Mochiko Chicken Wings with Orzo & Potato Parmesan

I was intrigued when I first saw this recipe for Mochiko Chicken Wings. The submitter of the recipe says it is common in Hawaii. Having never been there, I can't verify this but perhaps someone else out there in cyberland can? For me, the idea of soaking raw chicken in a thick batter overnight was a tad disturbing but I am here to say... it was worth the wait and the extra effort.

I also want to mention that I am NOT a big fan of breaded or battered and then deep-fried chicken but as I said, this recipe caught my eye and I had to try it. I want to give a HUGE thanks to IrLyndaSmith for submitting it to Allrecipes.

After frying for about fifteen minutes, the crust was nice and crisp - and I do mean it CRUNCHED when I bit into it, so that was really nice. The meat was very juicy and cooked to perfection. It wasn't greasy at all. 

The flavor? I could taste the seasonings and a hint of the soy sauce, which is a flavor I absolutely love. All in all - this chicken was a HUGE hit! I must add that I used chicken thighs instead of wings as that's all I have here. 

Here is the result of the chicken:

Mochiko Chicken

To go with the chicken, I chose this Orzo and Potato Parmesan recipe. This is the first time I ever cooked with orzo and it turned out beautifully. It was smooth, tender and it was surprisingly rich to the taste. Instead of water, I used chicken stock to bump up the flavor. I also used canned carrots out of necessity but other than that, the recipe was made exactly as stated. Here as well as in the chicken, I could taste all the ingredients and will definitely add this to my recipe stockpile. A HUGE thanks to FlemishMinx for submitting this one to GeniusKitchen.

Here is what that turned out like:

Orzo & Potato Parmesan

New England Clam Chowder

Could there be a chowder better than New England Clam Chowder?

Sometimes I wonder. The version I made tonight was almost exact to the recipe and I thank CalNRachel for contributing it to Food.com.

The recipe says that it is a low fat version - I'm going to assume that's because it uses low-fat milk? I think I went a little further and used soy milk; not by reason of cutting fat but because I don't like milk. In other words, if I buy regular milk, it just goes to waste because it doesn't get used quick enough. This stuff comes in a box on a regular grocery store shelf and isn't refrigerated.

The effect here was the same as regular chowder (regardless of kind). The chowder was thick (cornstarch is a wonderful thing!), and it was flavorful. The taste of clams was obvious but not overpowering. I wanted some chunk in the potatoes so I left them whole. They were small enough that they cooked quick and were tender by the time the chowder thickened up.

This chowder is a keeper!

Check it out and make it yourself!! There won't be a disappointment!

Looks good, doesn't it?! Don't you wish you had "smell-a'vision"?! 

Red Hot Devils

Crazy as the title of this post sounds... Red Hot Devils are actually a different way of making hot dogs. Well - a different type of sauce that people of this area are probably not used to. 

Every so often, I get hungry for the mystery meat we call hot dogs. It's probably one of the very few processed foods I actually eat. Last week I had a craving for them loaded with sauerkraut. With the four dogs left in the fridge, I wanted to try something different and this recipe for Red Hot Devils appeared... it was MAGIC! Sarah M., if you're out there... THANKS!! 

I have to admit that every time I think of a hot dog, one of my former grad school professors comes to mind, Kevin Patrick. He has this strange obsession with hot dogs and it seems that every trip he takes his students on, there is a stop at some hot dog joint along the way. I took his class (my favorite of grad school) during the Fall 2014 semester and on a weekend trip to NYC, we happened to end up at two. 

The first one was Rutt's Hut in Clifton, New Jersey:

The second place we stopped, at the end of our trip, was none other than Nathan's Famous on Coney Island:

Anyhow back to reality from my trip down memory lane and back to the recipe. The sauce was reminiscent of a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce with a touch of heat and was extremely delicious!! I think most have the ingredients already on hand and it is SO worth it! I give this one a HUGE thumbs up! 

I have definitely found an awesome way to make hot dogs. I think this would even be good for a pot luck with it simmering in the Crock-Pot!! 

You try it! Let me know what you think!!