For me there’s only one right way to serve chicken wings, cripsy. This can be accomplished in an oven without burning or over-cooking them if you steam them first.  The first step of steaming them renders out fat that would otherwise have a tendency to burn or smoke when heated at high oven temps.

These wings are actually very easy to make, and you can use any sauce you like for the finishing step. I include a simple buffalo sauce recipe (butter+frank’s), but my absolute favorite wing sauce is BW3’s Spicy Garlic.

INGREDIENTS

For the Wings

• 12 or more (or less) Whole Chicken Wings (fresh is best)
• Salt
• Pepper

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup Butter softened or melted or somewhere in between
• 3/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce -OR- 1/4 cup of sauce that’s spicier

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Remove wingtips. Cut/Separate remaining wing into wingette and drumette.
2. Steam wings in steam pot or stock pot with steam basket for 10 minutes.
3. Remove wings from steamer and place on drying rack and/or paper towels. Let cool for 1 hour in fridge or at least allow to thoroughly dry. Pat wings dry with paper towel.
4. Line baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick coating or use half-sheet pan with cooling rack, which can also be greased to prevent sticking. Bake wings at 425 F for 20 minutes, flip, and bake for another 20 minutes.
5. While wings bake, prepare sauce by combining franks and butter.
6. When wings are done, remove from oven, and while still hot add to bowl containing sauce and toss.

References:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Buffalo-Wings-Recipe/?ALLSTEPS

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/alton-browns-buffalo-wings-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (not canned)
• 6 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 6 TB tahini
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp salt (to taste)
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic (peeled/pressed) optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve warm.

Guacamole is one of the freshest, nutritious foods you can make. This is a feel good food. What is unique to this recipe over others is to use red onion. White onion makes it too sweet.

One important key for success is to finely chop the onion and chile pepper. There’s nothing worse than biting into a giant chunk of pepper unexpectedly – too spicy.

Another tip is after you add the avocado, squeeze the lime right on it. The citric acid prevents the whole thing from turning brown (as we know avocados do). You can also add salt and pepper at this step as well.

Use a potato masher to incorporate. Be sure to sample and adjust by adding more salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles (stems and seeds removed) minced
• 2 TB cilantro leaves (finely chopped)
• 1 TB fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato (seeds and pulp removed) chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Finely mince onion and serrano chile. Mince the cilantro leaves. Chop tomato. Cut and scoop out avocados. Squeeze lime juice directly on avocado. Mix all ingredients together. Add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.
2. Hint: Make sure to finely chop onion and serrano chile. If pieces are too large, the onion can overpower or the pepper will make some bites too spicy.