Sometimes you want to travel to your favorite spots but, for whatever reason, you can’t.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the spirit of your favorite destination. Beyond having a themed dress-up party night, you can start simple. Try cooking some of the favorite dishes and cuisines of your favorite destinations. 

Making a dish from your favorite destination is not only fun, but it’s also a way to expand your cooking skills and give you a little taste of something when you really need it.

Keep it Simple

Before you get too carried away trying to find very exotic flavors or spices, don’t set yourself up for problems before you even begin. Start with some of the more simple recipes and flavors, especially if you don’t have a ton of cooking experience. 

Baked goods and apps or side dishes are a great place to start. You can make these and add them into some of your usual meal rotations to help spice things up. 

Quick and Easy Recipes

Here are a few recipes you can explore from some popular destinations. And, the best part? They are all ideas you can use this week.

Thai Curries

Once you try some of these curries, you won’t ever want to try anything else. Red and Green curries are really popular in Thailand and you can make them at home too. Head to your local Asian grocery store to get most of the ingredients, or if you’re stuck, try replacing some of the flavors with more easily accessible chilis, basil, ginger, and lemongrass.

Irish Soda Bread

Breadmaking is a hot trend today but it can be somewhat complex and take a lot of time. With Irish Soda Bread, you can be eating your creation in less than an hour. You only need a few simple ingredients like flour, buttermilk (you can make your own if you just have regular milk), and baking soda. No yeast needed!

Tuscan Bean Soup

A hearty soup is a great meal year-round and a Tuscan style soup can bring you back to the rolling hills and vineyards of Italy, who wouldn’t like that? This is a great clean your fridge type soup since you can use leftover carrots, celery, zucchini, squash, and leafy greens plus some canned beans from your pantry. Add a nice slice of focaccia and you’ll be in heaven.

Pulled Pork

If you’re looking to enjoy flavors stateside, try pulled pork as a way to get a little bit of BBQ, even if you don’t have a grill or smoker. You can use your crockpot or InstantPot to cook up a piece of seared pork roast, just set it and forget it for a few hours. What you can do while the pork is cooking is to create your own BBQ sauce, based on your favorite region; the Carolinas, Texas, and St. Louis, whichever’s your favorite.

Hopefully, these recipes have triggered a few ideas for you based on some of your favorite destinations!