The Last Goodbye and the last pasta salad recipe you'll need
feat. Buffalo Pasta Salad with Poblano Ranch
We saw Odesza at MSG over the weekend (The Last Goodbye Finale show) and it was fcking incredible. They had a full drum line, band, and orchestra. I can’t even imagine the amount of admin and logistics that went into planning this performance. It was insane. Thank god I wasn’t in charge of literally anything except getting myself to the stadium, which was challenging enough for me.
Watching the drum line absolutely crush made me I wish I could go back in time to my high school marching band days and make out with all the drummers. They had rizz that was not talked about enough. You can’t live your life with regrets - but you can move forward and try to make out with Odesza’s drum line.
In a shocking turn of events, Julie wore her garbage suit to the concert. In order to really vibe with her fit, she proceeded to take out Rose’s trash. She ended up receiving more than one compliment on the outfit, which shocked the group to its core. Was it out of pity? We will never know.
It’s a No From Me
A great quote from Leeann during the concert was “it’s like we’re at a concert or something.” No, she wasn’t being sarcastic. The orchestra got to her head.
Another great mid-concert quote (it wasn’t as good as Leelee’s) came from the performers themselves. Before one of their most popular songs, one of the Odesza guys said to the crowd, “I don’t care what you do, just have fun.”
Simple, yet profound. I’m going to take that quote and make it my entire personality. Idgaf what you’re up to - if you’re having fun, go off. It’s none of my business. And why wouldn’t I make my whole life about having fun??! So unless it’s fun, it’s a no from me.
Pasta Salad Addicts
It’s a YES from me…
This leads me to my next topic of pasta salad because pasta salad is FUN. Each week, when we’re deciding what recipe to make, we ask ourselves how far is too far in regards to pasta salad. Can you make too much? Will people start to wonder if we have an addiction? How many variations are even possible? Should we move on??
But then we think to ourselves, how do you move on from an ex you’re still in love with?! YOU DON’T! So here we are with another pasta salad that we are in love with.
It’s a buffalo pasta salad with roasted poblano ranch. A buffalo-ranch combo is unmatched - make it a fancy ranch and it’s that much better. For this recipe, it’s very easy to roast the poblanos and then you just blendy blend the rest for a fun spin on your traditional ranch. It’s quick to make once you have the dressing done, which you can do in advance.
We used campanelle pasta here, which was FUN, but I stand by the #1 pasta salad pasta being cavatappi (like our last recipe). Farfalle or fusilli would be fun too and idgaf what you do.
Spikes and Lemonade
Leaving you with this: this weekend, we’re throwing a lemon party for ourselves because we have an obsession with…lemon. We also have an obsession with volleyball so the party theme is “Spikes and Lemonade,” where we will serve spiked lemonade and bump set SPIKE it in your face.
Why am I telling you this? I don’t know, it is not an invite. But if you are hot, tall, and mildly athletic… maybe it is. Leave a comment if you fit the bill.
Obviously we’re making THIS and THIS. Stay tuned and see you next week!
Buffalo Pasta Salad with Poblano Ranch
Buffalo Pasta Salad with Poblano Ranch Recipe:
For the poblano ranch:
2 small poblano peppers
1 1/4 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh dill
1 lemon, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper
Method:
Roast the poblanos: Place the poblanos on a baking sheet and broil them for 5-6 minutes on each side. They should be black and blistered. Carefully place them in a sealed ziplock bag for 10 minutes. Remove them from the bag and peel off the skin. Remove the stem and seeds (it’s okay if some remain).
Add everything and blend: Add the roasted poblanos, vegan mayo, olive oil, fresh dill, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic clove, and onion powder to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
For the pasta salad:
1 lb campanelle pasta
8 oz vegan buffalo chicken (we used Daring)
1 serving poblano ranch (recipe above)
2-3 ribs celery (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks scallions (about 1/3 cup)
1 carrot, grated
2 cups green leaf or romaine lettuce, finely chopped
Method:
Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Spread on a baking tray to cool faster.
Cook the vegan buffalo chicken: Cook the vegan buffalo chicken according to the package instructions. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
Mix everything together: To a large mixing bowl add the pasta, buffalo chicken, celery, scallions, carrot, lettuce, and poblano ranch.
Serve: Store the pasta salad in the fridge until ready to serve. Add an extra dollop of mayo and squeeze of lemon if the pasta soaks up the sauce. Serve with any desired toppings like avocado, extra dill, scallions, or hot sauce.
