Tag: snack

A Trio of Simple Super Bowl Chicken Wings

Chicken WingsWell, we are about a week away from the Super Bowl. Is there any food more associated with watching football than chicken wings? But how do you get them crispy without making a mess or spending a lot of time?  Generally wings get their crispiness from frying either unadorned for crispy skin or with some sort of breading for a little extra crunch. But what do you do if you don’t want to bread or fry your wings? The trick is a two stage cook.  First cook the chicken wings at a lower temperature to make sure the wings are cooked through without drying them out.  Then you crank the heat to crisp up the skin.

Now that we have the crispy skin all sorted out, let’s talk sauce. Wings are a great platform for whatever flavors tickle your tongue. I developed a trio of sauces to try and capture a broad range of palettes.

Some Like It Hot

The hot wing is probably the most popular of the chicken wing flavors.  The most common version is the buffalo wing, which uses store bought hot sauce, usually Franks’s RedHot, combined with margarine, but I wanted to go with something different. Many people are familiar with sriracha, the delicious Asian style hot sauce made by Huy Fong in Irwindale, CA. But what many people don’t know is that they make a couple of other products.  They make a chili garlic sauce that is great. It has a bit more heat, texture, and complexity than your average hot sauce.  I created a sauce based on it for those who like their wings with a kick.

Some Like It Sweet

I realize that not everyone likes things spicy. If you have more of a sweet tooth than a hot head you might want to try my second sauce. Sticking with the pseudo Asian theme, I decided on a teriyaki style sauce. I added some pineapple juice to give it a bit of a Hawaiian flair.

Some Like It Tangy

Continuing with the Asian theme, I went with lime which hails from a bit further west around India and the adjoining parts of Myanmar. I paired it with pomegranate to add some fruitiness.  The pomegranate also gives the wings a great color.  I added some honey to this to balance out the sharpness of the other ingredients.

What is your favorite flavor of chicken wing? Let us know in the comment.

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Chicken Wings
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Easy Oven Wings
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

An easy way to get crispy wings, without frying!

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Bar
Keyword: chicken wings
Servings: 3 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 Whole Chicken Wings
  • 1 Cup Wing Glaze See below for 3 different wing glazes
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F.

  2. Place the wings on the a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

  3. Roast the wings for about about an hour.

  4. Increase the temperature to 450°F until the skin of the wings are brown and crispy amount another 20 minute but keep an eye on it.

  5. Remove the wings and lower the oven heat to 350°F.

  6. Brush your favorite glaze on the wings, and return them to the oven until the sauce sets, about another 5 minutes.

 

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Chicken Wings
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Chili Garlic Sauce
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 Cloves Garlic
  • 3/4 Cup Dried Red Chilis
  • 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
  • 2 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Honey
Instructions

  1. Add the garlic, chilies, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to your food processor fitted with an "S" blade and blend until it it forms a thin paste.

  2. Pour the chili mixture into a small sauce pot and add the honey. Place over low heat and bring to a simmer.

  3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Apply to wings or put in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

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Chicken Wings
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Pineapple Teriyaki Wing Sauce
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cups Pineapple Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Molasses
  • 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 2 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredient to a sauce pan and place over medium heat. Stir to combine. Cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency.

  2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Apply to wings or move to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

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Chicken Wings
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Pomegranate Lime Wing Sauce
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cups Pomegranate Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
  • 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Honey
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredient to a sauce pan and place over medium heat. Stir to combine. Cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency.

  2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Apply to wings or move to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Check out some of our other Super Bowl recipes:

Super Bowl Snack Challenge: Steak and Eggs Tot-Chos (Tater Tot Nachos)

Super Bowl Snacks: Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Super Bowl Snack – behold the “Nacho Jalapeno Cheese Crisp”!

Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil

It’s a BASIL challenge!

It’s been a hot (potato) minute since Daniel and I decided to do an ingredient challenge, since we’ve both been dabbling in the herb and veggie growing scene since the start of the pandemic. Truthfully, the basil challenge was my husband’s idea, since we’re both growing several types of basil, it just made sense for us to highlight this sweet, licorice-scented herb! So thanks Ellie!

In my outdoor patio garden, I’m growing sweet basil, purple basil and lemon basil so clearly I had enough to work with, though my plants are not as abundant as Mr. Peikes’, but he was kind enough to let me snag some of his sweet basil that was growing like crazy!

