Best Hot Wing Recipe EVAH!

I got this recipe from my brother in law. He said it's the best hot wing recipe he's ever had. Trust me, this man knows wings! He also watches the Food Network faithfully, so in all probability, the recipe came from there.

Note: the recipe calls for sriracha sauce. Apparently, this is a Vietnamese hot chili sauce you can buy at most supermarkets in the Asian food aisle. It is in a plastic bottle with white writing and a roaster on the front of the bottle.

5lbs. Wing sections
4 Tbs salt
4 Tbs sriracha sauce or more
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs butter (melted)
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbs lime juice
4 cups canola oil or peanut oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Put chicken in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss to coat. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet arrange them in a single layer. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 12 hrs.

Remove chicken from refrigerator pat dry with paper towels, brushing away any salt. Let chicken sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 min.

In a small bowl whisk together sriracha sauce, honey, butter, soy sauce, cilantro and lime juice. Taste to check heat level. If too hot add more honey.

Heat oil in a large dutch oven or deep fryer until oil is 275 degrees.

Divide chicken into four batches. Fry one batch at a time for 8 min. As each batch is done transfer to a clean baking sheet.

Once all chicken is done, increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees. Again working in batches, fry the chicken for 2 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Season each batch with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Toss to thoroughly coat all the chicken wings.

Cinnamon Glazed Pecans

1 stick butter (real butter, not margarine)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 pound pecan halves

Stove directions: Melt butter in heavy, deep frying pan (cast iron is best). Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and cook to bubbly for five minutes. Add pecans and vanilla, mix well andcook 8 minutes. Cool on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and store in an air tight container.

Microwave directions: Melt butter in casserole dish. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add pecans and vanilla – Mix well and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. Cool on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and store in an air tight container.

Parmesean Crisps

I made these the other night and damn near died from the buttery goodness that was swarming around my tongue.  

Heat oven to 350°

Take an 8 oz block of Parmesean cheese and finely grate it.  

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. (DO NOT use waxed paper it is NOT the same)

Place one ounce of the cheese (about two tablespoons) on the parchment paper (there will be room to fit all eight in two rows.  Using a regular metal spoon from the drawer, lightly and evenly spread the cheese to form a small circle that is about 1/8 inch thick.  

Place in the oven and melt until the cheese is golden brown.  Do not over cook.  In my oven it takes about 6 minutes.

Remove from parchment paper and cool on a wire rack.  Serve with any italian dish.  I served mine with potato cheese soup and it was delicious!  I have also decided these are better than croutons with a salad. 

Potato Ham Soup

Total time Start to Finish:  1 hour

3 1/2 cups diced potatoes (peel if you prefer)
1/3 cup celery
1/3 cup onion
3/4 cup cooked ham (I chunk it but you could dice as well)
2 cups water
1 can chicken broth (or fresh stock if you have some)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon basil
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Sautee the onions and celery in one tablespoon of the butter. When the onions become translucent, add the potatoes, broth and water in a deep pot. Bring to a boil and then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add the seasonings and let simmer.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk (like making a gravy. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Slowly stir the milk mixture into the soup and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Variations:

Add cheese: 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese or ½ cup Pepper Jack and ½ cup cheddar for a little zip. (add the cheese after you’ve thickened the milk sauce or it will lump at the bottom of the pan.

Add a can of corn (drained).

Omit the ham and add clams.

Classic Fudge

This is my mom's favorite fudge. I used to make it three or four times a year. It is a pain in the butt to make, and your arms will ache from stirring/beating, (just sayin) but it is totally worth it if you do it right.

Makes about 36 pieces or 1 3/4 pounds 3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup milk 2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/4 cup butter 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Line a 8-9 in square pan with foil extending over edges. Butter the pan. Get a small cup and fill it half full with water and set it in a cereal bowl full of ice.

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a 4 quart heavy saucepan and stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

Boil, constantly stirring, until mixture reaches 234 degrees on candy thermometer

(or until a small amount of fudge (like, 1/4 teaspoon) forms a small soft ball when dropped into the very cold water you have in the ice bowl, and it flattens when removed from water. To test this, drop the spoon of fudge into the water. Grab it with your fingers. If it stays firm but manageable (as in not dripping off your finger) think cream cheese consistency, then it's done. If you don't trust your fudge fondling abilities, rely upon the thermometer) Trust me on this.

Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR!!! Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees (lukewarm).

When cool, beat it with a wooden spoon ( like your mom used to use on you when you were younger) until fudge thickens and starts to lose some of it's glossy appearance. Spread quickly into prepared pan and cool completely. Cut into squares.

FOR BEST RESULTS DO NOT DOUBLE THIS RECIPE

Recipe Rally: Veggie Sauces

This installment of Recipe Rally is all about veggie sauce. Those Crazy Hip Blog Mamas are looking for veggie sauces. In my house we love veggies. We eat them plain and also use all kinds of sauces and dips. My personal, cannot go wrong on any veggie is garlic butter which consists of melting one Tablespoon of butter with one dash of garlic salt. Toss over veggies and wala. MM MM Good!

However, I also have a tried and true recipe for cheese sauce that never fails to score points with the family.

