Vietnamese Style Chicken Wings

Yes, once again I’m making chicken wings.  Most the Vietnamese chicken wing recipes I’ve seen call for fish sauce. As my son and I are allergic to most things seafood, I cannot use it as it is too strong.  So, believe it or not, that is why I am using Worcestershire sauce for the unami in this recipe. Thus, the reason why I call it Vietnamese “style.”  These wings are sweet, sticky and a little bit spicy. Good news is this recipe is quite simple, uses only a few ingredients, no oil frying required and done in less than 45 minutes.  For my vegetarian friends, maybe you can substitute fried or pan seared tofu as the sauce itself is quite tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons sweet soy sauce Kecap Manis
• 2-3 tablespoons Sambal Oelek Chili Paste (start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• cilantro chopped for garnish
• lime wedges (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 475 F degrees.
2. For easier clean up, cover a baking sheet in foil or use a silicone mat as the sauce becomes quite sticky.
3. Lay out the chicken wings in a single layer in prepared baking pan.
4. Season the chicken wings on both sides using salt, pepper and garlic powder.
5. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned or cooked through.
6. While the chicken wings bake, prepare the sauce.
7. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sweet soy sauce, chili paste and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to mix well.
8. When the chicken is fully cooked, transfer the wings to a large bowl. Add half the sauce and, using tongs, toss to thoroughly coat. Return the wings to the lined sheet pan and arrange in a single, even layer. 
9. Bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned. Remove from the oven. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
10. Optional: Serve with a lime wedge. I like how the lime juice offsets the sweetness of the soy sauce. 

 

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Black Forest Bundt Cake

I finally bought myself a bundt cake pan. Being a bundt pan novice, I didn’t realize I needed to spray the pan with baking spray oil so heavily.  My lesson was learned after 10% of the top of my first bundt cake stayed in the pan. Good thing I had enough ingredients to try again.  Otherwise, the bundt cake pan would have been put in the far back of a cupboard never to be seen again.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

FILLING INGREDIENT:

• 1/2 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling (use remainder to serve on the side)

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sprinkles of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Prepare your bundt pan by coating it heavily with baking spray or butter and flour.
3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, almond extract,  vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.
4. Sift into the bowl the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.
5. Mix together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.
6. Top the batter with the cherry pie filling.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Whip the heavy cream in a cold, chilled bowl until it starts to thicken.
10. Then beat in confectioners sugar, almond and vanilla extract until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
11. Top the bundt cake with the whipped topping and add sprinkles. If you have maraschino cherries add those too. I didn’t have enough to decorate my cake though.
12. Serve the extra whipped topping and cherry pie filling on the side. Your guests will be pleased! 

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This recipe is like a mash up of my Mexican Casserole and a tamale pie recipe I’ve tried in the past. And for my fellow home cooks who like quick recipes, the 35 minutes baking time is the longest you have to wait.  I love shortcuts, so if you do not have all the required spices in your cupboards you can also use a packet of taco seasoning. Since there is only two of us at home to eat this, I used half the meat and only one box of the Jiffy cornbread mix and an 8×8 baking pan. Otherwise I used the same amount of all the other ingredients. For my vegetarian friends, omit the ground beef and add pinto beans.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (8.5 ounce) boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated Mexican cheese blend; separated into 1/2 cup and 1 cup
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can black beans (15 ounce)
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 can (2.25 ounces) sliced black olives
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (10 ounce) Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
• 1 1/2 cup chunky salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Meanwhile in a large bowl, prepare Jiffy cornbread mix by combining mix, eggs and milk. Stir well then add 1/2 cup grated Mexican cheese blend. Set aside. (If you like some extra spice, add a small can of diced green chilies to the cornbread mixture.)
2. In a skillet add olive oil and cook ground beef over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain any grease. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients to the meat mixture in skillet. Mix well and remove from heat.
4. In a 9X13 baking pan, add meat and vegetable mixture. Top with 1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese.
5. Add prepared cornbread mixture on top of cheese layer. Be sure to spread out evenly.
6. Bake in oven for 33-35 minutes or until cornbread turns golden.  Enjoy with your favorite beverage.