Lazy Day | The Dinner Special podcast

Lazy Day with Cindy Ensley of Hungry Girl por Vida

May 9, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Cindy Ensley of Hungry Girl por Vida

Happy Mother’s Day weekend!

As a new parent, sometimes chatting with another parent is so comforting.

I picked up a bunch of tips during my podcast chat with Cindy (who’s a mom!).

One of the big ones is to have a batch or pre-cooked rice or pasta in the fridge, so meals can be whipped up on the fly in next to no time. It’s been such a time-saver for us.

During our talk she shared her stories about cooking as a parent, how to bring fun back into cooking if it’s become a chore, and lots of other goodies. Check out her episode highlights HERE.

A Handful of Cindy’s Favorite Things:

Cooking TV Shows She Watches:	The Taste MasterChef Junior
A Food Blog we Have to Know About:	Take a Megabite
Someone to Follow on Social Media:	Half Baked Harvest
A Couple of Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Mad Hungry Pancakes
A Song that Makes Her Want to Cook:	Cherry Bomb by Spoon

ICYMI: Cindy’s World Ending, Last Meal:

For me as a new parent, and pretty much being exhausted most of the time, it’s nice to chat with other parents to hear their experience. It’s always comforting to know you’re not the alone. (Misery loves company. Ha!) It’s such a bonus when they share tips that are really useful and Cindy did just that for me!

Thanks Cindy!

Whether you’re a parent to little ones or not, Cindy’s episode is fun and definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already. Listen or download Cindy’s episode on iTunes.

She’s episode 021.

If you like what you hear, please rate and review the podcast on iTunes HERE. (I’d so appreciate it!)

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, soon-to-be moms and grandmas out there! Hope you’re enjoying YOUR day!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Ileana Morales Valentine of A Little Saffron

May 2, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

It’s really amazing how food has the power to bring people closer together. Whether it’s family or friends, the ritual of cooking together and sharing a meal, always leads to wonderful things. (Even if sometimes the dishes don’t come out as planned.)

Ileana shares her stories on the podcast HERE.

Ileana also wrote a post of our chat on her blog! Be sure to check that out HERE.

Ileana Morales Valentine of A Little Saffron:

It was really great to chat with Ileana. She shared her story of growing up with Nicaraguan Latin food with her family in Miami and how it was different than her husband Danny’s food memories growing up in Iowa.

Their food adventures brought them closer together even though experimenting in the kitchen didn’t always result in something delicious or edible! (You can check out Ileana’s episode highlights HERE.)

A Handful of Ileana’s Favorite Things:

Some Cooking Shows She Enjoys:	Ina Garten Extra Virgin Bitchin' Kitchen
Some Food Blogs We Have to Know About:	Orangette Two Red Bowls Local Milk
A Couple of Instagrams to Follow:	Food52 Jillian Guyette
Twitter Accounts She Likes:	Naturally Ella Kristen Bell Dax Shepard
Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Sheet Pan Suppers Plenty

ICYMI: Ileana’s World Ending, Last Meal:

I love hearing stories of how food can help build and strengthen relationships. I feel like we all have to eat and cooking is a big part of the overall experience. It can bring people of seemingly different backgrounds closer even if the result isn’t always stellar. There’s always a story to tell.

Thanks Ileana!

You can listen or download Ileana’s episode on iTunes HERE.

She’s episode 020.

I’d really appreciate it if you do enjoy the podcast, to please rate and review it on iTunes HERE.

Weeks are just flying by! Hope you’re taking some time to enjoy your lazy days.

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Amy Kritzer of What Jew Wanna Eat

April 25, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

One of the really neat things I’ve found about doing the podcast is that I get to learn about not only food, but the stories behind the food.

Amy Kritzer of What Jew Wanna Eat:

Amy’s excitement and enthusiasm for Jewish cuisine is infectious, and her recipes and blog posts are always super funny and creative. It was tons of fun chatting with her.

Because I’m not at all familiar with Jewish cuisine, it was awesome for her to explain some of the culture behind the food and give resources and tips for learning more and giving it a try. (You can catch her episode highlights HERE.)