A Dish is Born

Any of you out there like me, that scour through cookbooks just to get inspired for my next dish? I could spend HOURS just reading 1 cookbook, thinking how I can re-invent this dish, or make it kosher, or spruce it up with different herbs or spices. And that’s exactly what I found with these Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil.

Reading through one of BuzzFeed’s Tasty cookbooks, I found a recipe for tornado potatoes and thought “what a fun spin on curly fries!” But their recipe called for melted butter and different spices. And then it hit me. Instead of drizzling melted butter, why not slather on some garlicky-basil oil?! It’s such a great way to get inspiration for a recipe but switch it up and make it your own! humble potato – an oh-so-perfect vessel to highlight basil.  Oh and I ended up using a mix of all of my different basil types, but featured the sweet basil more prominently.

Also, I learned something new today! Tornado potatoes, or “twist potatoes” or “tornado fries” are a common street food in South Korea. And I mean, talk about the perfect street food eaten on a stick. Crispy potatoes – check. Basil oil (or butter) – check. Fresh grated Parmesan cheese – check!

Recipe Notes

As always, here are my notes for this recipe.

  1. You can use either Yukon gold or russet potatoes (see the notes in the recipe block below for details)
  2. I had to practice the “tornado” spiral a few times to get it (even remotely) looking right. I suggest looking up some YouTube videos of how to get the right technique. The trick is to go slow so you get hopefully even layers. Mine aren’t perfect, but that’s okay – they came out great anyway!
  3. And if you don’t really want to both with this fancy-looking technique, use a spiralizer instead and you’ll end up with curly fries! Definitely nothing wrong with that.

Want to kick up this basil challenge even more? Try these Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil served alongside my Basil Garlic Dressing to dip! Just a word of caution, your significant other might ban you since you’ll stink of garlic, but it might just be worth it. 😛

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s basil post: Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Tacos

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Tornado Potatoes with Spicy Basil Oil
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
31 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Servings: 2 potatoes
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Tornado Potatoes
  • 2 Medium-sized Yukon Gold Potatoes You can use russet potatoes either peeled or unpeeled, just be aware they will take longer to cook
  • 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese I prefer to buy a block of Parm and keep it in the freezer, instead of buying expensive pre-shredded. Then I just shred it over a microplane when a recipe calls for it!
  • 1 handful Chopped Basil leaves, for garnishing I take my basil leaves and roll them up into a little cigar and slice into ribbons, or "chiffonade", which makes a beautiful presentation. You can also use chopped parsley if you prefer, or don't have enough basil for garnishing
Spicy Basil Oil
  • 1/4 cup Packed, fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
  • 1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tbsp Water
  • 1 Clove of Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes Feel free to omit but it really does bring a nice heat to the basil oil and works great with the potatoes. You can always add more if you're feeling like you need a spice kick!
  • 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika I happened to have smoked paprika on hand, but use what you got! Any type would work - Hungarian sweet, Spanish hot, or just your regular 'ole paprika!
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 325F

  2. Add the potatoes to a microwave-safe bowl and nuke for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes to cool. If using russet potatoes, cook for 2 min in the microwave

  3. While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, make the basil oil

  4. Add the basil, garlic, water, salt, red pepper flakes and paprika to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times

  5. Add the olive oil and blend until a smooth saucy basil oil comes together

  6. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, insert a wooden skewer into the bottom of each potato and gently push all the way through to the top

  7. Using a spiral motion, hold a sharp knife at an angle, turn the potato the opposite direction of cutting and cut all the way to the skewer. Make sure to go slow and cut thin, even layers all the way down

  8. Carefully fan out the potato slices until you have even spacing throughout the "tornado" and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

  9. Drizzle the basil oil all over the potatoes

  10. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the oiled potatoes - make sure the potatoes are covered evenly with the basil oil and cheese

  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown. If using russet potatoes, bake in 425F oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown

  12. Garnish with additional basil oil and cheese and chopped fresh basil or parsley and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

“Bacon” Ranch Crack Dip

Superbowl Snacking

I know what you’re thinking. Bacon and Crack? Did Rachel fall off the deep end? Not so fast, ya’ll! Since the Superbowl is this Sunday, it seemed only fitting to make a party dip that was so addicting, it was like crack!  Seriously, look up “crack dip“, it’s a thing!

