The Dinner Plan

Reilly Meehan really knows his stuff in the kitchen, which means his private chef videos on social media are especially compelling. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Reilly shares his path from the competition cooking circuit to the life of a private chef cooking dinners for clients, what he actually cooks for their weeknight dinners, and insights on how you can add a little flourish to your daily meals. He has lots of advice for what to cook using pantry staples like quinoa, beans, and farro, tips on getting more flavor into your easy dinners, and advice for meal planning during a busy week, plus a favorite high-protein dinner. Reilly's new book, A Little Bit Extra, offers lots of fun cooking techniques that'll come in handy at your next dinner party. ___ Thanks to today's sponsors: Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplan Find Brami protein pasta at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, or EnjoyBrami.com Find Stone & Skillet English Muffins in the bakery section at Publix, or other retailers nationwide. Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Tastemade Cooking: Use code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership at Tastemade.com/dinnerplan Hosted on Acast.

Chef Christine Flynn has cooked in restaurants in Nantucket, Toronto, and Beaune, but these days, she's trying to feed a family great food on a budget. Her new book, Easy Does It, offers chef-inflected weeknight dinners, impressive sides, salads, and sauces. It's also particularly smart about leftovers. "I think when people get leftover fatigue," Christine says, that's because they're simply reheating last night's dinner. "And, you know, nobody wants to eat the same thing like five times in a row. No, thank you. But I think the cool thing about leftovers," she notes, "is if you sort of reimagine them, sometimes the leftovers are better than the original dish." Learn how Christine thinks about meal planning and avoiding waste in this week's interview, and head over to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a peek at one of Christine's new recipes that's really great in a taco the next day. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Tastemade Cooking: Go to tastemade.com/dinnerplan and use promo code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership.

Ham El-Waylly has a restaurant—Strange Delight in Brooklyn—but the chef's new book, Hello Home Cooking, is not a restaurant cookbook. In this interview with host Maggie Hoffman, Ham shares his most important tips for home cooks, including smart farmers market shopping advice, thoughts on your nonstick cookware, and his favorite thing to put on a salad. He also shares his most beloved out-of-print cookbooks, memories of his mother's cooking, and the snacks and comfort food he'd sneak from the freezer while playing video games as a kid. Hop over to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com to get the free recipe of the week. ____ Thanks to today's sponsors: Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplan Dirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com Society Insurance: Find your agent at SocietyInsurance.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.

Anissa Helou wrote her first book about Lebanese cooking in 1994. In this week's podcast conversation (recorded February 24), Anissa shares the story of that book, which largely focused on her mother's recipes, and the differences between that first 250-recipe collection and her new cookbook, Lebanon: Cooking the Food of My Homeland. Anissa's new book dives into Lebanese regional specialties, and in this episode, she shares the most memorable dishes of her travels throughout the country, her recommended menu for a Lebanese feast, and the cookbooks that inspire her most when she's cooking at home. For a preview recipe from Lebanon, go to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

Anna Hezel's new book is full of fun party food you can serve when you're entertaining—and this conversation with Anna offers tips for hosting without stress. Learn how Anna likes to serve party food in courses of quick snacks, heartier appetizers and warm dishes, and even dessert, and get her thoughts on the things we can learn from cocktail parties of generations past. If you've been in a cooking rut, it could be that planning a casual gathering is exactly what you need: "Asking yourself the question of, 'what do I want to cook for my friends?’ is a good answer," Anna says, "to the question of 'what do I want to cook for myself?'" Get Anna's matrimonio tartine recipe on The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com —you'll need to scroll all the way down.

Spice importer Sana Javeri Kadri and her team traveled for four and a half months across the length and breadth of India and Sri Lanka to learn family recipes from the spice farmers she works with. They joined a wedding feast in Kashmir and a pakora party in Gujarat, toured a women's market in Manipur, and learned to make fish puffs like the ones at a legendary Sri Lankan bakery. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Sana shares the bites and cooking techniques that surprised her most during these travels—and how, back in California, they were translated into a cookbook for an American audience. Sana also mentions the recipes she leans on most when cooking at home for her stepdaughters. Cookbook on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

Cookbook author and content creator Maxine Sharf organized her new cookbook, Maxi's Kitchen, by day of the week. Easy recipes for Mondays anticipate lower energy and keep things simple, while Tuesday recipes cut down on dishes. Wednesday mixes things up a bit, and Thursday is date night, with restaurant-worthy dishes you can make at home. Listen to the full episode to learn how she plots the rest of the week, the important thing she does before serving every meal, and why she thinks it's worth building up a regular repertoire of dinner ideas of your own. For Maxine's easy teriyaki chicken meatballs recipe and a list of her favorite cookbooks, head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com. ____ Thanks to today's sponsors: Find LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.com Brooklyn Delhi: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at BrooklynDelhi.com. Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Find Brami ’s made-in-Italy protein pasta at Costco or wherever you shop.

