"Z Weed" Munchies Mix | Z Nation

Welcome to another edition of "In the kitchen with Zombie Fiction"! In honor of tonight's season 3 premiere, I'm sharing a recipe inspired by the hilarious Syfy series Z Nation. I hear a lot of people hating on Z Nation, calling it a TWD ripoff. I'm pretty sure that none of those people have actually ever watched it, because (and if you know me, you know I'm a diehard TWD fan) they are wildly different, similar only in that they are both zombie shows.

Crispy Oven Baked Hot Wings, a #WingWeek guest post

Please help me welcome my third (and final) #wingweek guest poster, Bernadette of Rants From My Crazy Kitchen. She set out on a mission to make some husband-pleasing crispy hot wings from the oven instead of the fryer—and succeeded. I'm pretty sure these would please husbands all around the world!

Hi, everybody! I'm Bernadette from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen. I've been recipe blogging for almost 3 years, and I am a wife and a mother to a 5 year old girl. My husband had a heart attack on December 20th, at the age of 46, but is on his way to a full recovery. Since then we have made a lot of changes to his diet, which means mine and my daughters as well. I am cooking a lot healthier, no more red meat, no fried foods, etc.

A few weeks after he came home from the hospital he was thinking about food, and said "I guess no more chicken wings for me." I told him I could bake them, and he said "Yeah, but there not as crispy." The next day Heather asked for guest posters with the theme of chicken wings, and I just knew I could do it!

Popcorn-crusted Chicken Wings

It's Friday, and that means we're more than halfway down the #wingweek homestretch. I'm a little bit bummed out that I didn't unearth the grill from the garage and share some grilled and/or some smoked chicken wings with you this week, but that just gives me a goal for #wingweek part deux!

Today's wings aren't from the grill, they're another baked variety, but what makes them fun and a bit unique is the fact that they are breaded! Now, I've never breaded my wings before today. Well, wait a minute—I have breaded wings, but only when I've cut up a whole chicken and breaded that. So, it was "whole" wings. That doesn't count. But it's the same difference. A lightly seasoned flour coating, then into the beaten eggs, then shaken up in a bag full of ground-up cheesy popcorn mixed with chipotle chile powder.

We dipped these in chipotle ranch, but you could definitely use regular ranch, as well. Though they have chipotle in the breading, they're not spicy. Just be sure to season your flour well, so that your wings have flavor!

Bloody Mary Chicken Wings

When January rolls around, so many people are focused on finding recipes to back up their resolutions; this usually means lighter fare. Words like healthy, skinny, and lightened-up take over the search bar. I totally get that. The holidays kick my butt, too. For me though, January triggers something entirely different—a craving for chicken wings!

I think wings are a natural accompaniment to January. Or maybe I should say they're a natural accompaniment to football and the art of gathering around the television eating things with your fingers. Now, I realize that this is actually the tail end of the season, but for one reason or another, it's bowl games and play-offs that trigger my desire for wings.

I'm pretty sure I look like a madwoman, preparing for the chicken apocalypse, as I stack every last package of chicken wings and chicken drumettes from the cooler into my shopping cart. Should I even mention what happens once I get all that chicken home? Let's just say that if a fridge was a pair of jeans, I'd need a pair of pliers to zip them up.

Crisped Ginger-Soy Chicken Wings + Beer Pairing, a #WingWeek guest post

Please help me welcome my first #wingweek guest poster, Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla. I'm pretty thrilled that I inspired her to make chicken wings in her own kitchen for the very first time! Her Crispy Ginger-Soy Wings sound like they are bursting with flavor, plus, she's offered up a beer pairing to go along with her wings. No wonder I like this girl.

When Heather posted that she was looking for some chicken wing guest posts this month, I almost skipped reading the rest of the request. Chicken wings?!? I thought. I don't fry.  I remember watching a cooking show about chicken wings and there seemed to be a complicated dance between the fryer and the oven. And, remember: I don't fry.

But as I finished reading her post, I decided that this would be a good culinary challenge, one that I definitely wanted to complete: make tasty, crispy wings without frying. Challenge accepted.

Good chicken wings are about great flavor and great texture. I did it! This has both.

Slow Cooker Sweet 'n Tangy Glazed Chicken Wings

Until recently, I'd never really thought about making chicken wings in the slow cooker. It was either baked, fried, or if I happened to think about it while the grill was fired up, I'd throw some on there. I don't know if I just didn't pay attention before, but as soon as I saw one recipe for crockpot wings, I've been seeing them around every corner. It's like the buying a new car syndrome (see a beautiful car, buy it, then suddenly everybody and their mother is driving the exact same car).

I figured it was finally time to throw some wings in the slow cooker and see what came out. I bet you can guess. Tender deliciousness, of course. I mean, they were cooked in a slow cooker! The result was a batch of wings just threatening to fall off the bone. But boy, were they ugly. Half the fun of eating wings is a crispy skin, and obviously you can't achieve that in a wet environment.

The trick is lifting them carefully from the crock, setting them onto a rack, and then saucing them up and sliding them under a hot broiler. That skin will crisp up in no time, and all you have to do is give it a couple of sauces and a couple of turns. Minimal finishing work for such amazing results.

