Southwestern Vegetable and Pasta Salad

On July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes1 Comment

We barbequed some Memphis style baby back ribs the other week and decided to pair them with a southwestern vegetable and pasta salad. The flavors of the southwest are actually pretty complimentary to some southern style meals as well. It is a pretty simple salad and can be done with a variety of pastas that catch the dressing like orecchiette (little ears), bowtie, or small shells. It is also a great vehicle for a variety of vegetables, so feel free to mix it up and make it your own.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb Orecchiette Paste – cooked to the package directions
1 Yellow Pepper – grilled, skins removed, and julienned
1/2 Red Onion – sliced
3 Tomatillos – diced into bite-sized pieces
1 cup Corn Kernels – fresh or frozen that has been thawed
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
1 canned Chipotle Pepper
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Vegetable and Pasta Salad Paired with Ribs

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, yellow pepper, onion, tomatillos, and corn. Place the vinegar, chipotle pepper, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. This recipe creates more dressing than is needed, so slowly add the dressing to the pasta, being sure to toss the pasta and vegetables until coated.

Variations of Lasagna

On May 27, 2020May 27, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes1 Comment

We have enjoyed a variety of lasagna meals throughout our different travels, but especially during our time in Italy. Although lasagna refers to the traditional tomato, meat, and cheese between layers of pasta, more generally speaking it is just food that is layered. We have enjoyed some very creative lasagna meals over the years and have recreated a few of our favorites at home as well.

Traditional Meat Lasagna – Sometimes there is nothing better than the original. We had several different traditional lasagna meals during our time in Tuscany and it is certainly a meal that we never get tired of.

Greek Moussaka – Instead of pasta, this Mediterranean dish uses egg plant to create the layers of deliciousness. Made with ground lamb and aromatic spices, it is a wonderful meal and something that we hadn’t eaten until our time living in Europe.

Greek Moussaka at a Restaurant in Frankfurt

Crab and Spinach Lasagna – Using a béchamel with seafood is a great way to do a unique twist on lasagna. Using spinach also keeps it fresh, but despite the fact that it has crab and spinach, there is still plenty of cheese to make it hearty.

One of the things that we haven’t created yet is a Mexican or Southwestern style lasagna, but that is certainly another great option. Regardless of whether you only eat traditional lasagna or branch out to some different variations, lasagna is certainly a meal that almost everyone enjoys. Lasagna makes for a great meal to serve at a party as well as for feeding a large family. It is often better the next day as a leftover than it was on the day that it was first made.

Brasserie Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

On April 8, 2020April 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes3 Comments

During the time that we spent in Frankfurt, we enjoyed a wide variety of restaurants, especially French, Italian, and Thai restaurants. Because we went out for lunch and dinner almost every day, we looked for places to eat that were located around our apartment where the staff was friendly, the food was good, and the atmosphere was inviting. There was a restaurant near the underground train station that we used almost on a daily basis that became our go-to place to eat and have a glass of wine. The restaurant was called the Brasserie, but unfortunately it closed down shortly after we left Frankfurt.

Located next to Alte Oper (the old opera house), the Brasserie was basically a French Bistro with fresh food of the finest quality. We enjoyed many wonderful meals at the Brasserie, but probably our favorite meals would have been the plate du jour, which obviously changed daily. Like many European restaurants have a somewhat limited menu, but everything we ate there was truly delicious. The meals were not particularly expensive, despite being in the heart of the tourist area and only about a ten-minute walk from our apartment.