Buffalo Wings

We continue onto Week 7 of College Football, which means another delicious Football bite! Football just isn’t football without some buffalo wings! Sink your teeth into these crispy, crunchy, lightly breaded wings bathed in hot sauce and served with homemade a creamy blue cheese. Today is a very exciting day! My husband, brother-in-law, mother in law and I are headed to Champaign, Illinois to cheer on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now I am just hoping that they can pull it off, but either way we are proud of our Buckeyes!

One Year Ago: Black Magic Cupcakes

Buffalo Wings

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For the Wings:

1 – 2 quarts peanut oil (or vegetable oil) for frying
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 pounds chicken wings (18 wings), wingtips removed, cut into wingettes and drumettes

For the Sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot sauce, preferably Frank’s Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

For the Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing and Vegetables:

2 1/2 ounces blue cheese , crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons buttermilk
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 stalks celery, cut into thin sticks
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin slices

Directions:

In a small bowl mix together cayenne, black pepper, salt, and cornstarch; set aside.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheet with paper towels. In a heavy saucepan that is at least 5 inches deep, heat 2 1/2 inches of oil over medium heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer. Dry chicken with paper towels and place pieces in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over wings and toss until evenly coated. Fry chicken wings in batches for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove wings to teh baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Keep first batch of chicken warm in oven while frying remaining wings.
In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine butter, hot sauces, brown sugar, and vinegar and stir until butter is melted. Remove from heat.
To make the Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing and Vegetables: in a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk with fork until mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise and white wine vinegar; set aside.
To Serve: Pour sauce mixture into large bowl, add chicken wings, and toss until wings are coated. Serve immediately with the carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese dressing on side.

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, February 2005