Introducing Chipotle Ranch Pasta Salad and ourselves

introductions as written by the other and the best pasta salad yet no cap

our weekend update: same place different nights

Today you will not only be getting unhinged content and our favorite recipe to date but we will also be bragging that we’ve hit over 2,000 subscribers! They say that if you don’t celebrate your wins, no one will - and no one is, so here we go!

the greatest thing i’ve ever put in my mouth, NO CAP

To be real, we are very grateful that you are here. Maybe the hotdog content drew you in or perhaps you like my jokes (who wouldn’t) - either way, it’s fun to connect with people that have the same sense of humor and flawless taste. It means a lot that you read our deepest thoughts (scary) and make our recipes (confident about those). For anyone that is new here or doesn’t know us IRL, we’ll give you some quick facts about us.

We’ve seen sisters do something similar where they write sweet little paragraphs about each other - like how one lights up a room and the other has a heart of gold. Warning: this is not that. No offense to them (because it is admirable that they can express themselves openly and honestly without cringing), but some of us aren’t as developed. There are two types of sibling relationships!! Welcome to ours.

Amy (as written by Julie):

just a Libra and her digital camera

Amy is the meaner and edgier one - but actually I’m meaner once you get to know me (she’s a Libra). She can pull off baggier clothes way better than me and she’ll be the first to flip you off if you say anything to her at a bar. She went through this phase where anytime she would go out she HAD to find a stage, get on it, and start singing or speaking into a microphone. She was dragged off more than once. This is off-brand for her because she fears public speaking, but maybe deep down she is destined for it. Or maybe she just had one too many vodky sodies. Her strengths include:

• always being the driver when there are highways involved

• willing to get another coffee at any time of day

• being an arteest (this one is very legit, you should commission a painting from her but it also might stress her out because she is a bit of a perfectionist about it!!)

• being the voice of reason in an argument between two stubborn people (sometimes she just sits back and watches though)

• her moves on the dance floor late night (i.e. the forbidden)

• starting things (more of a ‘just go for it’ attitude than me)

• being one inch taller than me

• having a digital camera and sending the pictures to everyone after an event

• she’s good at cutting things that are annoying to cut and she likes doing it (melons, papaya, a delicate sandwich, hard bread)

• she can shuffle dance pretty naturally which is annoying to me because I’m bad at it

Her weaknesses are that she can’t load the dishwasher and she gets light-headed and insane if she doesn’t eat something every 2 hours, but she’s never actually that hungry so she waits too long and then has to rush home from wherever we are to scour the fridge immediately upon arrival. This repeats almost daily.

Sometimes she stops listening to me mid-sentence and then a couple minutes later she’ll say what I just said, as if it was her idea.

Her favorite food is soup but a lot of times she gets too hot eating it and she’ll start to overheat and panic (also known as an overheat panic). Her favorite color is TAN and she’s really into her favorite color being tan.

That was a lot, I don’t know if she’ll have as much to say about me because I blab more. But once she gets rolling she’ll probably write something insane. Can’t wait.

Julie (as written by Amy):

just someone who is grateful for their cool younger sister

Julie would be nothing without me. I am kind, cool, and someone who just gets it. Thankfully I am here to help her and help I do! Julie is someone you don’t want to get in a debate with and I am someone who avoids conflict so we make for a great team. Is this about me or her idk.

Julie has a crazy good sense of smell to the point where it’s weird. She randomly got an energy reading from her Uber driver (yes, you read that right) and at the end of the reading he said “btw you have a really strong sense of smell and I feel like that is important.” So if anyone knows how to profit off of a good sniffer… 

She is insane about food - like I’m insane, but Julie is a nutcase. You don’t want to be on the wrong end of a split with her, she will get the better half of the sandwich. Luckily, this is a quality you need in order to be a recipe developer (it’s in the job description). 

Facts about Julie:

• Makes a weird face after taking a shot

• Thinks she discovered Bad Bunny

• Bought a green set that we now call “garbage suit” that she has never worn because it makes her look like she just got off the early morning sanitation shift

• Has a problem doing laundry and everything comes out more stained than it started

• Has an endless supply of hypothetical questions to ask you

• Is a good mix of going with the flow while also not taking people’s shit

• Never missed a high school dance except one time in 11th grade when she broke her ankle during a soccer game and needed surgery on it, but I fed her an apple in the hospital so she couldn’t have the surgery for another 24 hours and then she missed the homecoming dance. I had a blast at it.

