Dinner SOS by Bon Appétit

Janae has been struggling to make the perfect matzo balls for 6 Passovers now. What's worse, even though everything else on Janae's seder table is delicious, her mother-in-law won't let her forget her matzo ball fails. So Janae turns to Chris & Kate Kassin for help making tender, fluffy dumplings that won't fall apart in her soup. Recipes & Links: No-Nonsense Matzo Balls Matzo Ball Soup Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix Streit's Matzo Ball Mix Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Pistachios are Having A Moment. And Shilpa LOVES cake. Enter: the tender, flavorful Pistachio Bundt Cake. Jesse and Shilpa break down why this blender cake (and other nut-based cakes) work and address listener questions, including the one on everyone's mind this month: how to properly grease a bundt pan so your cake comes out in one piece, every time. Plus! Shilpa and Jesse introduce listeners to Rose Levy Berenbaum, author of the iconic Cake Bible. Rose joins the fearless Bake Club leaders to answer a listener question about egg substitutes—and explain what eggs are actually doing in your favorite baked goods. Recipes & Links: Pistachio Bundt Cake Chocolate Olive Oil Cake Baker's Joy Spray Cake Goop Fran Costigan The Loopy Whisk Egg Replacements Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Cait often devotes her weekends to involved kitchen projects that yield restaurant-quality results. But she's looking to bring that feeling into her weeknights, when time is harder to come by. Chris enlists Kendra Vaculin's help to give Cait's weeknight cooking that chefy quality she's been missing. Recipes & Links: Meatball Soup with Beef Stew Vibes Gorgeous Green Shrimp Everything-Spice Fish with Tomato Salad Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

George has heard that quinoa is a high-protein superfood, but he's never been able to cook it right. Chris and Shilpa step up to help answer the question behind his SOS. See, while quinoa is higher-protein than other grains, there are better options when it comes to plant-based protein. So Chris and Shilpa try to get George on board with lentils and tofu—two plant-based protein sources that pack more of a punch. Recipes & Links: Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Lentils Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook. In this final installment, Chris and Shilpa talk about the intangibles of cooking— how to get into the right mindset, manage your time efficiently, and course correct when something goes wrong. They also answer a grab bag of sliiightly more advanced questions to help listeners with everything from salt to the perfect batch of pancakes. Recipes & Links: BA's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Lazy Day Pancakes Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook. Today, Chris and sauce king Jesse Szewczyk stir up a discussion on the wide world of sauces, dressings, glazes, and more. They dive in to aromatics, making the case for the humble shallot, and discuss the art of making pan sauces and delicious finishers with pantry staples. Recipes & Links: The Five Mother Sauces Make 'Em Sweat (Veggies, That Is) It's Time to Stop Making These Garlic Common Mistakes and Start Living How to Make a Pan Sauce Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs Dark and Stormy–Braised Pot Roast How to Make a Roux for Mac and Cheese, Gumbo, Gravy, and More Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook. Why is making stovetop rice so dang hard?! Today, Chris and Kendra Vaculin address the world of grains, including how to make the perfect pot of rice and why the package directions might be the reason behind a bad batch. Plus, Kendra makes the case for her favorite quick grain and dissects when it's time to pull out the colander and just cook your grains like pasta. Recipes & Links: The Perfect Pot of Rice There are 40,000 Types of Rice in the World—Here's How to Pick the One You Need Do You Need to Rinse Your Rice? Kokuho Rose Rice 21 Typles of Whole Grains and Pseudo Grains and How to Cook Each One Bulgur is the Whole Grain for Busy People One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice Kendra's Crispy Rice Method Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook. Animal proteins can be the most expensive part of your dish, and that's a lot of pressure. So today, Chris and Amiel Stanek are here to make perfection attainable, from juicy chicken breast to tender steaks and delicate seafood. Grab your meat thermometer and kosher salt; we're diving in! 15 Ways to Make Your Fresh-Off-the-Grill Steak Even Better How to Roast a Chicken: The Ultimate Recipe, Tips, and More The Optimal Temperature for Every Part of a Chicken Thermoworks Thermapop Thermometer What Is Salsa Verde? 4 Types to Memorize How to Make Beurre Blanc (Because Everything Tastes Better with Butter) Chicken Piccata Shrimp Scampi Shrimp and Basil Stir-Fry Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook. Today, Chris and Shilpa Uskokovic break down how to really read a recipe — and what some common recipe language means. Then, they'll talk about the basic equipment that your kitchen needs... and what to skip! Recipes & Links: Samosa-dillas with Cucumber Salad BA 56 Recipes S&B Curry Powder (Shilpa's favorite!) Chef's Knives Paring Knives Bread Knives Kitchen Shears Nonstick Pans Stainless-Steel Pans Dutch Ovens Carbon Steel Pans Silicone Spatulas Sheet Pans Cutting Boards Blenders Kitchen Scales Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Join Shilpa and Jesse as they dig into Shilpa's Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake—a delicious, shockingly easy, and decadent bake. They'll discuss the ins and outs of ingredient choices and the recipe development process, plus end with an Ask a Baker segment all about the perfect chocolate chip cookie. You can find instructions for joining the Club at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to