Ella Quittner conducted around 1500 recipe tests as a part of her research for her new book, Obsessed With the Best. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Ella and host Maggie Hoffman discuss the pros and cons of the internet's preoccupation with pronouncing certain foods and cooking techniques "the best," and what Ella was looking for as she attempted to figure out the best roast chicken, crispy smashed potatoes, and other favorite dishes. Ella shares one game-changing pantry staple that’s worth adding to your pantry, the struggle meals she makes when she's out of energy at dinner time, and the weird and fun dinner party tradition she's started with a few friends. ____ Thanks to today's sponsors: Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Find LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.com Stone and Skillet English Muffins: Check stoneandskillet.com for a store locator. Find Franklin Farms Veggie Balls and Veggie Burgers in the refrigerated aisle. Store locator: FranklinFarms.com/where-to-buy Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.

If you find feeding your kid frustrating, you're absolutely not alone. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman interviews cookbook author Phoebe Lapine, who is also the voice behind the Munch Menus newsletter on Substack. Phoebe's menu system helps busy parents figure out kid dinners, and in this conversation, she shares her advice for increasing variety if your child is picky (perhaps the word "rigid" is a better one.) She also talks about the ways her experience with auto-immune disease and SIBO changed her thinking about food and home cooking. Listen for Phoebe's favorite store-bought shortcuts for easy dinners, how she strategizes using the freezer to make weeknights less stressful, and how the logistics actually work in her family's busy schedule. ___ Thanks to today's sponsors: Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Find Franklin Farms Veggie Balls and Veggie Burgers in the refrigerated aisle.

They call Naoko Takei Moore "Mrs. Donabe"—she’s taught classes on cooking with these Japanese clay pots, and wrote the first English-language book on the topic. Her new book, Simply Donabe, focuses on simple one-pot meals made in the donabe. In this week’s episode of The Dinner Plan podcast, host Maggie Hoffman asks Naoko about the advantages of donabe cooking, the best things to cook in the pot, and how she chooses between the many types of miso she always keeps on hand in the fridge. Over on The Dinner Plan's newsletter, you'll get Naoko's recipe for salmon steamed over quinoa. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Aunt Fannie’s cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon or AuntFannies.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com Catch The Side Dish from America’s Test Kitchen on Netflix or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast.

Jerrelle Guy was in the midst of a serious case of burnout when she began to dream up her new book, We Fancy. It's not a cookbook highlighting high-end ingredients or elaborate meals—it’s about finding magic in everyday weeknight dinners. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Jerrelle talks to host Maggie Hoffman about how to calm your nervous system if your kitchen is stressing you out, what to make for dinner when time and energy is limited, and the ways that creativity in the kitchen relates to the kind of creative flow she feels as an artist. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Stone and Skillet English Muffins: Check stoneandskillet.com for a store locator. Made In Cookware: Head to https://madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.

Chef Vivian Howard has written two cookbooks—and now she's the star of a public television series called Kitchen Curious. But she still struggles with the challenge of cooking on busy weeknights. In Episode 82 of The Dinner Plan, Vivian chats with host Maggie Hoffman about her real-life dinner routine, the way she's cut down her grocery spending, and some important fridge safety tips that she learned in professional kitchens. ____ Thanks to today's sponsors: Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Find LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.com Find Brami ’s made-in-Italy protein pasta at Costco or wherever you shop. Learn more at EnjoyBrami.com Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.

Chef Natasha Pickowicz always wants to bring people together, and her new book, Everyone Hot Pot, shows you how to host a truly impressive night of hot pot with zero stress. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman chats with Natasha about why hot pot is such a perfect low-key way of entertaining, and gets all her advice for the hot pot equipment you need, what to buy and prep in advance, and how to make the whole hot pot party even more fun. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Brooklyn Delhi: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at BrooklynDelhi.com Guittard Chocolate: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off at Guittard.com House Foods: Find House Foods tofu and tofu hot pot kits wherever you buy groceries, or get more info at house-foods.com. Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com Hosted on Acast.

Michaels focuses on pantry recipes: dishes that highlight your stash of beans, tinned fish, and canned tomatoes. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Theo shares favorite cupboard staples, and the cooking techniques he's learned to help them shine. He also shares advice for cooking with kids: While it's not going to be "rainbows and unicorns" he says, Theo strongly believes that cooking is an essential life skill that all kids need to learn. ___ Thanks to today's sponsors: Heyday Canning Co.: Get 20% off Saucy Beans variety packs with code DINNERPLAN20 at Heydaycanning.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Aunt Fannie’s cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon Hosted on Acast.