So let’s dive head-first into this (meatless) Bacon Ranch Crack Dip. Obviously we’re not talking about real bacon here. The “bacon” comes from the salty, earthy, umami flavors of… MUSHROOMS! It’s a great way to sneak some veggies into a dish for your kids (or in my case, my husband, who isn’t a big veggie eater, but sadly, he despises these delicious fungi – shhh, don’t tell him there are mushrooms in this dip)!

Easy as…mushroom bacon

This recipe is so easy to whip up for your Superbowl party or any time of year. Yes it’s a lot of fat (and very Keto-friendly), but it’s a fun spin on a typical onion dip. And maybe you get a little tired of guacamole at every party, so this is a great alternative to introduce to your party guests.

Of course if you’re not into mushrooms, you can omit them. You won’t get as much of that umami flavor bomb, but you could always add in some fake bacon bits instead. And for the record, the mushroom bacon came out insanely delicious – crispy, smoky (the shiitakes are known for their smoky flavor), and a little salty – the PERFECT addition to this creamy, cheesy dip!

I like how versatile this dip is (well, aren’t all of my recipes pretty versatile?). You can add in some caramelized onions, to add a hint of sweetness to balance out the earthy mushroom flavors. But how can you go wrong when you mix cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing? I mean, now you can understand the meaning behind “crack” dip, right?

True, the traditional recipes call for real bacon but I put my own twist on it! Adding the meatless mushroom “bacon”, and some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright pop of acidity to round out all the flavors. And for this recipe, I used Walden Farm’s Bacon Ranch Dressing. Most of the time I have my own homemade salad dressings in the fridge, but I wanted an extra kick of that salty bacon flavor so I went with it for this go-around. But if you want to add in some homemade ranch – go for it!

So whoever you’re rooting for (Go CHIEFS!!!!) and wherever you’ll be during the Superbowl this year (or not even watching it because you’ll forget about it, or just don’t care, ha), go ahead and whip up a batch of this super creamy, salty, sweet and undeniably addicting Bacon Ranch Crack Dip!

And after you made it, feel free to comment below with your thoughts! What did you add to make it more fun? Maybe a squeeze of sriracha or hot sauce? We’d love to know how you liked it!

Enjoy – and Happy Superbowl Snacking!

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Meatless "Bacon" Ranch Crack Dip
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 servings (1/4 cup per serving)
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Shiitake Mushrooms Caps only - use the stems for making veggie stock! Also, shiitakes specifically have kind of a smoky flavor compared to other types of mushrooms, so they work best in this recipe
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Bacon Seasoning, optional I love the brand, Flavor God, the "bacon lover's seasoning" - their spices mixes are awesome, AND Kosher!
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese 8 oz = 1 cup
  • 3/4 cup Ranch Dressing I used the Bacon Ranch dressing from Walden Farms, but use whatever you like - store bought, or homemade!
  • 1/3 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 Lemon, halved and juiced
Instructions

  1. Make the mushroom bacon: Pre-heat the oven to 375F and line with parchment paper

  2. Remove the mushroom stems and slice the mushroom caps into thin slices

  3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the baking sheet, and drizzle the olive oil, salt and bacon seasoning (if using). Make sure the mushrooms are coated evenly, then arrange in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap

  4. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, then flip each slice over. Return to the oven for 7 more minutes, until the mushroom caps are browned, but not burnt. They'll get crispy around the edges but even if the centers are soft, don't worry, they'll crisp up as they cool

  5. Cool the mushroom bacon for at least 15 minutes. Remove any excess oil with a towel and chop into small pieces, to use for the dip later

  6. And now, make the dip! Pre-heat the oven again but this time at 350F



  7. Heat the cream cheese slowly in the microwave until it's warmed (NOT hot) and stirs easily. I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirred, the 30 more seconds until warm and melty

  8. Pour the ranch dressing into the cream cheese, and mix until smooth, then add in the sour cream. Once mixed thoroughly, add in the cheddar, mushroom bacon, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice (but NOT the green onions)

  9. Add the dip into a 1/2 quart baking dish (or similar size) and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly

  10. Garnish with the green onions and serve hot or warm with cut up veggies, tortilla chips or low carb chips or crackers!

