Can I ask you guys a question? Do you feel like you are balanced and/or happy? How did you get to your place in life and how did you end up discovering what it is that you love to do? I guess that is several questions, but I am curious to know the answers. I have spent the majority of my twenties looking for the answers to these questions and as I inch closer to the big 3-0 (GAH, but I still have a little while to freak out) they are on my mind more and more. Now, trust me, I know you are wondering what this has to do with chicken wings. Of course the answer is nothing, but sometimes I get questions that won't leave my mind and it helps for me to ask them out loud. Hey, this is my blog and it's as much my musings on life as it is on food! Speaking of food, I saw this recipe all over the food blogosphere last week and it was one of those things that I knew I would be trying soon. They are really good and I didn't even do the recipe correctly. (As you may have been able to tell, my head is somewhere else lately) I completely forgot the 1/4 cup of brown sugar in the glaze and totally skipped the part about sticking the wings back in the oven for another minute or two after you have coated the wings. Instead, I added some agave nectar to the glaze, tossed the wings in a bowl with the glaze and then ate them...and they were still really good. If you don't know by now, I like extra heat in everything so if you prefer a milder wing, reduce the amount of red pepper. With the Superbowl coming up, you should really consider serving these if you are having a party...or even if you aren't. They are really delicious and you and your guests won't feel guilty about scarfing them down...unless you chase them with some seven layer dip!
If you want to chime in on my questions above, I would love to hear what you think...as long as you're nice :)
Polynesian Glazed Wings
(Adapted from New Dieter's Cookbook (Better Homes & Gardens)
via Culinary Cory)
1 1/2 pounds (about 30 pieces) chicken wings
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon agave nectar
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
cooking spray
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Evenly space the chicken drummettes on the baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Lightly spray the seasoned chicken with additional cooking spray to encourage browning. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Turn half-way through the cooking time. When baking is completed, drain the baking sheet of any excess juices.
Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, red pepper, pineapple water and soy sauce in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat for 3-6 minutes until thickened. Spoon the glaze over all sides of the chicken and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
14 comments:
I might have to have a superbowl party just to have an opportunity make these. MMMMMM!
no - i never feel balanced. i just bounce from being overly focused in one part of my life to the next... which leaves me feeling very unsettled. but you know, what can you do?
Balanced? Hmm, don't know about that, but I strive more for happiness. I think I need to be happy more so than balanced, but it makes you wonder if the two aren't somehow intertwined.
I try to be happy and make sure I'm going to be happy decades down the road right now. If that makes sense.
On another note, how did these taste using agave nectar?
Heather, maybe I should move to an ashram like that chick in the book "Eat, Pray, Love"...god, I hated that book.
Dawn, yeah, I changed my question slightly because I guess I meant happy too. But, to answer your question, I really liked these with the agave. I didn't use very much of it so they weren't as sweet as I am sure the original recipe intended, but the pineapple was a good contrast with it.
Those look delish! I love chicken wings.
When you get to 40 you realize what's important and what's not.
I have a roof over my head, good food on my table, a husband I love and adore and wonderful kids. It doesn't get much better than that!
Oh Esi, I don't even know where to begin! I struggle with balance/happiness and questions about "what I'm doing with my life" on a daily basis. I'm definitely not where I want to be professionally, and at times, I do feel like I am missing the point of life. But I do have one little magic bullet that helps me sort through all the chaos and self-doubt. My faith. I may be bobbing about LA like a headless chicken, but I will always have that as a constant source of strength and direction in my life. I just wish I had a better idea of what I'm really meant to be doing!
Sigh.
Don't you wish we could just blog, cook, and eat for a living?
The wings looks great, love the flavors in it. As for your question, I recently went back to school(I'm older than you) and have now realized I don't even want the degreee that I'm going for! One of my other friends who I met through blogging said to me "Maybe you are doing what you love to do already, cooking and blogging and in a way teaching people." While I realized this is true, the question is how do I make a living doing this? I'm still trying to figure that one out.
Thanks you guys for your insights! Dare I say, it makes me feel better to know I am not the only one.
Diana and Reeni, if we could do this for a living, that would be amazing...and then reality hits :)
I am never balanced but eating these wings will make me happy. Yum I may make these this weekend
Hi doll! Hows it going? Do I feel balanced/happy- for the most part- yes! My job is a little slow for me and I think there are a lot of jobs I would enjoy more...but its ok for now. Being able to work from home these last two days def makes me MUCH MUCH happier!
I am never showing my husband your blog- he may leave me for your gorgeous food. ;)
These wings look great!
I don't like my dinner to be too sweet so the agave nectar sounds perfect.
I'm pretty happy, and very fortunate that I work for an organisation where work/life balance is respected and encouraged. Everything got better (except my thighs) after I turned 30 though, I suddenly felt comfortable in my skin. Still don't know what I want to do when I grow up though.
oh Esi! i'm more unbalanced in my life than i've even been. i'm educated to the nines and am having the most difficult time getting a job. so frustrating! but despite all that i feel totally fulfilled when i make a great meal, ride my horse, go skiing with my man, hike with the dog, or get to cuddle with either in bed. the busy life waiting for me as an attorney may not leave too much time for those things. then my over abundance of free time will turn into nothing and i'll be on the opposite side of the same problem. i think its an ongoing struggle. i just focus on the small things that make me happy and let go of the rest. oh... and i don't expect total fulfillment from my job (once i get it), 'cause thats not balance either.
Hey There! Thanks for referring my blog. I'm glad to hear you like the wings. I like your adjustments and just might try them myself. Happy blogging!
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