Indulge In {Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Wings}

I figure, we are already there, so we might as well continue the football theme through today with one of my favorite tailgating treats. Chicken wings have been a football staple since the beginning of time, I'm convinced. But occasionally I get tired of the standard buffalo, teriyaki, or plain. Plus all the sauce sure makes it a mess to eat. Until now. I have found a wing recipe that gets all it's flavor from a dry rub and is baked not fried making it just the slightest bit better for you. I served them the other day with a side of blue cheese and ranch and they were a huge hit! If you want to go a bit more gourmet though, the original recipe called for a Roasted Red Pepper Cream sauce on the that sounded delish. Either way, here's the recipe adapted from Guru to the Outdoors...

:: Ingredients ::
2 lb. Chicken Wings
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper


:: Directions ::
1. In a large bowl combine chicken wings, olive oil, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, sea salt, & pepper.

2. Place wings on greased aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes turning half way through bake time.

3. After done baking, place on middle oven rack under high broil for approximately 5 minutes to crispy.

4. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Have a good Thursday!

Dining Uncorked {Brown Sugar Banana Bread Pancakes}

So, I'm going to be honest. I've never actually made these pancakes before. But, seriously, how bad can they be? I'm talking about brown sugar and banana bread, in the form of a pancake, that's kinda healthy because it's actually made with whole wheat.  This recipe combines my two favorite childhood foods. When I was younger and would stay with my grandparents, every morning I was there my grandmother and I would experiment with different flavors of pancakes for breakfast. And, my favorite thing that my mom makes, still to this day, is her banana bread. It's honestly to die for. Swear. Anyways, this recipe kind of hits home and I can't wait to try it! Here is the recipe from How Sweet It Is in case you want to try it too! 

Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Banana Bread Pancakes

makes 12 pancakes

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Measure out the milk and add the vanilla extract to it. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add in milk and vanilla, stirring to combine. The mixture will still be dry. Add in mashed bananas and mix. Add in melted butter and stir until batter is somewhat smooth.

Heat a skillet or grilled on medium heat. Using a 1/3 cup measure, spoon batter into rounds and cook until bubbles form on top – about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for a minute or two more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with butter and syrup, or the vanilla maple glaze.

Note: if you don’t have/can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, use 1 cup of regular whole wheat and 1 cup of all purpose. Or 2 cups of all purpose.