We get messages in our inbox ALL the time from listeners who have planned dinner parties, picnics, and other gatherings... but want our advice on what to serve. So this week, Chris is joined by hostess-with-the-mostess Kendra Vaculin to tackle a bevy of listener questions and menu-plan for strawberry-picking lunches, murder mystery dinner parties, and more!

Recipes & Links:

Brisket Bourguignon
Preserved Lemon and Tomato Chicken
Poached Cod in Tomato Curry
Lemony Risotto with Fennel and Parmesan
Creamy Rabbit Bolognese
Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart
Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto
Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce
Strawberry Salad with Black Pepper-Feta Croutons
Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette
Pasta al Limone
Party Salmon with Green Romesco
Braised Chicken with Harissa and Olives
Citrus Caramel Sundaes with Toasted Almonds
Harissa-and-Maple Roasted Carrots
Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
Slow-Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken
Cucumber, Tomato and Green Bean Salad
Za'atar Fire Crackers
Marinated Zucchini with Hazelnuts and Ricotta

Natalie and her husband are capable, adventurous cooks, but they can't seem to get leafy greens on the menu outside of a salad. So Chris and Kendra Vaculin team up to sell Natalie on their favorite greens and techniques.

Recipes & Links:

Lemony Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Dill

Salmon Rice Bowl with Green Curry Creamed Spinach

Mostly Chard Tiny Pasta Salad

Charred Kale with Citrus and Green Tahini

Garlic-and-Parmesan Braised Greens

Join Jesse and Shilpa to dive into each layer of Jesse's decadent, pantry-friendly Millionaire's Shortbread and answer questions from bake clubbers. Starting with the key differences that make this shortbread extra-toasty and tender, this episode travels through Jesse's caramel-studded past and obsession with the perfect, aesthetic slice.

Recipes & Links:

Millionaire's Shortbread

Chocolate Chipless Cookies

Caramel Apple Monkey Bread

Balsamic Butterscotch Sauce

Banoffee Pie

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Spring has sprung, but Chris isn’t sure spring produce is actually worth the hype. So noted asparagus enthusiast Shilpa Uskokovic joins him to gush about the joys of the season. They’ll also answer listener questions about ramps, managing the first few weeks of CSA season, and more.

Recipes & Links:

Crispy Miso-Butter Fish With Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus with Tahini Super Sauce

Cheesy Green Pea Fritters

Asparagus and Endive Salad with Comté Cream

Cashew Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette with Buckwheat Crust

BA’s Best Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Our Favorite Recipes for Ramps

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Harissa

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs

Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

Rice Cooker Risotto

Gillian has found herself working from home permanently and finds getting to the grocery store just isn't what it used to be. So, she's turned to Chris and Shilpa to help her stock her pantry and get her out of her weeknight rut.

Recipes featured in the episode:

Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta

Creamy Tahini and Harissa Beef

Hummus Bowls with Merguez-Spiced Tempeh

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
An Ode to Matzo Ball Mix
Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
Streit's Matzo Ball Mix

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

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