Kick Off!

It's amazing how one event can bring so many people together.  We're not to be counted out of the roughly 100 million people who are sitting in front of their televisions right now (only we're starting our blog and "watching" the game).  What an appropriate event and great opportunity for us to kick-off our blog and try some new recipes out on our good friends!  With the helps of others, some fresh veggies and dip, and homemade chicken enchiladas, we're making the most of this pow-wow.  :)

As the men are stuffing their faces with fresh guacamole accompanied by "Hint of Lime" and blue corn chips, we have diligently been working in the kitchen trying out some new recipes!

Buffalo Wings

Sweet & Spicy Wings

Traditional Buffalo Wings

Sriracha Garlic Hot Wings

with ranch, garlic sauce, and bleu cheese dips

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Okay... so we have to be honest...  these have all been a two day process.  The Buffalo and Sweet & Spicy wings started in the slow cooker yesterday while the Sriracha Garlic Hot wings chilled and marinated in the fridge overnight.

Base for Sweet & Spicy and Buffalo Wings (adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

6 lbs chicken wings

One three inch piece of ginger, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbs soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Whisk all of the above and toss to coat wings. Put in slow cooker on low for three to four hours or until wings have cooked through. Remove wings with a slotted spoon to a bowl and toss the juices from the slow cooker. At this point, you can cool them for 20 minutes and refrigerate up to 24 hours - or just cool them in preparation for sauce and broiling.

Sweet & Spicy Sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup (or tomato paste)

2 tbs soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine above ingredients. Place half of the slow cooked wings in a gallon bag and toss with sauce to coat. These can sit for 30 minutes before broiling.

Buffalo Sauce

4 tbs butter, melted

6 tbs hot sauce (preferably Louisiana style)

1 tbs paprika

Repeat as with the Sweet & Spicy mixture above.

When you're ready to party, heat up the broiler and throw your wings on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes, skin side up. Make sure your rack is 10-12 inches from the broiling unit and keep an eye on them during this process to avoid flaming/scorching. For us, our wings needed 10 on one side and about 5 on the other.

Sriracha Garlic Hot Wings (adapted from Michael Symon)

4 lbs chicken wings

2 tbs ground corriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbs kosher salt

2 1/2 tbs olive oil (we used extra virgin)

Mix the salt, spices, and olive oil together and toss into a bag to marinate with the chicken.  Marinate for a minimum of four hours, but overnight will ensure great flavor!  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven, covered with foil, for 80-90 minutes, or until done.

While the chicken is cooking, get the sauce ready!

Sriracha Garlic Hot Sauce

6 tbs butter, melted

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup sriracha

juice and zest of one lime

Combine all four ingredients into a large bowl.  After wings have cooled slightly, put into the large bowl with the sauce and mix!  Make sure to coat each wing well.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream

pinch of salt

vanilla extract (about 2 tsp)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 batch of chocolate chip cookie dough

Mix sugar and milk in saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat and add in salt and vanilla.  Let cool completely and then add in heavy cream.

While the mixture is cooling, this is a good time to roll the cookie dough into about dime sized balls (as below in the dough recipe).

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker, following the manufacture's instructions.  Once ice cream is almost done mixing, pour the mini chocolate chips in and let mix for another minute or two.  Remove ice cream from the ice cream maker, place into either your freezing container or another bowl and slowly mix in the cookie dough chunks so they are well incorporated into the ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

2 sticks butter (room temp or partially melted)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/4 cups flour

bag of mini chocolate chips

bag of "regular" chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix.  In a separate bowl, combine salt, baking soda, and flour.  Slowly incorporate into wet batter.  Transfer half of the batter into another bowl.  In the original mixing bowl, add half a bag of chocolate chips and mix into batter (careful to not over mix).  In the new bowl, add half a bag of the other chocolate chips and mix into batter.  Cover and refrigerate both batters until firm.

The other batch of cookie dough can be eaten separately or baked and served either warm or room temperature with the ice cream.  There's no reason to avoid going ALL out!  Or make ice cream sandwiches.  :)