A Handful of Amy’s Favorite Things:

A Couple of Food Shows She Watches:	Chopped Top Chef
Some Food Blogs and Websites We Have to Know About:	My Name is Yeh Little Ferraro Kitchen Tori Avey Food52
Instagrams to Follow:	Andy Cohen The Garden of Eatin The Infatuation
Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Ottolenghi's Cookbooks The Joy of Cooking Schmaltz
Music that Makes Her Wanna Cook:	Taylor Swift Whitney Houston

ICYMI: Amy’s World Ending, Last Meal:

The awesome thing about food is that it brings people from different backgrounds together. Amy is sharing not only her food, but the stories behind it, in a creative and fun way. I think that’s pretty darn awesome!

Thanks Amy!

To listen to or download Amy’s episode on iTunes, click HERE.

She’s episode 019.

Don’t forget, if you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do me a favor and rate and review it on iTunes HERE.

It’s been another amazing week thanks to you!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Jonathan Melendez of The Candid Appetite

April 18, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Each week I really look forward to writing these Lazy Day posts. They bring me back to when I chatted with my food hero guests, and I get a little bit nostalgic, even though in most cases, it was maybe just a month or two ago.

Weird. I know.

Anyhow, here’s this week’s Lazy Day food hero guest.

Jonathan Melendez of The Candid Appetite:

Jonathan Melendez of The Candid Appetite was an awesome guest on the podcast. We chatted about a ton of stuff, from his photography to his collaboration with Joy the Baker, and doughnuts. (You can catch his episode highlights HERE.)

We somehow found ourselves chatting about Bill Nighy and our shared love of the movie About Time. If you haven’t watched it yet, definitely check it out!

A Handful of Jonathan’s Favorite Things:

Food Shows that He Watches:	Chopped Top Chef
Some Food Blogs we Have to Know About:	i am a food blog Souvlaki For The Soul Top With Cinnamon
An Instagram to Follow:	Chronicle Books
Cookbooks that Make His Life Better:	Homemade Decadence Ceviche Huckleberry
A Song that Makes Him Want to Cook:	Burnin' Up by Jessie J

ICYMI: Jonathan’s World Ending, Last Meal:

My chat with Jonathan is proof that I never know where our conversations will go.

Each episode has an outline but it’s awesome to get off course once in awhile and discover interesting, off topic things about my guests.

Thanks Jonathan!

To listen or download Jonathan’s episode on iTunes, click HERE.

He’s episode 018.

If you enjoy the show, I’d be so thankful if you could rate and review it HERE.

Thanks for spending a moment of your lazy day with me!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Phoebe Lapine of Feed Me Phoebe

April 11, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

It’s the weekend!

What does that mean? Maybe brunch or hanging out at the park? Yup, for sure, but it also means it’s time for a Lazy Day post!

Here we go!

Phoebe Lapine of Feed Me Phoebe

Chatting with Phoebe on the podcast was awesome! (You can catch her episode highlights HERE.)

She’s so enthusiastic and passionate about cooking more healthfully, and focusing on food as a part of our overall wellness. We talked about a bunch of things, from her wheat allergy and following a gluten-free diet, to her close connection with the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.

She’s currently on her Wellness Project. If you want to feel better by eating better, be sure to head on over to Phoebe’s website HERE to following along!

A Handful of Phoebe’s Favorite Things:

A TV Show She Watches:	Barefoot Contessa
Some Food Blogs We Have to Know About:	Desserts for Two Domesticate Me The Yellow Table
Some Instagram Peeps to Follow:	Hannah Bronfman How Sweet Eats The Fat Jewish
Cookbooks That Make Her Life Better:	Ina Garten cookbooks The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen
A Musical Artist that Makes Her Want to Cook:	Taylor Swift

ICYMI: Phoebe’s World Ending, Last Meal:

I have so much fun chatting with my food hero guests. I love listening to their stories and also learning from them. Phoebe was awesome, and had a bunch of ideas for eating better and feeling better. Who doesn’t want to feel good right?

Thanks Phoebe!!

