Rachel's the kind of cook who free-forms it – no two dinners turn out the same, and she likes it that way. But she’s setting up a dinner for her parents and her partner’s parents to meet each other for the first time, and she wants everything to be perfect. The only issue? Every one of her guests has a different dietary restriction, and none of them seem to work together. So Chris taps Kendra Vaculin to help keep Rachel's eyes on the ultimate prize: making this gathering an excellent time for all involved.

Recipes featured:

Squash and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna

Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette

Raspberry Cake with Whipped Cream Filling

Cheesy Mushroom Galette

Leah loves the Union Square Farmer's Market, but there's one tent she's too intimidated to stop at: the "mushroom guys" (aka Mushroom Queens).  So to help demystify the alien-looking fungi that Leah's seen at their stall — and prove to her that she can achieve a crispy, umami-rich 'shroom in her own kitchen — Chris takes Leah to Mushroom Queens in Ozone Park, and they get a tour of an urban mushroom farm.

Recipes featured:  

Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Ragu

Seared Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at The Financial Times. 

If you’ve been to the wine shop lately you may have noticed a trend: wines marketed specifically toward younger drinkers. Many are natural, organic, or biodynamic. Others are made without special certification but boast backstories that focus on the producers, not just the region or grapes. Wine writer Hannah Crosbie joins host Lilah Raptopoulos to give us a primer on what young wine drinkers want. Why are pét nats, skin-contact wines, and chilled reds suddenly everywhere?

Check out Life and Art from FT Weekend wherever you get your podcasts.

Nelson's partner, Cate, is an incredible cook. But she's chronically ill, and not always feeling well enough to cook. So Nelson wants to step up and make her delicious, nourishing meals when she's not feeling her best. The only issue? He's not so confident in the kitchen - especially when it comes to taking on a new recipe or technique. So Chris & Shilpa step in to provide him with a cornucopia of straightforward, unfussy recipes to build his confidence and help him make dinner for Cate. 

Recipes Featured:

Very Good Vegan Tacos

Herby Cauliflower Fritters

Samosa-Dillas with Cucumber Salad

Cold Soy Milk Noodles with Chili Crisp

Cold Noodles with Tomatoes and Peanut Sauce

Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce

Everyone’s Favorite Gado Gado

Caller Teddy has been vegan for a few years. But while she’s confident in her chickpea and lentil skills, bean mastery has eluded her. And, to be fair, the questions are big: canned or dried? What type of bean works best for which application? Is a big pot of brothy beans enough for a meal, or does it need to be doctored? Chris taps Justine Doiron (aka @Justine_Snacks), bean enthusiast, to help Teddy get hip to the humble bean.

Recipes mentioned:

Brothy Pasta with Chickpeas

Gochujang Brothy Beans

Breaded Beans

Brothy Beans

Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole

Learn more about how beans can help the planet and your health at BeansIsHow.com.

Share your thoughts on Dinner SOS. As a token of our appreciation, you will be eligible to enter a prize drawing up to $1,000 after you complete the survey.

https://selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/selfserve/222b/76152?pin=1&uBRANDLINK=1&uCHANNELLINK=2

Bon Appetit's annual Best New Restaurants list is live! This year, we're spotlighting 20 new American restaurants that we're particularly excited about. To celebrate the list's release, Chris sits down with Anna and Ni Nguyen, married couple and chef-owners of the Denver, Colorado restaurant Sap Sua. They talk about their partnership in and out of the kitchen and dig deep into the three Sap Sua recipes featured in this month's Bon Appetit magazine.

Recipes:

Fish with Coconut Caramel

Brown Butter Scrambled Eggs Over Rice

Tofu with Hot Oil Chimichurri

This week, we're checking back in on three callers whose Dinner SOS journeys we felt just weren't over. 

Listen to our callers' original episodes here:

Eddie

Tobi

Maddy

Shivani LOVES salad. But by Friday, the lettuce she bought on Monday is just... sad. To help Shivani get a fresh, crisp salad on the table every night, Chris calls on Jess Damuck, the cookbook author behind Salad Freak and Health Nut. The key? Rethinking what a salad can be. 

Recipes:

Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Lime, and Mint

Watermelon Salad with Shiso, Plum, and Salt

Crunchy Beans

Liz has three young kids, and the process of getting everybody fed and out the door in the morning can be soul-crushing. So Chris and Ali Slagle (author of the excellent cookbook I Dream of Dinner So You Don't Have To) join forces to help Liz's family's mornings go from sour to sweet.

Recipes:

Granola Scones

Almond, Kale, and Banana Smoothie

Banana, Oat, and Date Smoothie

Get Up & Go Blueberry Date Cocoa Smoothie

Bonus Recipes:

Blueberry Spelt Muffins

Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies

Fully Loaded Carrot Muffins

Kaitlin and her husband are food scientists — so you'd think they would have a creative solution for their lunch rut. But they're so bored of their midday go-to of yogurt and granola or hummus and veggies, they called up the experts for some work-from-home lunch help. Chris taps BA Food Editor Kendra to help Kaitlin fill her fridge with all the bits she'll need to make her weekday lunches feel delicious, not boring.

Recipes:

Herbed Chickpeas

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Egg Salad Tartines

Potato Salad with Mustard Sauce and Watercress

Summer Hand Rolls

Green Beans and Cucumbers with Miso Dressing.