Potato Salad – A Summer Favorite

On July 13, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes8 Comments

As summer turns up the heat, we cool things down by preparing a nice batch of cold potato salad. It is creamy, refreshing, and can be paired with just about any entrée. It is also perfect for summer picnics or any large gathering. We happened to serve it with some halibut that we’d dusted with Old Bay Seasoning and then breaded, but it could have just as easily been served with hot dogs, hamburgers, or anything else. The key to a good potato salad is to not over cook the potatoes, but to get them just to the point that a knife slides easily through them and then immediately cooling them off so that the cooking process stops. If you over cook the potatoes, they will become too soft to mix with the sauce. This is one of our favorite side dishes, so we hope that you enjoy it.

Ingredients

4 Medium Potatoes – cut into half-inch cubes
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Brown Mustard
1/2 Stalk of Celery – finely chopped
2 tbsp Onion – finely chopped
2 Hard Boiled Eggs – chopped
1/2 tsp Celery Salt
2 to 3 tbsp Milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the potatoes into cold, salted, water and heat to a boil. Boil at a slow-rolling boil for approximately 20 minutes or until a knife easily penetrates the potatoes. Drain the potatoes, put them back into the hot pan to help get any excess water off of the potatoes, then put the potatoes into a bowl and chill them in the refrigerator until cold. If you are in a time crunch, you can put them in the freezer until they are chilled (not frozen). In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustards, celery, onion, celery salt, milk, salt and pepper, stirring until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the egg to the potatoes and gently toss with the mayonnaise mixture until all of the potatoes are fully coated.

Baked Manicotti – Simple and Delicious

On April 27, 2016April 27, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes9 Comments

Manicotti is one of those meals that is perfect for any occasion and, best of all, it is even better the next day. When we’re looking for a meal that can satisfy our tastes as well as offer multiple dinner options, manicotti is an excellent choice. The spaghetti or marinara sauce can pull double duty and be frozen or put over pasta later in the week and the leftovers make a wonderful lunch as well. Baked manicotti can be made for a large party or for just the two of us, which works out perfect with our busy lives.

Ingredients

1 box Manicotti Shells (10 shells) – If you can’t find manicotti shells, you can substitute cannelloni shells.
2 cups Spaghetti or Marinara Sauce – we used our own semi-homemade sauce, but you can use your favorite sauce.
16 oz Ricotta Cheese
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese – shredded
1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 egg
Parmesan Cheese – shredded as desired
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the shells according to the box instructions leaving them slightly al dente since they will be baked afterward. Mix the ricotta cheese, three-quarters of the mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. In a casserole dish, spread about a half a cup of the sauce into the bottom of the dish. When the shells are cool, stuff them with the cheese mixture and place into the casserole dish. Cover the shells with remaining sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, if using. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Chili Mac – Traditional Comfort Food, Non-Traditional Recipe

On December 16, 2015 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes4 Comments

This is one of our favorite winter time recipes. This might not be what you typically think of when you think of chili mac, but it is really, really delicious. 🙂 There is something about the tang of the vinegar combined with the spice of the chili powder that makes this dish stand out. Obviously you could use macaroni noodles, but the spaghetti noodles work so much better because they simply add a layer of flavor because they aren’t as thick as macaroni noodles. It is also a one pot dinner where we use a short cut to make it easier, but you certainly could make the chili from scratch if you’d like. If you’re willing to give it a try, we think it might become one of your favorite recipes as well.

Ingredients

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
3 – 15 oz Cans of Chili (you’re favorite brand)
4 tbsp Chili Powder (half hot and half regular if available)
1 1/2 tbsp Granulated Garlic Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
8 oz Thin Spaghetti Noodles (half of a 1 lb package)

Instructions

Add the ground beef, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large sauce pot and brown the ground beef on medium-high heat. Browning the ground beef with the spices will allow the meat to absorb the flavor as it cooks. Add the three cans of chili, retaining the cans. Stir the ground beef with the chili. Fill each chili can three-quarters of the way to top with water, swirling the water as you fill them to get any additional sauce from the sides of the can. Add the vinegar and the water from the three cans to the pot. Stir in the cayenne pepper and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat low. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Increase the heat to medium-low and add the spaghetti noodles in small batches to the pot (you can break the long noodles into shorter pieces, if you prefer), stirring them in as they are added. If you add the noodles all at once or in large handfuls, they will stick together and not fully cook. If there isn’t enough liquid to cover the noodles, add enough hot water to ensure that the noodles have enough liquid to absorb. Cooking the spaghetti noodles in the liquid from the chili will allow them to absorb all of the spices and flavors from the chili while they cook. Cook the noodles until they are at the desired tenderness.