grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings

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My recipe for sweet and spicy chicken wings is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your Super Bowl party this weekend. (Or for supper tonight…) The marinade is easy to make and the chicken grills up in no time. Alternatively, if the weather outside is frightful where you live, these wings will be just as tasty roasted in the oven.

sweet and spicy chicken wings

Ingredients

  • 2.5 pounds chicken wings/drumettes
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup agave
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • chopped green onions (garnish)

Method

Mix all the ingredients together (except green onions). Pour into a large plastic bag with chicken. Brine overnight in the refrigerator or at least 6-8 hours.

My husband grilled these on his Big Green Egg. They cooked really quickly—in less than fifteen minutes. If you prefer to cook in the oven, roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until juices run clear.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings on the Big Green Egg

Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

chicken wings

So….Seattle or Denver?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Musical Pairing:

Are You Ready for Some Football? Hank Williams, Jr.

 

Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Spread

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goat cheese and sun dried tomato spread
My husband makes this delectable goat cheese spread for every special occasion. With only four ingredients, the dish is simple and oh so flavorful with sweet and savory sun-dried tomatoes, tangy goat cheese and fresh basil.
Ingredients
Goat Cheese, 8 ounces
1 head of Garlic, top trimmed
5 T Basil, chopped
6 oil packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes, chopped
Note: We are typically heavy handed with herbs and tomatoes—the more the better! Adjust ingredients according to your taste preference.
Method
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place garlic on aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, seal foil and bake one hour. (Quick tip: To save time, use minced garlic and sauté in a skillet…)
When cooled enough to handle, squeeze garlic bulbs into a bowl with sun-dried tomatoes, basil and cheese. Blend well.
Form into a ball or log. Chill in the refrigerator several hours before serving.
Spread over crackers, serve with baguette slices or as a dip with sturdy chips. (Sturdy because the spread is thick…)
Happy New Year!
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Almonds and Feta

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This recipe was recently published in the November/December issue of Front Porch Magazine… 
Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Feta and Almonds
Arkansas Women Bloggers held its annual blogger conference in September at Ferncliff Camp just outside Little Rock. Day One on the agenda—a food challenge demanding quick and creative kitchen skills not unlike today’s reality cooking shows made popular by Iron Chef.
Seven teams were provided boxes of identical ingredients along with a pantry stocked with additional basics. With only forty-five minutes to create twenty appetizers, competition was fierce. To make things more interesting, each team was allowed one secret ingredient.
I was part of the winning team led by Kellee Mayfield (Delta Moxie) of Lake Village. Kellee came with a box of tricks including our secret ingredient, Miso Soy, plus decorative napkins and serving platters. Every southern girl knows presentation is an important part of the food equation.
The appetizer our team created was inspired by one of my favorite Southern Living party recipes, Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed Apricots. Our first stumbling block—the pantry had no apricots. Instead, we substituted dates then put our heads together to create the winning dish using Arkansas Petit Jean Bacon and other locally grown ingredients.
(I can’t go into specifics, but there was even a bit of bartering to secure the feta cheese from another team…)
Hard at work! (photo courtesy of Julie Kohl of www.eggsandherbs.com)
According to the slate of foodie judges from Memphis and Little Rock, our dipping sauce made with orange marmalade and Miso Soy would make plywood taste great! 
It was that good.
The saltiness of Petit Jean bacon and crumbly feta paired with sweet dates and orange marmalade proved to be a delicious combination and possibly even better than the original inspiration. This recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next holiday gathering.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Almonds and Feta
(makes 24 pieces)
 
12 slices bacon, cut into halves
24 dates
24 whole almonds
feta
green onions (4-5)
3/4 cup orange marmalade
Miso Soy paste (or 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce)
Method
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice a pocket into each date and stuff with one almond and a small sliver of feta cheese.
Close date and wrap with bacon slice. Secure with wooden toothpick.
Place on wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once to brown each side.
Mix miso soy paste with water (according to package instructions) to make two tablespoons. Add to marmalade and heat in a small, microwave safe bowl at medium 1 minute or until blended.
Arrange appetizers on a serving platter. Drizzle with dipping sauce and top with a sprinkle of chopped green onions. Serve warm with extra sauce for dipping.
Enjoy!
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center - Arkansas Women Bloggers
Ferncliff


Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!