cooking and hosting comfort food favorites!
Are you ever overwhelmed by the thought of hosting a dinner party? Do you often find yourself stuck in the kitchen, cooking at the last minute, and missing out on the conversation?
If you're tired of complicated dinner parties and craving a simple yet elegant way to entertain loved ones with an Italian feast, then this episode is for you. We'll guide you through making home cooking and hosting easy and enjoyable!
This week you’ll discover:
How to assemble a brilliant first course made entirely of prepared items you source and elevate from your local grocery store
3 make-ahead comfort foods that make hosting a breeze, including a game-changing technique for fail-proof risotto!
An approachable strategy for homemade pasta that brings your friends and loved ones into the kitchen
A dessert you can make from scratch to wow your friends, or a premade option that you can assemble and serve in an unexpected and delightful way
Don't miss out on the chance to invite some friends over for a memorable Italian dinner party. Tune in now to learn how to make it easy, fun, and enjoyable for all—especially for you!
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Links to from this week’s show:
Ina Garten’s antipasto platter
Marinated mozzarella balls from We Are Not Martha
Grissini breadsticks
White bean bruschetta (hot) from Full of Beans and a simple white bean salad to top bruschetta from Fifteen Spatulas
Simple homemade anchovy dressing from The Kitchn
Sunday Sauce by Ali Slagle for the NY Times
Marcella Hazan’s tortellini and her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking cookbook
Classic tortelloni from QBCucina, and Tortellini with asparagus and lemon from Taste of Home
How to make easy oven baked risotto via The Kitchn
Instant pot risotto from Pressure Cook Recipes
Jules de Strooper cookies and Italian pizzelles
Sonya’s crostada/galette recipe
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Best bite of the week: Cooking a one-bowl-wonder at home, plus comfort food straight from your freezer!
How exciting is it to come home after a long day at work and find a sweet treat waiting for you to indulge in joy and comfort?
In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you!
You’ll want to bake up an easy rhubarb snacking cake that’s as satisfying to eat as it is easy to assemble. Pressed for time this week? Learn Kari’s freezer trick for when of her favorite hometown sweets.
Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!
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Links to from this week’s show:
Claire Saffitz’s rhubarb custard cake for Bon Appetit
Pfaff’s Bakery in Pontiac, Illinois
A recipe for Danish-style coffee cake from Taste of Home
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes! -
Cauliflower’s charisma: 10 home cooking recipes with the most versatile veggie!
Do you ever stare at a head of cauliflower and have no idea how to make it taste amazing? Or, maybe you’re tired of simply roasting or steaming it?
This is your opportunity to stretch your imagination and embrace the versatility of the humble cauliflower!
In this episode you’ll discover:
10 new cauliflower recipes, including how to use this veggie for meaty substitutes and creamy sauces
How to cook cauliflower so that it yields a sweet, caramelized, and luxurious bite, or so it can turn into the base of a silky soup
And how to make a cauliflower the main course or your next meal, while still delivering a big wow factor for your guests!
If you’re ready to up your veggie game, tune in now to unlock a world of cauliflower possibilities that you never knew existed!
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Links to from this week’s show:
Mark Bittman’s recipe for whole roasted cauliflower for the NY Times
Cauliflower steak with green yogurt sauce by Max Nelson for Food52
David Tanis’ cheese-topped cauliflower steaks for the NY Times
Cauliflower nachos from Hungry Happens
Cauliflower chips from Eating Well
Cauliflower pizza crust from The Ambitious Kitchen
Andy Baraghani’s cauliflower bolognese from Bon Appetit
Cauliflower alfredo by Yumna Jawad from Feel Good Foodie
Buffalo cauliflower wings from Love & Lemons
Nigella Lawson’s cauliflower cheese
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We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!
Sign up for Sonya’s free Substack, or order her debut cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!
Customer Reviews
My favorite food podcast!
I just ADORE this podcast. I get so excited when I see a new episode in my feed. The hosts are so lovely and knowledgeable, and the way they describe food is simply sublime. They always share the recipes in the show notes, and I’ve tried (or saved!) a ton of them. Keep up the great work Food Friends!!
Speaks to my heart!
I love listening to Kari and Sonya talk about food. I look forward to new episodes every week. Their discussions are so fun -- it's like I'm in the kitchen with them. As someone who aspires to be a better cook, they inspire me to try and create new memories around my own kitchen.
The way that I begin every Tuesday!
Kari and Sonya are not only exceedingly passionate about food and creating experiences through it. They are also accessible, humble, fun and knowledgeable beyond words. I anxiously await their episodes and could listen to them talk about food and how they cook for hours on end. Thank you, Sonya and Kari, for being who you are and offering your wealth of wisdom and joy!