Creole-style wings

The next time you're thinking of making some chicken wings at home... try something other than barbecue or plain baked. Add some spice to your life :)

RECIPE:

1 pkg chicken wings (12-14 in a pack)
salt
garlic powder
chili powder
cayenne pepper
sugar
paprika
black pepper
onion salt

To create seasoning, mix 1 tbsp of each of the seasonings in a small bowl; mix well.
Cut the ends off each chicken wing and then divide that in half (at the bone). Season the meat, and cook (first covered) in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Uncover chicken and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Serve with veggies, fries or whatever you choose. Mine were served with the red beans

Nice just Chicken & Rice

So... I'm in the mood for chicken and rice. But not JUST chicken and rice... Arroz co Pollo. I know what it translates too, but Puerto Ricos version of this dish is WAAAAAAYYYYY better than seasoning up a bird and cooking some rice in a cooker.

RECIPE:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (the understood meat of poultry)
1 tbsp Creole seasoning (Zatarains)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, diced
3 celery sticks, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic (store bought)
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 c long-grain rice
1 c chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, w/juice (14 oz)
1 1/4 c chicken broth
1 can green chiles, diced
1 bay leaf
2 tsp jalapenos, diced
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c frozen peas (leave frozen)
3/4 c frozen yellow corn (leave frozen)
2 tbsp chopped parsley, fresh

Add oil to large pot (dutch oven). Season chicken with creole seasoning (generously) on both sides. Add to pot and cook on both sides, 2 minutes a side. Remove chicken, and set to the side.


Add celery, onion, paprika and garlic to pot; cook 4 minutes. Add rice to pot, cook 1 minute stirring. Add 1 c broth and tomatoes to pot, cook 1 minute. Add chiles, jalapenos, salt, bay leaf, the rest of the broth and chicken to pot, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, stirring 1/2 way through. Add peas and corn the last 3 minutes. Top with parsley.


This recipe was WAY too easy to make, and came out VERY good.

Post Superbowl Bliss

I hope everyone enjoyed the BIG GAME.
I did. It lived up to the "hype" and was a really good game, down to the very end.

Go. Steelers.

So, while watching the Foodnetwork one day, the chef on the show "Big Daddy's House (*laugh*) made these Buffalo Chicken Balls. Of course I don't follow recipes too well, so I just made it up as I went along. If you want the original recipe, please "search" for it on the website. Here's my version of it.

RECIPE: (yields 20 balls; depending on the size)
1 whole, baked chicken
blue cheese, crumbled
hot sauce
salt
pepper
bread crumbs, plain
flour
egg
panko bread crumbs

Shred meat of chicken; place in large bowl.


Add blue cheese (as much as you like), hot sauce, salt, pepper and bread crumbs.
Mix together ingredients, making sure everything is well combined.
Form balls with meat (blue cheese will help hold it all together).
Dip balls in flour; then an egg wash and then into the panko bread crumbs (all in separate containers).
Fry balls in a deep fryer, or a pan with lots of oil (small amounts will turn the balls into small pancakes :)





























Fry until golden brown, and serve with the usual buffalo chicken sides (carrots and celery sticks).








I also decided to make my own dipping sauce (again, I couldn't remember the recipe from the show). I decided to mix sour cream, blue cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper together. Double the amount of sour cream against the amount of blue cheese.

Hot Mustard Wings

This is a good example of some recipes will out EXACTLY how you think they will. For some reason I thought that this was a good recipe to try. The recipe appeared in Rachel Ray's February 2009 magazine. Under the article "Surefire Bets" appeared a picture and recipe for these wings. They looked good, but I still wasn't sure about the whole "mustard" thing.

Well, I made them, and that's the end of that. (I will NOT be making them again).
If you love mustard... you'll like the wings. I'm not "crazy" about mustard and should have never tried to make these damn things in the first place.

RECIPE: (page 124 of magazine)
2 lbs chicken wings, sepearated at joints w/ tips discarded
3 tbsp Hot Yellow mustard (I couldn't find yellow, so I used brown)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hot sesame oil (again, I couldn't find "hot" so I used regular)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar


Bake chicken in 500 degree oven for 35 minutes (now that's hot). While chicken is cooking, whisk together remaining ingredients. Toss chicken in sauce, and serve.

[Chicken] Georgia on my mind

So on one of my many ocassions of watching the FoodNetwork, Ms. Paula Deen showcased one of her favorite "quick" chicken dishes. I tried it that night, and I've been making it ever since. I can't tell you how good this dish taste... all I can say is YOU'LL LOVE IT!

Promise me that if you decide to make this dish, that you email/blog/whatever me to let me know what you think.

Here's PAULA'S RECIPE:

SOCAL'S VERSION just adds a little more of everything (i.e. butter, shallots, mushrooms) to the original recipe... more = happy!

shallots + butter making love










three is NOT a crowd when the mushrooms decide to join in










chicken can be very tasty with only (kosher) salt & pepper










Mozarella cheese makes it all "stick" together










wanna bite?










want the plate?


**TIP - follow her recipe exactly, the first time. There's no errors, etc. Trust Paula!***