Searching for a recipe you can bring to your next potluck?

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 two recipes that can serve a crowd, or are great for make-ahead meals. You'll want to make a spinach ruffle milk pie—a savory, veggie-packed twist on spanakopita that’s perfect for meal prep, healthy lunches, or dinner parties—and a nostalgic monster cookie recipe that’s chewy, gluten-free, and ideal for freezing ahead.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

Links:

Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Tenderheart Cookbook, which has her recipe for savory spinach and mint ruffle milk pie

Here’s another take on a savory phyllo spinach and feta pie from Super Golden Bakes, and one that looks delicious from Serious Eats

Sonya’s apple and honey ruffle milk pie with video on how to ruffle your phyllo dough

Monster Cookie recipe (double to make 15 lbs of cookie dough just like Kari did!)

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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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com

Ever feel overwhelmed with what to bring to a potluck or summer picnic?

Whether you’re heading to a park gathering or a crowded family reunion, choosing the right dish can feel weirdly high-stakes, especially when you want something portable, crowd-pleasing, and easy to make ahead. We’ve got you!

We’re sharing all our tips and inspiration to ensure that your dish is the one people can’t stop talking about—the one that’s gone before you can even grab a plate!

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to make:

1. Two easy sides that you can prepare in individual portions
2. No-fuss desserts like a creamy no-bake blueberry cheesecake and a citrusy creamsicle pie
3. How to make presentation, prep, and adaptability easier so your dish stands out and survives the buffet table

Hit play now and walk into your next gathering with a dish that looks great, travels well, and was easy to make!

Links

Sides:

Corniest corn muffins from Smitten Kitchen

Mini pimento cheese balls

Salads:

Sonya’s rainbow salad recipe from her Substack

Julia Turshen’s zucchini, red onion and pistachio salad with a preserved lemon vinaigrette

Mains:

The famous grinder TikTok sandwich with the salad part + how to assemble the sandwiches from the Country Cook, and a fully vegetarian version from I Heart Vegetables

Slow cooker beef sliders from The Defined Dish, and a similar take on slow cooker beef with a Mississippi roast by Jenn Crippen for All Recipes

Creamy vegetable casserole, aka Midwest vegetable casserole

Foil packs of carnitas from Serious Eats for griddled tacos

Deseserts

A slightly gussied-up version of a no-bake blueberry cheesecake from Natasha’s Kitchen, and an easy classic no-bake blueberry cheesecake made with whipped topping from All Recipes

No-bake orange creamsicle pie made with orange marmalade from Every Day Pie, and a no-bake creamsicle pie with shortbread...

Are you searching for easy recipes that you can make ahead and might even feed a crowd?

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 kale and strawberry salad and our go-to chicken salad recipe; both are ideal for lunch prep, or even a laid-back summer dinner.

We're also answering a listener's question, and you'll discover how to take two classic chicken dishes and turn them each into make-ahead-friendly braises that make hosting that much easier.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

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Links:

Sonya’s Strawberry, kale, almond date salad from our Substack, inspired by Emily Park’s take on the strawberry, sugar snap pea, turnip salad from Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Tenderheart Cookbook

Kari’s chicken salad from our Substack

The Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella from NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Melissa Clark’s sweet and spicy roast chicken from NYT Cooking (unlocked)

Sonya’s one-pot chicken, potato, and prune dish

A gremolata from The Kitchn to top your chicken with

***

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. You can also now find us on YouTube.

Order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!

We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @foodfriendspod, or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com!