The Dinner Plan

A traditional Japanese meal highlights a range of flavors and cooking methods, but that doesn't have to mean a ton of weeknight cooking. The key, according to cookbook authors Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat, is a common version of meal prep that's highlighted in their new book, Japanese Comfort Cooking. So many sozai—those side dishes that go with your rice—can be made in advance to serve over the course of a few days. In this conversation, Tadashi and Harris share a few favorites that work especially well for meal prep, as well as a handful of quick Japanese recipes that they recommend you add to your repertoire. Get their cookbook recommendation links and a preview of the book over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.
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Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer on cookware and more.
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It's early to name the best cookbooks of 2026, but spring was so impressive and jam-packed that The Dinner Plan team joined up with Matt Rodbard of This Is TASTE to produce this special episode highlighting the best cookbooks from the first half of the year along with a preview of some of the really exciting new cookbooks that will be published this fall. Get links to the cookbooks mentioned here, plus a special limited-time discount on paid subscriptions to The Dinner Plan at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.
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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

McEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.com
Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other grocers nationwide.
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You've probably seen Alexandra Stacey's Instagram account, @frenchfamilyfood, but now she has a whole cookbook of salad recipes that make the most of whatever produce is in season. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks with Alexandra about the French salads Alex grew up with, the way she devises new dressings for different types of salads, and the worst salad she ever had.

TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com: recipes + a chance to win Salads for All Seasons
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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other grocers nationwide.
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgina Hayden has written cookbooks that highlight traditional Mediterranean recipes, but her latest, MEDesque, is a little looser, full of weeknight dinner ideas inspired by various ingredients and dishes that are beloved in the region. "I've interviewed priests and grannies" about traditional Greek and Cypriot cooking, Georgina says, "But with this one, I've just had a bit more fun and been a bit playful with it." In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Georgina explains how she simplifies Greek classics like spanakopita and moussaka, offers advice for cooking when you're feeling burnout, and shares all the pantry staples she's added to her kitchen. To get Georgina's antipasti pasta salad recipe and links to the cookbooks she recommends, check us out over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.
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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you looked in chef Claudette Zepeda's fridge, you’ll likely find the sauce she needs to turn a Costco rotisserie chicken into quick weeknight enchiladas for her kids, but there are a few more key flavor boosters, which she tells us all about in this episode of The Dinner Plan. Claudette shares some of the techniques and iconic Mexican dishes highlighted in her new cookbook, Cooking the Borderlands, plus the story of her attempt to recreate the original Caesar salad to the exacting requirements of the family that owns Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, where the dish originated. Head over to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a free recipe preview and a chance to win a copy of the book.
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Thanks to this week’s sponsors:
TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.
Masienda: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off ingredients and cookware at Masienda.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.