ranch dressing

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Well, this is weird. I guess I’m a high school graduate? I’ll tell ya, it’s a funny feeling walking down those halls for the last time,

I guess there can be a lot of different feelings about graduating high school, some people are excited, some are scared, some are ready to get the hell out of there, but for me, it’s definitely bitter sweet. On one side, I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life, but on the other hand, I’ve loved high school. Yes, I’ll say it; I’m one of those. The ones who loved high school with all of their being. All of the ups and downs, the crazy nights out, the long nights spent cramming for exams, the soccer games, the barbecues, the laughs, the tears – they’ve made me who I am today.

The first day of 9th grade seems like yesterday. It was a warm morning in September, the sun was pouring through the clouds, I was walking to school with a couple of my friends, we were nervous and excited – it was hard to believe that we were starting high school! While walking to school, I stepped on the back of my friend’s flip flop, and somehow managed to break it in half. So, we had to run home and grab a new pair of shoes, thus making us late for our very first day. Ah, 9th grade was so much fun, although, those seniors were very intimidating. We got up to a lot of stuff we probably shouldn’t have, and from freshman year on, each year kept getting better and better.

Flash forward to senior year, the days when you feel as though you rule the school. Instead of being late on the first day, you’re sitting outside the front entrance with all of your friends looking at all the new, tiny, scared freshmen. These are the days of free periods, teachers who talk to you like adults, and the time when decision making has suddenly become so important. There’s chatter of college and university, gap years, entering averages, acceptances and rejections, and you know what? We’re all scared, terrified in fact, but no one says it. We band tightly together, groups that were separated come together, being closer with everyone means that there’s no time to feel scared and alone.

Senior year was also the year that I realized that I really do love chicken wings. So today, in commemoration of my new found love, I’m sharing a recipe of buffalo chicken wings. Yum.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings (serves 3-4)
Recipe Adapted from: Jeanne on Tip32

Ingredients for wings

2 lbs chicken wings
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Ingredients for sauce

3 1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup ranch dressing
2 tbsp soya sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400, and line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Toss wings in a bowl with the dry rub. Place wings on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then flip wings over and cook for another 15 minutes.

While wings are cooking, make the sauce. Heat all the ingredients over medium heat in a small-medium sized pot. Stir the sauce until the ingredients are all incorporated.

Once wings are done cooking, place in a bowl and cover with the buffalo sauce. Toss to coat. Once coated, place the wings back on the baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes on the other.

These buffalo wings aren’t too spicy, but you can always up the hot sauce ration in the buffalo sauce for a little extra kick.

Enjoy!

- Lou

Ranch dressing is one of those condiments that has hundreds of uses and can be found in fridges of homes all around the world. Kids love it, adults love it – ranch is pretty universal. It’s easy to buy it, but if there’s one thing we can all agree upon it’s that bottled, store-bought versions of a food usually contain nasty and unpronounceable ingredients. Phosphoric acid, disodium phosphate, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate anyone? What is disodium and why is it everywhere? I think that unless you’re a food scientist, ingredient labels can seem like another language. It reminds me of when I used to take chemistry – so glad that I dropped sciences two years ago. I don’t know about all of you, but I’d much rather make my own dressing and know all of the ingredients I’m putting in. Plus it usually tastes better and is better for you – double bonus.

I mentioned that ranch dressing has tons of uses; you can use it on a salad, for dipping veggies, or treats like french fries and pizza. I for one enjoy a little ranch dip with my chicken fingers and chicken wings. You can even throw some ranch dressing into mashed potatoes to give them a little kick. When something as simple as ranch dressing has so many uses, why not enjoy a healthier version, one where you don’t have to worry about MSG and high-fructose corn syrup. This is a dressing you’ll be proud to use and serve to your family.

Ranch Dressing (makes 1 cup)
Recipe Inspired by: Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004

Ingredients
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp 5% sour cream
1/3 cup +1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp dried parsley

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process for 10 seconds or until combined and dressing has the desired consistency. I like my dressing to be slightly runny but just thick enough for dipping as well.

This ranch dressing makes the perfect summer main course, a chicken ranch salad that kids and adults alike will enjoy.

- Lou