bakeclub@bonappetit.com. Joy of Baking Pan Conversions Recipe Walkthrough Video Jesse's Cookie Book, Cookies: The New Classics Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This episode is from our friends at This Is TASTE. Abi Balingit is the author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, a delightful cookbook full of maximalist personality and transfixing sweets, like the adobo chocolate chip cookie. She’s a singular force in the NYC baking scene, and it’s so fun to have her on the show today to talk about what she’s been up to since publishing her first book, her love of kitsch, and more. This Is TASTE is co-hosted by Aliza Abarbanel and Matt Rodbard. You can subscribe to This Is TASTE at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Karen's plan to stay on budget while she's in grad school depends on cooking for herself, especially for lunch — but her dorm kitchen's fire alarm is VERY easy to set off. So Chris & Jesse help her with strategies for no-cook lunches... including leveraging her rice cooker. Recipes Mentioned: One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice Rice Cooker Risotto Chickpea Salad Sandwiches Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It may be Valentine's Day, but this year, Chris, Jesse, and Kendra are turning their attention to the gentle art of cooking for yourself and only yourself. They'll tackle listener questions about stocking your fridge for one and gathering up the motivation to feed yourself day after day - and share how they eat when their partners or kids are out of town. Recipes Mentioned: Chocolate Chipless Cookies Winter Squash and Kale Pasta with Pecan Breadcrumbs Minestrone Soup with Acorn Squash Roasted Squash Vampiro Tacos with Cucumber Salsa Larb with Cabbage Cups Napa Cabbage and Cucumber Slaw Cheesy Roasted Cabbage Wedges Grilled Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce Meal Prep Dinner Party Recipes All-the-Seeds Hamantaschen Grilled Swordfish with Tomatoes Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Shilpa and Jesse are hosting a pizza party — an Incredibly Good Cheese Pizza party, that is. Join the Bake Club co-hosts as they nerd out about breadmaking, reveal Jesse's secret pizzaiolo past, and gab with BA Deputy Food Editor Hana Asbrink, this recipe's #1 fan. You can find instructions for joining the club at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to bakeclub@bonappetit.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Like many of us, Jenn is experiencing leftover fatigue. So Kendra and Chris introduce her to the lifechanging art of nextovers. Recipes Featured: Beer-Braised Carnitas Buttery Tomato and Cinnamon-Spiced Rice Chicken Tinga Tostadas with Bacony Black Beans Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The weather is cold and the produce selection in the grocery store is smaller, but that's no reason to despair! Chris, Jesse, and Shilpa have the recipe for winter cooking optimism—and the answers to listener questions about homemade broth, frozen veggies, and more. Recipes Featured: Incredibly Good Cheese Pizza Rice Cooker Risotto Chicken Thighs with Spiced Couscous and Carrots Ruffled Mushroom Pot Pie Sheet-Pan Salmon with Rice Cakes and Kimchi Shortcut Baked Rigatoni with Spicy Italian Sausage Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Pockets Pork and Tomatillo Udon Spanish Shrimp and Rice with Saffron Mayo Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup Paneer and Green Bean Stir-Fry Halloumi No-Meat Balls Cabbage and Burrata Salad with Spicy Tahini Herby Cauliflower Fritters Cheesy Green Pea Fritters One-Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Mara is expecting her first child, and she wants to plan ahead, stocking her freezer with nourishing, delicious meals that she and her partner can enjoy in the first few weeks of life with their little one. So Chris taps Hana Asbrink, one of the brains behind Bon Appetit's column The Fourth Trimester, to help Mara fill the freezer before the baby arrives. Recipes Featured: Spinach Lasagna with Ricotta Baked Mushroom Rice Porridge Cozy & Quick White Chicken Chili Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Do you want to level up your baking skills? Then join expert Test Kitchen editors Shilpa Uskokovic and Jesse Szewczyk in the BA Bake Club - a community of confident, curious bakers who find just as much joy in the process of baking as the final results. Every month, Shilpa and Jesse will be walking through the Bake Club recipe, answering listener questions, and admiring bake clubbers' results. And this month, we're tackling Jesse's Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, which has a tender crumb and the most swoosh-able chocolate ganache frosting around. You can find instructions for joining the Instagram Close Friends group at bonappetit.com/bakeclub - and of course, you can always send your questions to bakeclub@bonappetit.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Kathryn is a mom of four hoping to start a delicious new Christmas morning tradition. So Chris and Shilpa Uskokovic team up to help Kathryn with the makeahead breakfast of her family's dreams. Recipes: Breakfast Crunchwrap for a CrowdCowboy Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and SpinachBiscuits and GravyPlus: Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Brad has a vision of a Christmas morning with kids opening presents and adults sipping coffee and enjoying a delicious panettone, the Italian holiday sweet bread. But as he's learned over 3 years of fallen loaves, panettone is not an easy product to bake. So Chris calls on Roy Shvartzapel, who's dedicated the better part of the last 20 years to learning about and producing the loaves, to help Brad improve his process and embrace the wild panettone journey. The recipe Brad used for his panettone comes from the cookbook A Good Bake. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices