There are endless possibilities for winging it

Chicken wings are a big item these days. You see them on just about any menu and they are served at just about every bar. Usually with some sort of hot and spicy seasoning. Orders of the wings are served with a creamy dip, such as ranch, to help tame the hot sauce.

My house isn’t a big fan of most anything hot, so wings around here get something tamer. Most recently a batch of wings was made up with a golden barbecue sauce simply poured over the raw wings and then baked at 300 degrees until the wings were cooked through. I then poured off the cooking liquid and placed it in a saucepan over medium heat and reduced the liquid to about half, then added some fresh barbecue sauce. I then heated it up before pouring over the cooked wings, stirring to coat, before serving.

I’m not a big fan of the wing tips on my wings, so I take the time to cut them off. Don’t want to worry about this fussy step, try using drumsticks instead. It will take longer to cook, and might even be cheaper.

CHICKEN WINGS WITH SMOKED CHEESE SAUCE

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 pounds chicken wings, tips cut off at the joint

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup shredded smoked Cheddar cheese

2 drops Tabasco sauce

Mix broth, oil, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, and onion. Place wings on a broiling pan and brush with Worcestershire mixture. Broil until golden brown. Turn and brush again. Broil until golden. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes to fully cook chicken. Remove and serve warm with sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in broth and Worcestershire. Heat to boiling when smooth, stirring 1 minute. Stir in cheese and pepper sauce. Stir until cheese melts.

CHICKEN WINGS WITH HONEY AND CURRY

1 cup honey

1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons curry powder (I prefer it from The Spice House online)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 pounds chicken wings

Combine honey, tomatoes, and spices in a food processor and puree until smooth. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so sauce boils lightly for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in refrigerator until cold. Stir in vinegar. Cut wings into thirds at the joints. Wing tips will not be needed, so they can be set aside for other recipes, such as a chicken stock. Place cold sauce mixture in a large bowl with the wings. Stir to coat completely. Place in refrigerator for two hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a layer of foil over the bottom of a large baking pan with raised edges. Spray well with a cooking oil. Place wings on pan, reserving liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and heat at a low boil until reduced by half. Brush on the wings. Place wings in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, turn the wings over, brush with more sauce, then bake again for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the wings are nicely browned.

GLAZED CHICKEN WINGS

1 1/2 pounds chicken wings

3 green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

3 tablespoons dry sherry

1/4 cup dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

Sesame seeds

With a sharp knife, remove the tips from the chicken. Cut into 2 pieces at the joint. Place the green onions in a large pan over medium heat; stir in sherry and soy sauce; add sugar and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and place wings in soy sauce mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from pan and coat lightly with sesame seeds before serving.