wings wings wings

About once a month I crave chicken wings and now that March Madness is upon us, that craving is alive and well. I mean honestly, is there anything better than biting into a spicy piece of fried chicken?

The crispy ends making a crunch between your teeth and the spice exploding on your tongue, it's the best part of any game-day, party, or just a Saturday. For some, wings have a sketchy reputation, seedy bars, womanizing restaurants, and daunting deep fryers horror stories, but for me, the first few wings always take me back to childhood. Weekends spent at family parties watching football or basketball games, summer picnics, and of course barbecuing by the pool - wings really bring me back! 

My family lives all across the country, so weekend parties are few and far between. Until we all live near each other again, I make wings whenever I'm feeling nostalgic! I use a counter-top deep fryer (because I'm extra) but these are great baked as well!

Here's what you need: 

• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bunch of cilanto
• 10 chicken wings, tips removed

As you might've guessed from the ingredient list, these aren't traditional buffalo wings. These are ginger spiced wings! Feel free to adjust the spice mixture based on your preferences, but I like my wings spicy. 

For oven baked wings, preheat the over to 425 degrees. For deep fried wings, heat oil to 325 in a large skillet or deep fryer. 

Make sure your wings are prepped, cleaned, and dry. Fresh is always the best, but if you only have frozen that's totally fine! Either way make sure the wings are patted down and dry, and a little tacky so the flour and spices stick. We're not using a batter here, so no eggs are needed-- just a simple flour spice mix. 

In a clean bowl (or large zip-lock bag) mix the spices and flour, and add the wings! Mix together until the wings are completely coated in the flour mixture. Remove from the mixture and set aside either until the oven or oil comes up to temp. Arrange them on a baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart and bake for a half hour, flip them and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and season once more with salt and pepper to taste. If you like spicy, add a few more dashes of cayenne. 

For the deep fryer, same thing! Remove the wings from the flour mixture and ensure the excess is tapped off each wing. Then, deep fry for 10 minutes and again, season with salt and pepper (cayenne if you're brave) while they're warm to ensure the spices stick. 

These wings come out so crispy and the spices really dance around bringing a warm spiced flavor to the traditional chicken wings. Arrange on a plate and garnish with fresh cilantro! These wings are so juicy and flavorful they really don't need a sauce. 

comfort pasta

There are definitely more than a few foods I consider comfort foods, especially when food is my comfort. Pasta always seems to be right at the top of my list, though! Something about the way it cradles the right sauce, pairs well with wine, and is even better the next day make it one of my top comfort foods. Boxed pasta is definitely the easiest but if you have about an hour to spare (and some aggression to let out) fresh pasta is the way to go! 

I recently received the pasta rolling attachment for my KitchenAide stand mixer and since, have become a pasta making machine. It’s SO easy!

Here’s what you need: 

• 4 cups all purpose flour 
• 4 large eggs
• salt & pepper to taste 

That’s it. Seriously. 

The dough: 

• Mound 4 cups of all purpose flour on a cutting board (I use a marble slab so it stays cool) and create a well in the center 
• Crack four eggs into the well and add freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt 
• Slowly beat the eggs with a fork adding flour from the sides until a soft dough forms 
• Once the dough forms, clear the board of he excess flour and continue to knead for about 10 minutes 
• Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes 

Linguine: 

• After your dough has rested, cut in 4’s 
• Cover the remaining 3
• Using a rolling pin (or pasta attachment) roll the dough out until you just translucent enough to see your fingers underneath 
• (If using an attachment, switch to your favorite pasta cutter) 
• Once your dough is thin, using a sharp knife, fold into 3’s length wise and cut into thin strips 
• Repeat with remaining 3 sections of dough 

You can totally get away with shortcuts here, boxed pasta, jarred sauce etc. For me, the effort of rolling out the dough, the focus that the meatballs require and the patience that sauce needs all take my mind off of whatever I'm stressed about. Maybe the one (or two or three...) glasses of Pinot Noir help, but who knows? 

Once you’ve mastered the dough making process, the possibilities are endless! There are over a thousand different styles of pasta, each unique because of the way it holds the sauce. My ultimate comfort pasta dish is definitely spaghetti and meatballs. 

Here’s what you need for the sauce: 

• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste 
• 2 8oz cans of tomato sauce 
• 6  medium tomatoes 
• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of basil
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more if you like spice)
• Salt & pepper to taste 
• 1 small onion 
• A bottle of Pinot Noir 
• Parmigiano-Reggiano

I start by finely chopping the onion and garlic, and  setting them aside #misenplace. Setting my oven to roast at 375°, I quarter the tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and toss them in olive oil. Once the oven is ready I pop them in on a foil lined baking sheet for about 15-25 minutes or just until they’re tender and slightly charred on the edges. No need to remove the seeds! They’ll thicken the sauce. In a large sauce pan (I use a Dutch oven) add a tablespoon of olive oil and when hot add the remaining garlic and onions, just until they’re translucent and smell sweet. Add the roasted tomato and tomato paste and let the juices from the tomato cook down! There should be a nice layer of frond on the bottom of the pan, from the onions and evaporated tomato juices after about 5 minutes. Quickly deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup of Pinot Noir. Once the tomatoes have deepened in color, add the can of tomato sauce and  blend with an immersion blender until the tomatoes are in small chunks. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a wooden spoon will do just fine! Just smash the tomatoes against the side of the pot until you’ve found the perfect consistency. Then, let the sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes adding parm to taste. The longer the sauce simmers, the more developed the flavors become! 

When I’m feeling extra moody, which is often since I’m 100% a cancer, nothing makes this dish better than meatballs. Here’s what you’ll need: 

• 1 pound of ground beef 
• 1/2 pound of Italian sausage (I use spicy) 
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 tablespoon of mustard 
• Teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a large mixing bowl add all ingredient and mix using your hands just until everything is evenly incorporated. Using a tablespoon, scoop out enough of the meat mixture to form balls about the size of ping pong ball. Once all the meat is formed into balls, cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 

In a sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add the meatballs one by one as sear until deep brown on all sizes, but not fully cooked. Add to the hot tomato sauce, cover and let simmer until fully cooked.