Itialian Style Wings

These wings are sooo amazing!! They are not your normal wing.....they are better!! They take a little bit of time, but it is well worth it, trust me! I have also made them with chicken tenders, which takes less time, and equally delicious....mmmm..... We ate some amazing wings at Carmines in New York City, and this is our version of them.

24 medium size chicken wings, cut in two
1/4 cup chopped garlic - (I usually use less)
1/2 bunch fresh chopped rosemary -(I always use fresh)
1/2 bunch chopped fresh oregano - (You can use dried as well, just don't use as much)
Salt & Pepper to taste

For Sauce:
1 large shallot, chopped
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 tablespoons white wine - (I use the the cooking wine usually next to the vinegars)
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Marinate the wings in garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper for 2-4 hours. I typically do it the night before so it ends up being 24 hours, which still turns out better if you ask me.

To make sauce: saute shallot in butter until lightly brown and limp.
Add white wine, stock, and lemon juice. Boil, stirring, until thickened and reduced. It will reduce quite a bit. But don't let it reduce too much because you still want to have enough sauce.

Deep-fry wings for 10-15 minutes, or bake at 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes. I prefer to bake, it is a lot less messy, and healthier. And if you use tenders instead of wings, they cook a lot faster than the wings, which makes a pretty quick meal, if you marinate the night before.
Drain on paper towels if deep-frying. Mix wings with sauce, and toss to coat. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing. Delicious!!

Peanut Butter Fudge

This is soooo simple! And, of course, very tasty...

1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Sweet Potato - Chicken Hash with Green Chile Hollandaise

This is our version of a dish I get at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill pretty much everytime we go. I LOVE IT! I have tried to make it as simple as possible. It is a spicier dish, so if you don't handle spice well, leave out the chipotle, or use very little.

2 cans of cut sweet potatoes 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup canned chipotle peppers -(I usually only use 1 chipotle out of the can) 1 tablespoon honey Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups water 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 4 eggs To prepare the hash: Drain the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/4-1/2" cubes. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan of simmering water. Poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Another option is to just throw them in the oven. Cut each breast into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the potatoes, chicken, scallion, cilantro, chipotles and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Heat the oil in a large saute pan until just smoking. Season the patties with salt and pepper to taste and saute the patties on each side until golden brown. Keep warm. To prepare the poached eggs: Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan. Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water. Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg. Green chile hollandaise: 1 package of store bought powder hollandaise mix 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Pinch white pepper (black pepper is fine too if you don't have white) 1 large poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, seeds removed and finely chopped** Prepare hollandaise as directed on the package, add salt & pepper. Place in a bowl and fold in the chopped poblano peppers. Serve immediately or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

This is from Paula Dean, and so amazing! I absolutely love anything pumpkin!! It is very easy to make, just be careful not to overbake it, as the crust will burn.

1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

New Potato Salad

I got this recipe from Ina Garten. I love love love dill! So I knew I would love this one. It takes a little bit of time just because you have to cook the potatoes and then let it chill out and let the flavors combine, but it is still super easy. It is actually pretty dang good warm too.

3 pounds small red potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.