To listen or download Phoebe’s episode on iTunes, click HERE. She’s episode 017.

I’m always super excited that folks are finding the podcast and listening. If you enjoy the show, it’d be so awesome if you could rate and review it HERE. Thank you so much in advance.

That’s it for another Lazy Day. Have a super one!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Renee Byrd of Will Frolic for Food

April 4, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Ok. I’m changing things up a tiny bit.

If you’ve been following along with my Lazy Day series, you’ll know I’ve been doing recaps of some of my food hero guests’ favorite things. So, each weekend, I highlighted three of my past guests.

BUT,

I was thinking, why not try doing one at a time? That way it’s not too overwhelming and your lazy day doesn’t become an unnecessary busy day.

Everything here at The Dinner Special is about experimenting anyway, so here’s my first experiment with Lazy Day.

Renee of Will Frolic for Food

It was super cool to chat with Renee on the podcast. She talked about her passion for food and how it grew, but it was especially nice to hear her story about her food sensitivities.

Renee talked about learning to cook with food sensitivities and shared tips, resources and ideas on cooking gluten-free and dairy-free for the first time. Check out what she shared HERE.

Renee’s World Ending, Last Meal:

A Handful of Renee’s Favorite Things:

A YouTube Channel that Has Some Cool Videos:	Green Kitchen Stories
Some Food Blogs We Have to Know About:	Two Red Bowls Dolly and Oatmeal Adventures in Cooking My New Roots
An Instagram to Follow:	Eva Kosmas Flores
Some Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Plenty The Inspired Vegan BabyCakes Covers The Classics
Music that Makes Her Want to Cook:	Kishi Bashi

Renee was such a great guest. I learned so much and she definitely had a ton of knowledge to drop.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first revamp of Lazy Day.

I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section below, or feel free to email me at: thedinnerspecial [at] gmail [dot] com.

A tiny shoutout for the podcast – if you haven’t already, please check it out on iTunes and subscribe to it HERE. It’s FREE! If you enjoy the show, I’d really appreciate it if you would rate and review it HERE.

Until next week, have a super amazing Easter lazy day!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Cake Over Steak, HonestlyYUM, and Sugarlaws

March 28, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

I always get super excited to do these lazy day posts. They give me a chance to check out all the cool stuff that my food hero guests are into. And it’s always such an awesome mix because they all have different views on food.

Sara from Cake Over Steak is a super talented artist and looks at food in that same way. Karen is a globetrotter and loves to entertain, and HonestlyYUM is a reflection of that, and Katy of Sugarlaws is a mom, lawyer and writer, so the way she cooks has to fit into her busy life.

Below are some fun things they love and shared on podcast.

Sara Cornelius, Cake Over Steak

Sara is really passionate about art and we chat about that, but one thing we talked about was her passion and love of a certain food. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone with such a passion for it. Find out what it is HERE.

You can also find out what Sara would have for her World Ending, Last Meal HERE. (A hint, it includes the food that she’s super passionate about.)

A Food Show She Enjoys:	Mad Hungry
Some Food Blogs or Websites We Have to Know About:	Food52 Cookie and Kate Love and Lemons Minimalist Baker
Instagrams to Follow:	Momma's Gone City Bev Cooks
Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Smitten Kitchen cookbook Keys to the Kitchen Fast, Fresh and Green
An Album that Makes Her Want to Cook:	Dean Martin's Greatest Hits

Karen Chan, HonestlyYUM

Karen has such a cool global view on food and it was super awesome to talk with her about different cultures and their food. If you’re not an adventurous eater, check out what Karen thinks would be a good gateway cuisine to try HERE.

For her last meal, Karen talks about a delicious dish that actually my wife made me when we were first dating. When put into the hands of someone who knows how to make it, it can’t be beat. Find out what it is HERE.

A Food Show She Watches:	Top Chef
A Food Blog we Have to Know About:	Green Kitchen Stories
An Instagram Account to Follow:	Yellowstone National Park
Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Nigel Slater (Anything!)
A Band That Makes Her Want to Cook:	Alabama Shakes

Katy Atlas, Sugarlaws

I can really relate to Katy’s view on food and cooking at the moment, especially with a baby in our home. It’s really not about doing anything too fancy, but just having something that’s healthy and uncomplicated. If you want to limit your time spent in the kitchen, listen to Katy’s episode HERE.

