It's Party Time!! (Baked Buffalo Wings!)

We're all getting ready over here for a night of partying. Of course, one of the main components of any party I am going to attend is: FOOD. In order to not overwhelm the hostess each guest has volunteered to bring a dish that can please the masses. Our contribution this year? Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings.

About a year into our marriage I asked my husband to list all of the foods he would really like to be eating that I had not been cooking for him. He responded, "All the things I want are bad for me, so I don't think you want to hear them..." I assured him that I wanted to hear of all of his wishes and desires so that I could make him happy and look for a way to make his greatest food loves a part of his long, healthy life. One of his great loves was, of course, Buffalo wings, however, he had only been exposed to deep-fried, greasy mini heart attacks covered in a spicy sauce. I decided there must be another way and set off to finding it! What I have found has become my husband's favorite wings, which is why I call them Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings! The wings are delicious and, I think, a much healthier option for wing lovers than the typical fried wings.

Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings

Yummy!!

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup Frank's Red hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Earth's Balance buttery spread (you can use butter or margarine if you are so inclined)

Directions

1. Fill a large pot half way with water. (Make sure you have a lid for this pot!)

2. Add the first 4 ingredients.

Important note about McCormick's spices: They do not add gluten to their single ingredient spices (Read here for more information about their gluten and allergen policies.)

3. Bring water mixture and wings to a boil and then boil for 15 minutes. (During this time you may want to get out of Dodge! Put the lid on the pot, if you can without it overflowing, because the steam this mixture kicks up can be quite powerful!!)
**An interesting, and accidental, discovery: if you want some KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS -OFF fiery-hot wings, extend this boiling time (I did this once while my husband went out to the store so the wings would be fresh out of the oven when he came home and we were teared-up, hysterical laughing, and talking about the wings for weeks!)**
4. Put the wings on a sprayed cookie sheet, or some other oven-safe dish. Make sure the wings are not on top of one another. 
 
5. Bake wings on "Broil" (high) for 15-20 minutes on each side. (The longer you keep them in, the crispier they get, but watch them as you get close to the 20 minute mark, or longer, so that they don't burn. 
 
6. While the wings are in the oven, get a sauce pan on the stove top  to combine the Hot Sauce and buttery spread over a medium heat. Stir continuously until butter melts and is evenly mixed. (The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker the sauce). 
**Also, if you wish to play with the sauce's hotness scale, simply play with the "butter" to hot sauce proportions. More "butter" = milder; more sauce = hotter.**



I swear by that Frank's Red Hot Sauce!! (But you can use your own favorite hot sauce if you like.)

7. The last step is the most fun!! Find a container that you can safely put wings and sauce in to shake up. If you have to do it in batches, so be it, but have fun shaking what your Mama gave ya!

My Lock & Lock container is perfect for this job!!

This batch is ready to go! We're ready to party! My husband is out foraging for bleu cheese for the dairy eaters that are sure to be at the party tonight and I am off to chop some celery sticks.

I wish I could just give one to you right now!!

I wish everyone a wonderful, healthy, happy and delicious New Year!