Grandma Janie’s Hot Mushroom Dip

Before we get to the food, don’t forget to enter our giveaway for the cookbook Millennial Kosher by Chanie Apfelbaum of the amazing kosher food blog Busy In Brooklyn.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mushroom DipJust this past August, my grandma Janie, moved out of her house, after living there for 55 years.  The house in Miami where I’d been going to visit a few times a year since I was only a few weeks old.  The house where my sisters and I spent every Thanksgiving for the last 15 years or so, complete with drinking wine, eating fresh fish, swimming, working on the New York Times’ crossword puzzles while laying out by the pool, and of course, eating yummy food (always).  The house that smells like humidity, nostalgia and a hint of chlorine wafting in from the patio.

It was bittersweet to help her pack up the house but our family has lots of wonderful memories spending hours in the kitchen, watching my uncle Eliot carefully prepare the classic dinner salad, complete with fire-breathing garlic dressing while sampling today’s vino selection.  And all the while we were emptying out the drawers and cabinets in her kitchen to prepare for the move, a special dish was handed to my sister, Melissa.

The dish – the large brown dish with the little handle on the end.  The dish that my grandma always used to serve her hot, creamy mushroom dip.  I know, it’s just a dish.  Believe me.  But it doesn’t feel right to serve this dip in anything but.  So much so, that when I decided to re-create it my kitchen, I HAD to go find my version of the mushroom dip server – complete with the little handle and all.  Granted it didn’t taste the same, but that’s always the case when food memories are at play.

Something about sitting in those swivel chairs at her kitchen counter, scooping a big heap of cheesy, creamy mushroom spread onto a crispy cracker and spending time with family. THIS is what I love about food.  About family and memories and how it brings people together.  It sounds so cliche, but it makes me feel at home.

So here you go, dear readers.  Enjoy making this super simple, yet super rich and satisfying dip.

PS – this would make an insanely rich and creamy addition to your next pasta dish!  Just use a bit of the “dip” as a sauce and you’ve got an unctuous, savory and umami yummines to your spaghetti! #DROOL

PPS – WARNING.  Ultra delicious. Will not want to share with others.  Proceed with caution.

Grandma Janie’s Hot Mushroom Dip Recipe

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Mushroom Dip
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Grandma Janie's Hot Mushroom Dip
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup white button mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1 8 oz. cream cheese package, softened
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

  2. Saute the onions and mushrooms in butter in a pan on medium heat.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat and wait 5 minutes until cooled.  

  4. Add the onion and mushroom mixture to a baking dish and add the softened cream cheese, egg, salt and pepper and mix well. 

  5. Bake for 25 minutes until creamy and bubbly. 

  6. Serve hot with crackers or sliced veggies!

Super Bowl Snacks: Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Melted Cheddar

Hush PuppiesI was trying to come up with a great bite for the Super Bowl and  I toyed with the idea of doing a stuffed pretzel,  I was all ready to make pretzels using lye, but decided I needed something a little more approachable.  I wanted something quick to make and easy to eat. I rummaged through my fridge and pantry and came up with hush puppies, or fried cornbread balls. There is one thing you do need to be careful about on this, make sure your oil is not too hot. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the hush puppies will burn before the inside cooks and the cheese melts.  I know I have been leaning on cheddar and jalapeno lately, but for the Super Bowl it seemed appropriate.

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Hush Puppies
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Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

A great snack with some southern influence.  These are excellent finger food for your next party. Just make sure to fry these over low heat so the inside cooks and the cheese melts before the outside burns.

Course: Snack
Cuisine: Southern, Tex-Mex
Servings: 12 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
  • 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Jalapeno Seeded and Chopped Finely
  • 1 Large Egg Beaten
  • 3/4 Cup Buttermilk
  • Vegetable Oil For deep frying
  • 8 oz Cheddar Cheese Cut into 1/4" dice
Instructions

  1. Take the cheese out of the fridge to start warming it up.  If it is too cold it will not melt before the hush puppies finish cooking.

  2. Combine the corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and jalapenos in a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

  3. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk.

  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and and stir until the batter just comes together.  It should be the texture of wet sand.  If it looks a bit dry, add some more buttermilk, and if it looks too wet, add some more cornmeal.

  5. Fill a heavy pot or dutch oven 3/4 of the way up the side with vegetable oil and place over low heat. 

  6. Form balls with the using about a tablespoon of batter, placing a cube of cheese in the middle, and fry until golden.

For something sweet (and a little healthy) check out Rachel’s Super Bowl treat: Healthy Superbowl Snack & Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies