Winning Combo for Super Bowl

Buffalo chicken wings have been routine chez nous for many years for a big football game. You have to call their number during the Super Bowl and the Grey Cup game.

But I had to make an adjustment at the line of scrimmage a few years ago when I went to the meat cooler at the super market. Horrors, there were no chicken wings. I had to react to the reality as if I had called a passing play and the defense was coming with a blitz. What to do?

I put myself in the cleats of Peyton Manning, quarterback and mastermind of the Denver Broncos. What would Peyton do? How would he alter the play at the line of scrimmage? I made the adjustment and grabbed several packages of chicken drumsticks. They turned out to be a fine replacement. Now I mix it up with wings and drumsticks.

This recipe originated with the classic New York Times Cookbook by that fine southern U.S. gentleman Craig Claiborne. It’s my go-to reference for cooking and has been for many years. I wore out the first one given to me by my in-laws.

Thank goodness they gave me a later edition to replace the first one, which I keep despite the fact that it’s falling apart.

I bake the wings and drumsticks in the oven rather than deep-frying them

The wings are accompanied by sticks of celery (3 stalks), carrots (2 peeled and sliced) and a bell pepper (sliced) with a dip of blue cheese dressing.

You can add fries done in the oven to round out your spread.

Buffalo chicken wings and drumsticks

Serves 6

3 lbs of chicken wings
1 lb drumsticks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons butter
4-5 tablespoons of bottled hot sauce or to taste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 ½ cups of blue cheese dressing (recipe follows)
Celery and carrot sticks
3 russet potatoes peeled and sliced length-wise

1. Cut the tips of the wings and freeze for soup stock. Cut the wings into two pieces at the joint.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. (176 C) and bake the wings and drum sticks on racks on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. Do the drumsticks 10 minutes longer.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the hot sauce and vinegar. Add the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce and slosh around until all are coated evenly.

4. Serve with the blue cheese dressing and celery and carrot sticks and sliced bell pepper.

Blue cheese dressing

2 ½ cups

1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream (low fat is allowed)
¼ cup (or more) crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Fries

Peel 3 russet potatoes
Slice length-wise to desired thickness
Place on oiled cookie sheet
Place in oven and bake 45 minutes
Turn occasionally to brown on all sides