The One with All the Recipes: An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Friends

By Teresa Finney

Could this BE any more delicious? Make floor cheesecake, fried stuff with cheese, and more: “The ultimate Friends fan needs this.” —Popsugar

You’ve seen every episode of Friends (multiple times). You get all the inside jokes. You even know how to make that trifle. But with this fun and funny cookbook, you can take your fandom one step further by whipping up incredible entrées, drinks, and desserts inspired by this iconic 1990s sitcom.

You know one person who doesn’t share food, but you can share yours! This cookbook is packed with delicious recipes perfect for you and your own friends to enjoy together. Whether it’s a going away party when you move to Yemen, a Friendsgiving dinner in your unaffordable NYC apartment, or just having some nibbles during a binge viewing party, The One with All the Recipes will be there for you with:

• Not-So-Fine Margaritas

• Engagement Ring Lasagna

• “French Aunt” Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Thanksgiving Turkey for One

• Fried Stuff with Cheese

• Perfect Pox Peach Cobbler, and much more

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781612438801

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

For a woman in her mid-30s, television from the ’90s tends to evoke feelings of nostalgia. Thanks to internet streaming, those television memories from childhood can easily be revisited. From 1994 to 2004, Friends was as much a part of my weekly life as studying for algebra tests and learning how to drive on the 101. The show debuted when I was in the fourth grade and had its series finale two years after I graduated high school, so it was a big part of the culture that surrounded me as both a kid and a teenager. Like lots of people who loved television in the ’90s, I would plop down in front of the TV set with whatever dinner my mom whipped up that night and enjoy the antics of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey.

One of my favorite things about Friends was the way food acted as a supporting character and an underlying theme. This was thanks—at least in part—to Monica Geller working in the food industry. Whether Monica was moonlighting as a wedding caterer or enlisting the help of her buddies in getting Thanksgiving dinner on the table (and there are so many great Thanksgiving-themed episodes), show writers were able to inject food into countless episodes. And they did so brilliantly, from the very first season with Rachel digging into a lasagna to fish out her engagement ring, to Ross describing how to keep a turkey sandwich moist, to Phoebe’s grandmother trying to pass off her chocolate chip cookie recipe as a family heirloom when, in fact, it came from the back of a chocolate chip bag.

For this book, I created recipes inspired by various food-themed Friends episodes, scenes, and one-liners. You’ll find cocktails and drinks like Fun Irish Coffee and Tiki Death Punch, appetizers like a Cheese Plate (with milk that you chew), and main courses like Spicy Enchiladas (that might even induce labor!). I’d never forget about dessert, so I included recipes for Divorced Parents Pumpkin Pie and, of course, Floor Cheesecake.

I think these recipes will be great for people who are Friends fanatics as well as people who have never watched the show. Whether you’re preparing an appetizer for a chill Sunday night dinner or throwing a massive Friends-themed party, these recipes will, as they say, be there for you.

APPETIZERS, SALADS, AND SIDES

CHEESE PLATE

Here’s a cheese plate made with milk that you chew. We recommend pairing with a nice sliced baguette, but crackers will work as well—just as long as you have something. Your cheese needs a buddy, after all.

Yield: 4 servings ■ Prep time: 10 minutes

1 (8½-ounce) baguette, sliced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces aged cheddar, sliced thinly

8 ounces smoked Gouda, sliced thinly

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

4-ounce Gorgonzola wedge

⅓ cup apricot jam

¼ cup spicy brown mustard

1. Set your oven to broil or to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the baguette slices and toast in the oven for about 3 minutes, or until the baguette slices have become golden brown. Set aside.

2. On a large wooden cutting board arrange the sliced cheddar and smoked Gouda around the corners. Arrange the softened goat cheese and the Gorgonzola wedge directly on the cutting board. Spoon the jams and mustard into small serving bowls. Place the baguette slices in the center of the board, then position the jams and mustard around the board.

3. Serve immediately.

SALMON RILLETTES

When hosting a poker party, don’t forget the essentials: chips, nuts, guacamole, and, of course, salmon rillettes, a high-class snack for a high-stakes game. Am I right?

Yield: 4 servings ■ Prep time: 10 minutes ■ Cook time: 15 minutes

10 baguette slices

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups dry white wine

1 tablespoon roughly chopped shallot (about ½ small shallot)

1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives

juice of 1 small lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Set your oven to broil or to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the baguette slices and toast in the oven for about 3 minutes, or until the baguette slices have become golden brown. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the wine and shallot to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the salmon pieces.

3. Gently poach the salmon for 5 minutes, or until the centers of the fish are just barely opaque. Drain the poaching liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve the shallot. Place the salmon and shallot in a large bowl.

4. To the bowl with the salmon and shallot, add the mayonnaise, fresh chives, and lemon juice. Gently stir with a rubber spatula just to combine, being sure not to overmix. Season with the salt and black pepper.

5. Transfer the mixture to a small serving bowl and serve with baguette slices.

CREAMY ARTICHOKE DIP

Who doesn’t love an artichoke dip at a fancy New Year’s Eve party? There’s at least one Janice in New York who goes crazy for it. Serve this dip with a vegetable tray, crunchy pita chips, or baguette slices and you’ll have all your guests exclaiming, Oh my God!

Yield: 8 servings ■ Prep time: 10 minutes ■ Cook time: 30 to 35 minutes

2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 scallions, roughly chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, place half the artichokes along with the mayonnaise, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, and the lemon juice and garlic. Process until smooth.

3. Add the chopped scallions and the remaining artichokes, and continue to process just a second or two