Spiced Fig and Garlic Chicken Wings

Whether you're enjoying them outside the stadium, plucking them one by one from a huge foil pan, or getting messy inside during the game, wings are one of those ubiquitous game day foods. Some like them spicy (hand raised), some like them sweet (okay, I'll raise a hand here, too), some like them bathed in garlic (both hands and both feet raised), but you're hard-pressed to find somebody who doesn't enjoy a good chicken wing. Vegetarians—sssshhhhh. You can have cauliflower "wings" instead; I won't deny you.

So, since today is the official start of the #10DaysofTailgate, what better thing to share than a finger-lickin' batch of wings? These particular wings are simple. Beyond simple. With only three other ingredients (one of which is optional), I should probably say embarrassingly simple. But hey, they're too good not to share. Plus, they feature one of our awesome #10DaysofTailgate sponsors, Not Ketchup!

Spiced Fig = Instantly Smitten. This fruit ketchup is slightly tangy and slightly sweet, and my bottle is entirely empty. I rinsed it out and put it back on the shelf, but as of yet, it's not automatically regenerating. And for some reason, I couldn't get the idea of combining it with garlic and slathering on wings out of my head. So, that was exactly what I did.

The #10DaysofTailgate Kick-off (aka "The Program")

How fun is it to have a kick-off to reference during a tailgating event! Just me? That's okay, I'll take it. Arm raised, cutting a tornado in the air, chant growing ever-louder, and then BOOM - let the game begin!

Today I'm joining a group of amazing bloggers and awesome sponsors to bring you a ten day tailgating event, hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Each day we'll be featuring recipes fit for game day, from drinks and appetizers to meats and side dishes to desserts—and everything in between.

But not only do we have good food and drink to share, we also have some fantastic products to give away! Our sponsors have generously donated all sorts of things that will come in handy on game day. Whether you're a grill-master, a condiment queen, or a side-dish sourcerer, we've got something elevate your game all season long!

This post will feature all of the info you need during the event, including a list of our sponsors and our list of giveaway items (plus the rafflecopter widget you'll need to enter for a chance to win). Let's just call this "the program". The parking lot officially opens at 9am ET today, so be sure to come back and check out the recipes. Now, I won't be posting a new recipe every single day during the event—that's what our group (team!) is here for.

Spicy Chili Dip inspired by The Deepest Secret {book tour}

The Deepest Secret
author: Carla Buckley
publisher: Bantam
source: tlc book tours
hard cover: 448 pages

"foodie" read: Not a foodie read, but there is mention of food as a part of daily life. From Chicken Casserole to Ravioli, from ice cream to whole wheat doughnuts (which I almost made), from Gin & Tonic's to Pasta Puttanesca, there are plenty of references if you're paying attention. See why I chose to make Spicy Chili Dip below...

random excerpt: David looks at his wife, the woman he's loved. He thinks of their son. All the ways in which they've worked to protect this house from the sun had only allowed the darkness to creep inside. 

Chinese Barbecue Wings

So usually when Super Bowl rolls around, I'm busy planning a menu that includes trays piled high with nachos; bowls filled to the brim with dips; platters of cheese, fruit, veggies, and crackers; tender carnitas with homemade pico and guac; wings and burgers; and some good beverages to go along with it. But this year has been different. I haven't really been able to think of anything else besides wings.

It's gonna be an all wings kinda celebration today!  Baked wings, fried wings, grilled wings...marinated wings, breaded wings, sticky wings. WINGS! I'm not sure what started the craving, but it may have been these Sticky-Sweet Caribbean Wings. They were just so ridiculously good that I was sad when they were gone. Ever since, I've been pinning wings like a madwoman, pulling out old saved recipes, and writing down ideas for new flavors of my own.

But you know what? I don't think my family is going to mind. We can smash numerous pounds of wings in one sitting between the five of us.

Sticky-Sweet Caribbean Wings #CaptainsTable

For the past week or so, I've been testing out football food. You know, game-friendly food. Food that can be eaten in front of the t.v. while the big game is on. Food that can be held in one hand while the other one is raising the roof or balled into a fist of fury. Food that can be done in advance so that viewing time is fully optimized.

The funny thing about so many things we consider football food...or finger food...is that it is actually messy. Think dips and salsas (I'm a notorious dribbler), nachos (hey, things tumble off, if can't be helped), and of course wings (sticky, glorious, sauce-on-your-cheeks wings)! But there's a solution to that, and it's called the paper towel value-pack. Or a stack of cloth napkins. But these foods tend to stain, and I'm weird in that I like to minimize stains on my cloth napkins. I'm such a study in contradictions.

But back to the matter at hand. Game Day food. Namely, chicken wings. I've been in a wing frenzy this year, which is funny. Some years I can take 'em or leave 'em, but this year I can't seem to get enough. I've been experimenting with all sorts of fun flavors. I've got a couple more to come (and yes, you may even see some after the big game this Sunday - because we all know that there's not enough time in my day to get things done in advance).

