Celebrating Friendship Through Food: My Experiences and Recipes

By Boyd Ensley

BOYD ENSLEY/ UP Blog Writer

It’s no secret that food has a special way of uniting people and expressing love. Over this semester, I’ve had the joy of cooking with friends on several occasions, and what made each experience beautiful was the variety of people I shared that time with. First, I cooked with my freshman-year trio, then with my spring break crew, and most recently, with my big brother. Each of these meals was nowhere near the same, yet all brought us closer together.

I hope to inspire you to enrich your friendships and share some easy recipes that make for an unforgettable dinner. And while my spring break crew had a lovely time breaking bread, it was a typical “boy dinner” of chicken and rice — so I won’t dive into that recipe.

Unfortunately, after we said goodbye to Hillcrest Hall freshman year, my trio rarely finds time to meet up. But one day, we all decided to head to our friend’s apartment and share a meal I offered to cook: my grandma’s own penne alla vodka. The ingredients are as follows: butter, shallots, garlic, red sauce, heavy cream, bacon, crushed red pepper flakes and vodka.

For one pound of pasta, dice two shallots and four cloves of garlic. Chop and cook eight slices of bacon. Separately, heat one stick of butter until it turns golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic to the butter and continue cooking until the butter is very brown. Add a jar of marinara sauce, followed by a cup of heavy cream. Separately, microwave 3/4 cup of vodka with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for about three minutes. Slowly add the vodka and red pepper mix to the sauce — be careful, as the heat mixed with the alcohol can cause it to splatter. Boil and strain your pasta, then mix it with the sauce. Stir and let it settle before serving.

The next cooking experience, with my big brother, was on a rainy Saturday night. We decided that Salisbury steak with sautéed green beans and smashed potatoes would be a satisfying dinner. We used a less traditional recipe that we found online (Best Salisbury Steak - Southern Bite), but the result did not disappoint. 

Looking back on this semester, I’m so grateful for the simple moments created by a home-cooked meal. Each of these dinners became more than just food — they became comfort and connection. Whether you want to strengthen a friendship or just need an excuse to reunite and catch up, find a kitchen and get to cooking. The best meals aren’t perfect — they’re the ones that are shared.