• Refuses to take the garbage out 

• Good at loading the dishwasher

• Always makes the group play a drinking game

• Can’t rollerblade but tries her best

• Makes a good volleyball playlist to the point where people are asking for it

• Her restaurant research is off the charts - can easily discover the best ones and knows what to get at them

• Will give you an accurate astrology reading late night at the bar

• Is a perfectionist when it comes to recipes, something that is needed!!

• ALWAYS has a poppy seed in her tooth

Why We’re a Good Team (you literally didn’t ask):

same but different

• We have no other choice

• Julie will ‘squeak’ aka complain about something being wrong at a restaurant and I will encourage said ‘squeak’

• I can’t taste salt and Julie can (this is a huge flaw of mine as a recipe developer and I shouldn’t be exposing this information but luckily you have Julie!)

• Julie’s phone camera is always smudged so I have to take the pictures

• I don’t do emails and Julie does (I can’t read?)

• I’ve tried to derail our entire company more than I’d like to admit and Julie is the voice of reason

• This list is giving I should be fired

Also, we’re not twins but there’s this thing that happens to us literally everywhere we go - people go out of their way to excitedly yell “ARE YOU TWINS?” at us. Like they’re yelling it out of their car window as they’re driving by or they’re stopping us in the street. Why do they need to know so badly? I have no idea. We’re actually 16 months apart but for our entire lives, up until last week, we thought we were 18. You’re finding this out at almost the same time as us.

The Pasta Salad of All Pasta Salads

grilled corn and creamy chipotle pasta salad

I’m crying over how delicious this pasta salad is. I KNOW we say that about every pasta salad we make but this one actually brought tears to my eyes. We finished eating it and the next day, immediately made it again. Then (just the two of us) ate that entire second portion in one sitting - it’s a pound of pasta. We’re not messing about!!

It’s a spicy, elote-inspired pasta salad so what is not to love. The dressing kind of tastes like the Chipotle salad dressing (iykyk) and I’d like to drown in it. There’s a lot of our favorite things in here like jalapeños, scallions, and cilantro (top tier herb). Then, we top it off with tajin - it’s giving SPICY MARG. If you like tajin on the rim, you’ll love it on a noodle (??)

We said this about our Charred Lemon Pasta Salad - but I really do believe if someone is trying to break up with you and you make them this, they wouldn’t be able to go through with it. After they eat it - dump them. Or you can bring it to a BBQ or potluck and allow everyone to enjoy it without ending relationships. The choice is yours!

LYLAS and see you next week <3 (what is LYLAS? - Amy)

stunning gorgeous

Grilled Corn and Creamy Chipotle Pasta Salad

Serves 4-6:

For the pasta salad:

• 1 lb cavatappi pasta

• 3 ears corn, shucked (or 1 can corn)

• 2 jalapeños, seeds removed and chopped

• 1/4 cup scallions (4-5 stalks), chopped

• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 cup vegan feta or cojita cheese, plus more for serving (we used Follow Your Heart Feta Crumbles)

• Tajin, for serving

• Limes, for serving

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup vegan Greek yogurt or sour cream (we used Kite Hill)

• 3/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 lime zest

• 3 limes, juiced (1/4 cup)

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, with some liquid

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Salt & pepper 

Method:

1. Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water. Option to spread it onto a baking tray to cool faster.

2. Grill the corn: Turn your grill on high heat. Brush or spray the corn with oil. Add the corn to the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning frequently so it cooks evenly. It should have a nice char without drying out. Once it has cooled, cut it off the cob.

   1. If you’re not grilling corn: Cut the corn off the cob (raw) or use 1 can corn kernels, drained and rinsed.

3. Make the dressing: To a blender, add the Greek yogurt, mayo, lime zest, lime juice, dried spices, chipotle peppers in adobo, honey, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

4. Combine: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, corn kernels, jalapeños, scallions, cilantro, feta or cojita cheese, and the dressing. If you are not serving right away, reserve some of the dressing for when it’s time (otherwise the pasta will soak it up).

5. Serve or chill: Serve immediately with a sprinkle of tajin and extra lime juice or let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour or more.

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