You eat 21 meals a week, Jenn Lueke points out, which is a lot of choices to make. Jenn's new book, Don’t Think About Dinner, aims to ease the decision fatigue and help you create a low-stress meal planning routine. On this episode of The Dinner Plan, Jenn talks to host Maggie Hoffman about how to fit meal-planning into your schedule, why your wallet will thank you, and how a kitchen reorg can really help your day-to-day cooking routine. She shares favorite creators to follow and cookbooks to add to your bookshelf, too. Head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com to win a copy of Jenn's book or an annual subscription to her popular Substack, The Eat Goood Newsletter. ____ Thanks to today's sponsors: The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com Find Row 7 vegetables at Whole Foods or visit Row7Seeds.com to find the closest store near you. Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Early Bird Granola: Save 15% on your order with code DINNERPLAN15 at EarlyBirdFoods.com Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Hosted on Acast.

If you've ever rushed into the kitchen and frantically tried to throw dinner together—or if that's how you always cook—you know that feeling of fight-or-flight doesn't actually make for a tastier meal. Nicki Sizemore, the author of Mind, Body, Spirit, Food, chats with The Dinner Plan's host Maggie Hoffman about how she gets out of that state of stress at the end of the day—and gets more out of the cooking process as a result. Nicki shares advice for getting through the dark days of winter, tips on cooking when you just don't feel inspired, and a few recipes she loves to make when the weather's cold. Head to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a recipe from Nicki and a chance to win a copy of the book. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Early Bird Granola: Save 15% on your order with code DINNERPLAN15 at EarlyBirdFoods.com Aunt Fannie's cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon Find Franklin Farms’ new Organic Super Firm Tofu wherever you buy groceries. Hosted on Acast.

Even if you really want to getting more organized about your daily meals, creating a meal-planning and meal-prepping routine from scratch can feel like a lot. But Coco Morante's new book, The Instant Kitchen Meal Prep Cookbook, takes a lot of that work off your plate with 10 full weeks of meal plans and shopping lists, ready to go. On the 77th episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks to Coco about the way meal prepping has transformed her routine, how it can facilitate an easier division of household responsibilities, and her notes on which ingredients keep really well in the fridge (and which just don't.) Get a preview of the book over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com ___ Thanks to this week's sponsors: The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off Aunt Fannie's cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon LaBelle Patrimoine: Find these heritage-breed chickens at Whole Foods and GrownasPromised.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer Hosted on Acast.

In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks to Debra Borden, a licensed clinical social worker whose book, Cooking As Therapy, describes how she uses cooking as a tool to unlock whatever her clients are struggling with. Through the use of mindfulness, metaphor, and mastery, cooking can lead to breakthroughs. Learn the core tenets of Debra's practice, plus tips for dealing with the stress of holiday get-togethers with family. For a chance to win a copy of Debra's book, head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com. ___ Thanks to this week's sponsors: The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com Rouxbe: Save 30% on any cooking course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.

Flora Shedden, who you might remember from The Great British Bake Off, opened the acclaimed ARAN Bakery in the heart of Scotland when she was just 21. She’s the author of Gatherings, Aran, Supper, and the new cookbook, Winter in the Highlands: Eating, Drinking and Celebrating in Scotland. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Flora shares favorite holiday food traditions, ways to get ahead when you're hosting, and the cookbooks she finds most inspiring. _____ Thanks to today's sponsors: LaBelle Patrimoine: Find these heritage-breed chickens at Whole Foods and GrownasPromised.com Guittard Chocolate: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off at Guittard.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com Zassenhaus Classic Bread Slicer: Get 10% off the Zassenhaus Classic Manual Bread Slicer on Amazon ( https://amzn.to/48S3heh ) through the end of 2025 by entering code BW5IRSLO at checkout. Hosted on Acast.

Joshua Russ Tupper is the 4th-generation co-owner of Russ & Daughters, the iconic New York City appetizing shop, and the co-author of the cookbook Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing. In this episode, Josh talks to host Maggie Hoffman about the ultimate fishy bite from the shop, his go-to brunch moves and holiday appetizer favorites, his thoughts on hosting a latke party for Hanukkah and the very best recipes for winter cooking, plus lots of family stories from 100 years in the business. ___ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Rouxbe.com: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 Frog Hollow Farm: Save 10% on your order with code DINNERPLAN10 at FrogHollow.com Find Row 7 vegetables at Whole Foods or visit Row7Seeds.com to find the closest store near you. Early Bird Granola: Save 15% on your order with code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off at EarlyBirdFoods.com Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast.