Never be afraid to try

Blogs

I need to find some new favorite blogs to follow.  Is it me or have the established foodie ones gone soft?  A post every 5 or 6 days? Maybe 2 weeks?  It's not enough for me.  Orangette, Smitten Kitchen etc. I'm talking to you! 

What blogs do you follow?  I need some suggestions! 

Cards Against Humanity

Have you played it yet? 

If not, what the hell are you waiting for??

Silent Sunday

Motivation

The best New Yorker piece ever.

Ever ever ever.

Carolyn Parkhurst is a genius and should be canonized immediately.  Or after she dies... whatever protocol calls for.  In any case, we must all raise a glass and toast her genius.

Double Duty Wings

I love chicken wings. I admit it.  But the ones they serve at your local pub are generally deep fried (sometimes even more than once-yuck!) and can leave you feeling pretty queasy at the end of the night. Maybe its me...

Anyway, I set out to find a lighter way to make a classic bone-in wing. Along the way I came up with this recipe for delicious Double Duty Wings.   Not only are they a great game time snack, but when you're done you'll also have homemade chicken stock to use or freeze for the next recipe that calls for it.  Double duty? Yes please!

First thing you'll want to do is wash your wings.  Always wash chicken.  Always.  Then place your wings (use as many wings as you think you'll want plus a little more because you won't believe how good they'll be) in a saucepan and add water to cover plus enough to come up to about 2 inches below the rim.  This water will eventually become your chicken stock and, well, more is more.

Bring the stock to a boil and boil the wings for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes use a handheld strainer or tongs to remove the wings to a foil lined cookie sheet. I hate cleaning so I line EVERYTHING with foil. (Bring a messy child to my house and there's a chance I might roll them in foil).  

Place the cookie sheet into your oven and broil until brown and crisp.   (Keep an eye on them but it should take around 5 to 10 minutes per side depending on the size of your wings and, of course, your oven).

Meanwhile, reduce the 'broth' to a simmer

And add whatever onion, celery, carrots and peppercorns etc you usually do when making your own chicken broth. Allow them all to boil away until the liquid is reduced by at least half and you are happy with the taste.  

Broth is personal, make yours the way you like.  In any case, you'll end up with at least a cup or more of delicious broth for your next recipe.  If you want to be super good, place the broth in the fridge for a few hours or overnight and remove the fat that has solidified at the top. Yuck. 

Use the broth within a couple of days or measure it (so you'll know how much you have before it's a frozen block of unknowable volume) and freeze.  You'll be all set the next time you need better than canned broth!

Now back to the wings: after you've broiled both sides, the wings will be browned and crispy like this: 

Use tongs to place the wings in a bowl and toss with your favorite sauce.  I happen to love wings with BBQ aside and I have two favorites: Grandma Izetta's Roadhouse BBQ  which is amazing because it's all natural and isn't loaded with sugar and sometimes, when I'm throwing caution to the wind, I'll go with a less healthy choice like Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipotle because it's sweet with just the right smokey kick.  

Then serve!  There's no need to tell anyone that these wings were boiled.  They'll never notice!

Grown up blueberry lemonade

In case you didn't get the memo fools, summer is here. My friends and I spent the Fourth of July weekend enjoying these grown-up blueberry lemonades.

And they are delicious and easy. But to make them you're going to need to think a couple of days ahead. 

Start with the blueberry vodka from yesterday's post.  Add ice, your syrupy good vodka and your lemonade of choice (mine happens to be Newmans own). 

Add a little more lemonade on top, stir and drink fast before your friends steal it from you!  

Blueberry Vodka

Want to be the hit of the party?  Show up with a bottle of this stuff: 

And, as always, it's easy.  All you'll need is a bag of frozen blueberries (I personally recommend Wymans Frozen wild Maine blueberries), a large mason jar or other covered type pitcher or jar and your favorite unflavored vodka.  

Place the frozen blueberries into the clean jar, cover with vodka, close the top and shake.  Leave the jar on your counter or in the fridge and give it a good shake every time you pass by. (Make sure the top is secure because vodka is a solvent and is going to remove all the 'blue' from the blueberries which I imagine will stain). 

After a day or two you'll notice that the blueberries have given up their color and turned rather white

Have a little taste. If you think it's got enough flavor then strain the vodka back into the original container using a funnel and sieve to keep out the now wasted blueberries.  Resist temptation to eat the blueberries. They have no flavor anymore- it's all in your booze. 

Toss the vodka into the freezer and pull it out to the amazement of your friends next time they're over.  One of the best uses in my humble opinion is in a delicious grown up blueberry lemonade.  

Check back tomorrow for the recipe!