Two Dinner Parties, Two Menus, Two Outcomes! Our best bites and not-so-best bites of the week

Does a dinner party have to be “perfect” to be memorable? And what are the keys to ease and success when hosting? In this bite-sized episode, we share delicious moments about the best things we ate this week to inspire each other – and you! We’re sharing menus from two separate dinner parties – one that felt easy, and one that was slightly more ambitious. We learned a lot by swapping notes about what worked well and what didn’t go quite like we imagined. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to make your next hosting experience stress-free, and you’ll also discover the best recipe for a bubbling pan of cheesy stuffed shells layered with rich tomato sauce. It’s a make-ahead friendly dish that’s perfect for gathering friends at your kitchen table. You’ll also discover our favorite layered salad, a vegetarian update of a Midwestern classic that’s ideal for meal prep or can easily stand out at your next potluck. Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration! Links Ina Garten’s stuffed shells recipe – Sonya skips the egg, and adds fresh thyme instead of Italian seasoning + grated parm or pecorino on top Sonya’s challah recipe can be found in her cookbook: Braids Sonya’s fava bean mint dip recipe Butter swim biscuits by Naz Deravian from NYT Cooking Kari’s 10-Layer Midwestern-inspired Salad from our Substack (it’s free to subscribe!) Buffalo mushrooms by Ali Slagle for NYT Cooking (unlocked) , specifically not using portobellos Grilled fruit en papillote from Gourmet Magazine *** 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. We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @ foodfriendspod , or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com ! Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland!