Asian Chicken Wings

 Print This Recipe

And now, something a little different…

People always assume that because I’m a pretty good baker that I’m also a good cook. Sadly, this is far from the truth. I think that the thing that makes me a good baker (loving exact measurements and being very precise) is what makes me a not-so-great cook. I’ll often find myself in the middle of a recipe that isn’t looking quite right, and I’ll call my mom (a wonderful cook) and ask for help. “Taste it,” she’ll tell me. “See what it needs.”

And that’s the part I hate.

With baking, you know that if you mix a specific amount of sugar and butter, you will end up with a fluffy creamed mixture just calling for flour and other dry ingredients. So not true with cooking.

So when I watched The Best Thing I Ever Made and practically salivated over Andrew Zimmern’s chicken wings, I decided to give them a whirl. And the recipe worked. The wings were sticky, spicy, and full of flavor. (And I even tasted the sauce and added more heat.) I can see them being a hit at Superbowl party, Oscar party, or even just on a Wednesday night. So if you’re a bad cook who likes to eat well, try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients
16 chicken wings
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 large thin slices fresh ginger
1 dried hot chile (I used red pepper flakes)
Shaved green onions, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish

Preparation
Place a 14-inch nonstick saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken and dry-sear to lightly brown the chicken. Add the sake, soy sauce, 1/3 cup water, brown sugar, mirin, oyster sauce, ginger, and dried chile and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, about 12 minutes.

Uncover and simmer until the pan is almost dry, tossing frequently to coat the wings, 10 to 12 minutes. Skim off the fat if you like, and serve, garnishing with scallion shavings and sesame seeds.

Recipe adapted from Andrew Zimmern.

Salted Caramel Bundt Cake

 Print This Recipe
This cake was one of the first things I ever pinned when I started spending time on Pinterest. It was also smack dab in the middle of my salty sweet phase, and there were so many recipes calling my name that this one got forgotten. Until now.

When I finally made it I was reminded of how much I love making bundts. (I think The Food Librarian is on to something.) No slicing into layers, piping, scooping, or time consuming decorating. Simply make a glaze, pour it on, and voila, you have a cake.

While the bundt was in the oven my kitchen smelled amazing, and the smell did not disappointment. The cake was rich, moist, and slightly dense, and the glaze, while U-G-L-Y was the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I brought it into the office the next day and it received rave reviews.

Cake Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Crème fraîche
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, room temperature

Cake Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour inside a bundt pan.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Using a mixer beat the butter until creamy.
4. Add the sugar and continue to mix until it becomes light and pale.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract and Crème fraîche 1/4 cup at a time until it is all mixed in.
6. Add flour mixture in small amounts allowing each bit to mix in completely before you add more.
7. After all the ingredients are mixed in spoon the batter with a spatula into the bundt mold smoothing it out on top.
   Bake for 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Once the cake is done let it cool for about 12 minutes before you invert it onto another rack letting it cool completely for about an hour.

Caramel Glaze Ingredients
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick of butter
Sea salt

Caramel Glaze Preparation

1. Add the butter and sugar together and melt them at the same time while whisking (Medium Heat).
2. As the butter and sugar start to dissolve, add the cream and continue to whisk (Medium to High Heat)
3. Once it starts to froth and bubble, take it off the heat while still whisking.
4. Pour glaze into a glass container or bowl and set aside.
5. Once the cake has cooled, pour the caramel over the top covering it in a decorative fashion.
6. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and serve!

Recipe adapted from The Tasteful Life.

Chinet Bakeware Giveaway

Earlier this year, I was contacted by Chinet and asked to try out their disposable bakeware. I instantly fell in love, and told everyone I knew about it because it is so convenient. The bakeware is made of 90% recycled materials and is non-stick and disposable. And to make it even better, it can go from oven to table to freezer to microwave!

With the holidays coming up, Chinet asked if I wanted to give away another set to which I said, of course! To enter to win, leave a comment stating what holiday dish you think this bakeware would be perfect for.

Chinet provided me with a complete set of Chinet Bakeware and will ship a second set directly to a winner. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 18, 2012. One winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter and contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.

• 

• 
  

  
  

• Search for: