I love wings. i usually order them. I hardly ever cook them myself. But, I got the urge to have wings with a twist last week. So, I set out to do just that. I didn't want baked wings with sauce. I was craving fried wings tossed with barbecue sauce. This is the specialty of a spot here called "WOW Wings." I did not know their recipe but I thought that it was simple enough for me to replicate.
I started with my eggwash concoction. I used an egg, some milk and seasoning in a bowl. I mixed it all up. I wanted my wings to have a crunchy taste golden skin. I knew it would have been better with buttermilk. But, I just used ingredients I had available. After cleaning the wings, I totally covered them in the eggwash. Then, I dropped then in my flour. Once I made sure they were completely covered in flour, into the hot grease they went. Wings do not take long to cook. I watched them fry up so perfectly and evenly golden. After removing them from the grease, I let them cool.
I combined two different barbecue sauces; Spicy Honey and sweet & Spicy Chipotle. I also added a little mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, vanilla, and hot sauce. I then dipped the wings, one by one, into the sauce. I made sure that they were all completely covered. And, I was done. I also cooked steamed broccoli and mac & cheese as my sides. The only thing left to do was eat. And, it was delicious. So much so, that I cooked it again later in that same week. Simple dish but it made my taste buds very happy. The domesticated diva was definitely happy. Hope you guys try it out!
Here's my recipe:
- 1 pack of wings (8)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup of milk
- Season all/Tony Chachere's
- A pinch of black pepper
- Flour
- Bbq sauce (I used a combination of spicy honey/sweet&spicy chipotle & added mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, vanilla & hot sauce to it)
Directions:
- Heat oil in pan or deep fryer (I used a deep fryer).
- Mix egg, milk, season all, & pepper in a bowl.
- Dip wings in bowl.
- Coat wings totally.
- Flour wings.
- Fry wings.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Then dip fried wings into Bbq sauce until totally coated.
- Serve, eat, & enjoy!
In my never-ending quest for knowledge, I've decided that 2012 will be the year I conquer "outside of my box" cooking. I like to cook, love to bake. I really enjoy being in the kitchen pulling it all together. Even if its just for me. I can cook a lot of staple meals. I almost always cook the same things. I need to explore new avenues. That is on my to do list in the new year.
I'm also realizing that I prefer cooking from scratch. I thoroughly enjoy creating things on any level. So, of course, cooking would be no different. I enjoy looking up recipes online and then making them my own. I am always super impressed with myself when the results are even better than I imagined. There is something truly fulfilling about knowing that it all came from you. I have been cooking for a long time. But, this is the first time I can say I really enjoy doing it. It was necessity before. Now, it's a luxury that I relish.
New and more daring dishes will be forthcoming. I am sure I will start with Chinese food. I love it and want to try my hand at it. I have to buy a wok too. This adventure is going to be fun and interesting. I am very excited to see what my hands can come up with. Cooking is a joy that I hope all of you enjoy as well. It makes me happy. I'm going to try my hand at a few cake recipes as well. That should definitely be a great thing. This Domesticated Diva will see you guys in the new year and in the kitchen. Cook on!
Cooking is a sport and a talent. Not everyone can play. I think that I am a pretty decent cook. I have the potential to be a great one though. I have a love-hate relationship with cooking. Some days, I am excited about what to cook. Other days, I couldn't care less. Lately, however, I have found a renewed interest in cooking different things. I think I was always just tired of eating the same things day in and day out. I am also a rather picky eater. I blame my Mom for that. I just know what I like.
There are dishes that I will eat in certain restaurants that I've never cooked. One of those meals is Chicken Parmesan. I decided to try my hand at this one. The simple recipe I found here helped tremendously. I purchased my ingredients and got to work. This recipe was so easy to follow. I was done with the prep work and in the oven in less than 20 minutes. I baked it for 30 minutes. The smell wafted throughout the house. I couldn't wait to taste my work. I was impressed with myself. It was so good. I ate it for dinner and lunch the next day. I even fed my brother. He agreed that it was good as well.
Next, I have fallen in love with homemade sugar cookies. I had a taste for some one afternoon. I searched for a recipe. I found one here. My cookies came put perfectly the first try! I was too excited. Since that first night, I have tweaked the recipe to my liking. I have been a baking fool. My nephews love them! They were a huge hit with my fam. I love the fact that days later that the cookies are still soft and chewy. That and taste are the deciding factors in what makes a great cookie to me.
Today, I have tried my hand at lasagna. I have helped make it before. I have watched m aunt make her famous lasagna for years during the holidays. This will technically be my first time cooking it myself. I did not need a recipe for this one. I already knew what to do. I also knew that cheese would be the most important factor for me. I love a cheesy lasagna. I like variety too. I used mozzarella, Parmesan, and cheddar cheeses and lots of it. I layered my pan with lasagna noodles, meat sauce and loads of cheese. I baked it for 30 minutes. The smell was awesome. The taste was even better. I paired it with garlic bread sticks and a salad. The perfect Sunday dinner if I do say so myself. And, I do!! It came out great.
I am sure I will be getting into more cooking soon. I cannot wait. I think I like it more than I have before. It makes me happy to cook. I am more excited about the act of creating meals than the actuality of eating it. Eating is a second thought. I am grateful for the easy recipes that I have found. They have been more than helpful. I am always apprehensive when I am trying something new. Once I have a handle on something, I am sure I won't need to rely on a recipe. I will be able to do it from my head and heart. That is what makes a great cook/chef to me. I cannot wait to cook more and for more people. I am clearly becoming a domesticated diva the older I become. Who would've guessed it??