Katy’s last meal is an eclectic mix of very simple things, well, and also champagne, but why not? The world is ending afterall! Find out what she’d have for her last meal HERE.

Food Shows She Enjoys:	Martha Stewart
Some Food Blogs and Websites We Have to Know About:	Bon Appetit Cooking Light Cupcakes and Cashmere
A Few Cookbooks That Make Her Life Better:	Martha Stewart The Art of Simple Food
Musical Artists That Make Her Want to Cook:	Bob Dylan Crosby, Stills and Nash The Beatles

That’s it! Another week of awesome conversations with food heroes.

I’m so lucky to be doing this.

If you haven’t already, please check out the iTunes page and subscribe to the podcast HERE to catch all the episodes. It’s FREE! If you enjoy the show, it’d be super cool if you would rate and review it on iTunes.

Have an incredible lazy day. You deserve it!

Gabriel

Lazy Day with Not Without Salt, Steamy Kitchen, and Sift and Whisk

March 21, 2015 by Gabriel 2 Comments

There are so many reasons I love doing these podcasts, but one in particular is that I get to learn so much.

This week alone, it was cool to chat with Ashley Rodriguez of Not Without Salt about food and how it can help relationships flourish, and then with Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen, where I totally connected with her on the food she shares and similar Chinese childhood experiences.

Finishing off the week with baker and desserts extraordinaire Maria Siriano of Sift and Whisk, talking with her was like chatting with an old friend.

It really doesn’t get much better.

Below are some of the fun and cool things they mentioned on their podcast episodes.

Ashley Rodriguez, Not Without Salt

With Ashley’s new book – Date Night In, we talked a lot about food and how it can help relationships grow. If you missed it, catch her episode HERE.

Also, find out what Ashley would have as her World Ending, Last Meal HERE.

A Cooking Show She Enjoys:	MasterChef Junior
Some Food Blogs We Have to Know About:	Sprouted Kitchen Seven Spoons A Sweet Spoonful
Someone to Follow on Instagram:	Helen Dealtry
Cookbooks that Make Her Life Better:	Eat by Nigel Slater Frankies Spuntino cookbook

Jaden Hair, Steamy Kitchen

If you’re at all intimidated by Asian cooking, or simply want to learn more, Jaden is your go-to. She shares a ton of tips on her episode HERE.

A simple comfort dish is Jaden’s choice for her Last Meal, find out what it is HERE.

A Food Show She's Watched with The Host:	The Pioneer Woman
A Cooking Website and Food Blog We Have to Know About:	Simply Recipes Lady and Pups
Best-Selling Books She's Appeared In:	The 4-Hour Chef The $100 Startup
A Music Album That Makes Her Want to Cook:	Big Night movie soundtrack

Maria Siriano, Sift and Whisk

What can I say, I probably chuckled way more than usual during my conversation with Maria. How does George Clooney work his way into a conversation (several times) about baking and food? Find out HERE.

Maria knew exactly what she wanted for her World Ending, Last Meal, but who’d be performing? Well, she was a bit conflicted. Find out who she decides on HERE.

A Cooking Show She Enjoys:	Good Eats
Some Cooking Websites and Food Blogs We Have to Know About:	Serious Eats Bakers Royale Half Baked Harvest The Sugar Hit Sugar Hero
A Few Cookbooks That Make Her Life Better:	Cook's Illustrated cookbook Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver Baked cookbooks
An Album That Makes Her Want to Cook:	West Side Story soundtrack

As mentioned, it’s so much fun to chat with my food heroes.

I learn so much from them.

I hope you enjoy listening! If you do, please head on over to the iTunes page and subscribe HERE. It’s free. And if you REALLY enjoy the show, I’d be so grateful if you would rate and review it on iTunes.

Until next week, I hope you have an amazing lazy day.

Gabriel