4 Tbsp butter
Apx 2 Cups milk
1/4 Cup flour
2 Cups Shredded cheese (we use a combo of Pepper Jack and Sharp Cheddar)

Melt butter and add flour. Stir until butter is completely absorbed. Slowly add milk while stirring (you may or may not use it all. It depends on how think you like your sauce). Stir continuously until thick (like gravy). Slowly stir in the cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This sauce is great on almost all veggies, especially broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, egg plant and cauliflower. Also, you can use almost any combination of cheese. The great thing about this sauce is that it doesn't get all funky like Velveeta does when you melt it.

Easy Chicken Alfredo

If your life is anything like mine, as soon as you walk in the door (or as soon as your significant other walks in the door), the first thing you hear is "What's for dinner?"

I hardly have time to think about it. However, a quickie meal we have (especially one nights when I forgot to take anything out) is called Easy Chicken Alfredo.

I mean EASY.

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce (I use Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan)
1 pkg Egg noodles
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Cook your noodles and drain. Set aside. Pour the Ragu into a pan, heat up and pour over your noodles. sprinkle on your Parmesan cheese, toss and serve with garlic bread.

Sometimes I will sautéed shrimp and toss that on top. Other times, I use Hormel Spicy Southwest Chicken.

Easy Christmas Sugar Cookies

This is the easiest sugar cookie you'll ever make. I promise.

1 pkg Pillsbury Sugar cookie dough
1 tub Vanilla Frosting
10 candy canes

Freeze the cookie dough.

Once frozen, open and cut the dough in half long way. Now, slice those pieces into half moon shape and bake according to directions.

When the cookies are done, set them aside to cool.

Open the candy canes and place into a freezer bag. Give your children a rubber mallet or rolling pin. Fold the freezer bag into a dish towel and let the kids pound the candy canes into small pieces (You'll have some dust but that is okay).

Next, frost the cookies and while they are still wet (i.e. the frosting hasn't dried yet), sprinkle on the candy canes and powder.

These will be the best, easiest cookies you'll ever make.

Thank me later.

You've got to be kidding me

I have a teenage step-daughter. She just turned 16. Lord help the driving world. Anyway, she lives in another state with her biological mother. While never the brightest bulb in the box, today this was set in stone. I was going through my recipe box and I found a card written by my dimwitted daughter. At least she knew how to make me laugh.

Cereal:

Bowl
Spoon
Milk
Cereal

Pour cereal into bowl, add milk, eat with spoon.

30 Minute Rice Dish (beef or chicken)

This is the quickest, easiest dish you can make.

1 lb Ground Beef
1 pkg Rice-A-Roni, Beef Flavor

Brown the beef in a frying pan, then drain the grease off and set aside.

In the same pan, cook Rice-a-Roni according to instructions on the package. When the rice is done, add the ground beef and serve hot with a vegetable of your choice.

CHICKEN SUBSTITUTION: If you are not fond of ground beef, you can use the Chicken flavor rice and add shopped up chicken breast. I also add broccoli and usually make this dish when I have leftover chicken breast from earlier in the week.

Easy Stuffed Peppers

Prep time:  15 minutes / Bake time 30 mins @ 350°

1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 lb Italian Sausage (mild or hot, depending on your taste)
4 large bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
Various Seasoning (Garlic Salt, Season Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning, etc.)

Cut your peppers in half the long way (top to bottom) and hollow, clean and rinse out the seeds.  Pat them dry and set aside.

Mix the meat with whatever spices you like and the onion.  I use about 1 teaspoon each of Garlic Salt, Season Salt, and Pepper, and about 1/2 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning.

Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper.  Place peppers, meat side up, in a cake or baking pan.  Pour in 1/2 cup water and bake for 45 minutes at 350°.  Drain liquid and serve with mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

An Italian variation I make is like this:

Make as above, however, pour 1 can of tomato sauce over peppers, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and bake as directed. Serve with buttered noodles (cook noodles/spaghetti, etc) and toss in 3 Tbs Butter and 1 Teaspoon of Garlic powder or 2 Teaspoons crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste. 

Easiest Dip Evah!

I wouldn't have believed it, had I not tried it myself.  

1 8 oz tub sour cream
1 8 oz tub cream cheese (spreadable)
1 pkg Taco Seasoning (I used Schilling, less sodium)

Mix together, eat with chips of your choice.  

I tried this will Ruffles, it was very tastey. I tried it with Fritos.  Mmm Mmm Good.  Then I tried it with Nacho Cheese Doritos.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I'll never eat jalapeno cheese dip again.  This is
my new favorite.

Then, I got funky with it.  In addition to the above, I added some chopped jalapenos and green onions.  Heavenly!  

Feel free to leave me comments if you try it and if you tweak it.  

Spicy rice & sausage (30 minutes)

Easy and quick.

When we are looking for a quick and easy recipe, this one always works out.

1 pkg Zatarain's Rice. (try all three and pick your favorite)
1 pkg Andouille Sausage (I use the Emril's spicy smoked sausage)

cut the sausage, add to the pan, add rice and cook according to directions. Serve with a side salad and bread. Yum yum.