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Super easy snack for the Super Bowl

It is pretty easy for me to find reasons (some might even say excuses) to try out recipes for new treats. If the internet is to be believed, this month means someone somewhere will be celebrating the following “special” occasions in February: National Pull the Couch Off The Wall Day, Thumb Appreciation Day, International Sword Swallowers Day, and Milk a Cow on an Airplane Day, to name just a few. I would have no problem coming up with a fully realized menu for each of these supposed holidays, so the fact that the Super Bowl (a real, readily-recognized event) is this month means I feel fully vindicated in coming up with ideas to delight the taste buds of the sports fans in my life.

I am usually a proponent of sweet treats, and any Super Bowl spread at my house will include sugar aplenty, but too much of that can overwhelm even a raging sweet tooth like mine. At the same time, watching the game means that serving a full sit-down meal doesn’t really work. While I don’t think anyone would proclaim that chips and dip or charcuterie are super healthy options, they are a nice way to balance a menu, so I nearly always include something along those lines.

A particular non-sweet favorite of mine are these richly sauced, mildly spicy wings. Easy to eat with one hand, they help round out a party that invariably takes place at dinner time, but doesn’t really lend itself to a traditional evening meal. I like to offer at least a little protein to ground the meal and provide some nourishing satisfaction. These are easy to make, but still taste like a special occasion. As an added bonus, they pair nicely with some crunchy carrot or celery sticks, which is an excellent (if sneaky) way to put a few vegetables on the table, too.

I love to use a slow cooker for a game-watching party, which keeps things hot and ready to eat from kick off to the final score. In addition, the gentle heat of the Crock-Pot keeps a sticky recipe like this one from scorching. This recipe calls for four pounds of chicken; I prefer a “party pack” mixture of wings and drumettes but other kinds of chicken pieces would work here too. Wings and pieces are often frozen, but this recipe works best with chicken that is fully thawed, so factor that into your planning. Be sure to provide lots of napkins or even wet wipes for this one, though you may catch people licking the sweet and savory sauce right off of their fingers. This dish will make your Super Bowl Sunday feel like a true special occasion, whether or not your team takes home the ring.

 

Sticky Chicky Wings

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp hot sauce (Sriracha, Tabasco, Frank’s)
  • 4 pounds chicken wings and drumettes, or other pieces of your choice
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • Sesame seeds

Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and hot sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring often. Set aside and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the slow cooker.

Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray, then place chicken pieces in slow cooker and cover with sauce, using tongs to move the pieces around to thoroughly cover. Cook on high for four hours, then remove chicken to a plate. Combine cornstarch and water, then add to the slow cooker and whisk to combine thoroughly with the sauce. Place chicken back in the sauce, cover and cook for another 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Garnish with sesame seeds.

 

 

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett

CPC

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