Jalapeño-Cheddar Pretzel Bites

Due to the craziness of the holiday season, Leslie and I missed a couple of months of she made, ella hace. We're back in the swing of things this month...and not because things have necessarily slowed down or gotten less crazy. Simply because we've just missed our time cooking together. I need time with my foodie bff!

Since it's the week leading up to the Super Bowl, our theme for the month was an easy pick: Football Snacks! Now, I hear tell that there are people out there who could care less about football. I am not one of those people. I absolutely love it! I scream at the television. I call in plays from the sofa. I've even been known to knock over a t.v. tray in the heat of the moment - something my kids will never let me live down. Kind of like the time I forcefully told a team to "suck it" when we beat them...long live the underdog! I cannot be held responsible for my actions when my team takes the field.

But just as important to the football experience is the food. Be it something you buy from the vendors during halftime at the stadium, or a glorious spread laid out in front of you at home (okay, that's almost better since you don't have to wait until halftime), food and drink go hand-in-hand with football.

Game-Day Pulled Pork Nachos

When I hear "game day food", my mind conjures up images of things you can eat with your hands. Burgers, sliders, and brats. Spicy, garlicky wings. Sticky Carnitas sprinkled with salt and waiting to be scooped up with a warm corn tortilla. Dips and spreads, both hot and cold, being scooped up with crackers, chips, and crunchy veggies. A baking sheet piled high and wide with crispy tortilla chips smothered with melty cheese, spicy meat, and a plethora of tasty toppings.

And then, when I think about what I want to drink with that type of food, cold bottles of beer inevitably take first place. Beer and messy food (food eaten with your hands is inevitably messy, right) just sort of go hand-in-hand.

But, what if I was to take a spread like that, and set out a few bottles of wine in place of (or alongside) the normal offerings of beer and soda? How would the wine be received? Well, no better place to start testing that out than at  home. With myself.

Chili Garlic Meatloaf Sandwich

Hey guys! I shared this Chili Garlic Meatloaf Sandwich over at the Sunday Supper Movement Online Community Magazine site today - check it out, it's perfect game day food!

Cacahuates Oaxaqueños con Chile y Ajo (Oaxacan-Style Peanuts w/ Chile & Garlic)

About seven or eight years ago, my mom lived in a house with a pool.  The last house-with-a-pool that any one in my family has lived in since.  (She no longer lives there.  That seven or eight years ago was her last summer living there.)  So far.  Fingers crossed that that will change one day.  Soon.

The fourth of July from that year is one that sticks in my brain pretty insistently.  I'm sure it had alot to do with the fact that everybody's was at mom's that year.  My brother and sister.  My other sister and her kids.  Our whole crew plus mi suegro (father-in-law).  I think a few friends of the family even happened by.

Days spent in the pool are happy days.  I remember a Peanut Butter and ______ (fill in the blank: jam, honey, banana) assembly line.  Picnic table benches soaked by bums directly out of the water.  Cold lemonade.

Black Pepper and Garlic Chicken Wings

Doesn't it just drive you crazy when you see an amazing photo in a cookbook? It drives me crazy. I have to have a large, rip-able bookmark with me when I'm looking through a cookbook. I see a picture or read an amazing recipe and riiiip, off comes a strip of said paper to insert as a placeholder. And I'm mad for cookbooks. The librarians must know by now not to put new cookbooks up for display, with no other books as fillers...because I usually just walk down the row and snatch 'em all up (then they have to go and choose something else to stand up)...you get the picture. I can pretty much find at least (at least!) one thing in any given cookbook that I want to make or try.

One of the newer ones I found, Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn had me drooling plenty, but there was this recipe...this photo...called Black Pepper and Garlic Chicken Wings (YUM)! Suddenly, I was craving wings in a bad way.

Black Pepper and Garlic Chicken Wings (with Ginger)
yield: 2 pounds

2 pounds chicken wings

+for the marinade:+
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey

Combine soy sauce and shiitake mushrooms in a small pot and bring to a boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Whisk all of the other ingredients into the pot once cooled to room temperature.If using whole wings, cut off tip, then cut wing at joint to separate into drummies & "flat" sections. Place chicken in a large (gallon) resealable bag. Pour marinade over and seal well. Make sure chicken is well-covered with sauce.
Marinate for 12-24 hours in refrigerator, turning frequently.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a pan with foil, then arrange wings on a rack set over a shallow pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until skin is browned and crispy and meat has begun to pull away from bone at end.

-adapted from Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn

This is the point where I will say it again...doesn't it just drive you crazy when you see an amazing photo in a cookbook? Crazy in a great, must-have...hungry crazy way. But, also crazy when you make the same recipe and end up with a different result? A different "photo", if you will? Yeah, they still look pretty good. But, the picture in the book- oh man! They were molasses-colored and sticky and finger-lickin' good! Mine didn't exactly turn out that way :( Oh well, they were okay.

I really like the flavor combination in the marinade, but I'm definitely adding something sticky and messy next time. I want the napkins to stick to my finger tips! I want messy fingerprints all over my beer bottle! I want to pick sticky bits of goo from between my teeth! So, good in theory...but I think it could have been better...and will be next time.