What if the dishes you cooked on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day could invite luck, prosperity, and ease into the year ahead?

New Year’s can feel surprisingly complicated for home cooks: too celebratory to ignore, but too close to the holidays to summon big energy.

That’s why this week we’re helping you decide what’s worth cooking, what can be made in advance, and all the auspicious food rituals and symbolic dishes to sweeten the year ahead.

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

1. Discover playful appetizers that are eaten for luck and deliciousness
2. New Year’s classics like noodles for longevity, and a gumbo made with auspicious black-eyed peas
3. Nutritious and lighter recipes to ease into the first day of the year

Press play to celebrate to start a new year feeling supported in your kitchen!

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Links:

Appetizers

Bacon wrapped dates from Gimme Some Yum, and you can also make it with beef bacon

Cheese ball bites with a pretzel handle from Delish.com

Pistachio goat cheese dates from Live Eat Learn

Sour patch grapes and Prosecco grapes Delish.com

Mains & Sides

Mushroom ragu pasta by Heidi Swanson

Gochujang mushroom udon by Hetti Lui MCkinnon

Mini Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins from Our Zesty Life

Black-eyed pea and pork gumbo by Donald Link, Stephen Strymewski and adapted by Bret Stephens for NYT Cooking – served with rice and potato salad on the side, like our fave Herby Potato Salad and or Sonya’s Salad Olivier (Soviet potato salad)

Desserts

Carolina Gelen’s no-bake chocolate mousse pie or cranberry pudding

Old School chocolate trifle with chocolate...

Have you ever wondered how to incorporate more whole grains easily into your cooking and baking?

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 make homemade Einkorn graham crackers that are as wholesome as they are snackable. You’ll also discover “Monkey Bread” made from leftover sourdough that’s irresistibly buttery, cinnamony, and perfect for sharing.

Tune in for a quick dose of home cooking inspiration!

Links:

Adrian Hale’s new book Einkorn Made Easy, and recipe for “Communal Table Bread - My easiest first bread recipe”, and take a sourdough bread baking class with her in person in Portland

Sonya’s take on Adrian’s Einkorn Graham Crackers

Sourdough monkey bread by Amy Bakes Bread

Easy monkey bread with store-bought biscuit dough from All Recipes

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Looking for an in-person Food Friends experience? Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!

Who doesn’t love a great appetizer – but do you get stumped on what to serve? Are you looking for something a little more exciting than crudites and a cheese board?

This week, we’re sharing our go-to appetizers for festive hosting. These are small bites that you can easily make (or even buy!), that will encourage your guests to graze and linger for “just one more bite.”

By the end of this episode, you’ll:

1. Walk away with a go-to list of 16 appetizers you can mix and match for any kind of gathering - whether you’re hosting or headed to a potluck
2. Learn how to create a mix of homemade, make-ahead, vegetarian, and store-bought options
3. Discover nostalgic classics like sausage balls and roasted chestnuts, as well as unexpected spicy treats like a flavorful edamame starter and an Indian-inspired snack mix

Press play now to discover an appetizer game plan for your next December gathering!

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This week's episode is sponsored by Burlap & Barrel!

We rely on Burlap & Barrel for the spices we cook with the most, because their quality really does make everything taste better. This time of year, we find ourselves reaching for a few favorites again and again.

• Royal Cinnamon goes into our holiday gingerbread cookies, overnight oats, and we even add a pinch to our French press coffee in the morning. It’s naturally sweet and fragrant and makes everything taste like a treat.
• We love to add New Harvest Turmeric to our rich, brothy vegetable soups, steamed rice, and big pots of coconut red lentils. It adds that unmistakable golden glow and warmth that always makes friends ask, “What’s in this dish?”
• And Cured Sumac is our secret for roast chicken — especially when it’s sharing the table with freshly fried latkes. Its lemony, earthy tartness is the perfect lively counterpart to those decadent, crispy potato pancakes.

If you want to stock up, Burlap & Barrel is offering a rare holiday deal through December 31st for new customers: buy any two spices and get a free jar of Royal Cinnamon with code CINNAMONFF (just add the cinnamon to your cart first).

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LINKS

Snacky:

Two-ingredient crackers from The Big Man’s World

Indian Snack Mix (Chewda) by Aarti Sequeira, from Food Network

Maple bourbon chestnut and dates from Justine Snacks

Miso-maple walnuts from Epicurious

Veggie/Easy:

Orange marinated olives by Carolina Gellen

Black bean, orange peel edamame...