I am all about reducing food waste where I can, so I get excited when I get to use ingredients/sauces with more than one recipe. These air fryer chicken wings came into my life because of the delicious buffalo sauce that was made for the Blue is the Warmest Cheese Burger. You don’t have to use that sauce, you can follow whatever flavor your heart desires!
Ingredients
Brine
1 Cup Pickle Juice
1 1/2 Cups Water
4 Garlic Cloves, smashed
Salt
Buffalo Sauce
2/3 Cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 Stick
2 TBSP White Vinegar
1 TSP Cayenne
1lb Chicken Wings, rinsed and patted dry
Let’s Get Cooking
Start with your brine. I let my chicken wings brine for at least 6 hours, max 12 hours.
In a large bowl combine all of the brine ingredients, be sure to heavily salt the water. Add in the washed chicken wings, cover the bowl with foil, and place back in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Once ready to cook, rinse and pat dry.
While the wings are brining, make your buffalo sauce. Combine the Frank’s Red Hot + butter + vinegar + cayenne in a small saucepan & stir over MED heat until the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.
When ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 400F. If you want to bake these, preheat your oven to 400F.
Lightly oil the fryer and place a single layer of chicken wings into the basket, cook for about 20 min, or until the outside is crispy. I had to do multiple baskets due to my fryer being small. To keep warm, place your oven on the lowest temp and place on a sheet pan while the other batches are cooking.
Once all the batches are done, pour half of the buffalo sauce into a large bowl, add in your cooked chicken wings, then the remainder of the sauce, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
I even had extra blue cheese sauce from the burger recipe that I served with the wings as well. YUMMY
There are some things that America gets right, like BBQ, Chicken Wings, & Burgers. Now just combine the best of those things, a homemade buffalo sauce + a DELICIOUS blue cheese sauce & don’t forget the celery, to get this amazing burger that will WOW you. [You also get tons of extra buffalo sauce that you can use to make air fryer chicken wings.] All I have to say is Bob [Bob’s Burgers] knew what he was doing with this one.
Ingredients
2/3 Cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 Stick + 1 TBSP Butter, divided
2 TBSP White Vinegar
1/4 to 1 TSP Cayenne [ I like it hot so I do 1 TSP]
1/2 White Onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
3 Stalks Celery, finely chopped
1 LB Ground Beef
4 Sesame Buns
Green Leaf Lettuce
Let’s Get Cooking
Make the Buffalo Sauce
Combine the Frank’s Red Hot + butter + vinegar + cayenne in a small saucepan & stir over MED heat until the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.
Make the Blue Cheese Sauce
Melt the remaining TBSP of butter in a saucepan over MED heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add in the flour & stir vigorously. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Add in the blue cheese and mix until it melts completely. Allow the sauce to sit on low, often stirring until it thickens up and coats the back of a spoon.
Make the Burger
Mix the celery and 1/2 cup of the buffalo sauce into the beef and gently form into 4 patties. Season both sides with salt & pepper. Cook as you normally would, I do about 6 min each side on MED heat. Be extra careful when you flip, this burger is a little softer due to the buffalo sauce.
Build your Burger
Start with your bottom bun [I like mine toasted] + lettuce + burger + blue cheese sauce + buffao sauce + top bun.
Serve with french fries and extra napkins, but the mess is always worth it.
I grew up having a contest with my brother to see who could eat the most Sour War Heads in one sitting. The roof of my mouth was always destroyed and it was worth it every time. It is safe to say that I love all things sour and anything that highlights citrus flavors. I found this recipe from our girl Claire Saffitz in her Dessert Person cookbook and I was intrigued; not many desserts highlight limes, so I had to give it a try. These bars are so refreshing & also TART, these are the perfect dessert for a person like me who loves a good lip pucker, if you are like me, I HIGHLY recommend them. You need an 8×8-inch pan for this recipe.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
Butter for the pan
2 TBSP finely grated Lime Zest, takes about 3 limes
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 TBSP Finely Chopped Fresh Mint
1/4 TSP Baking Powder
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-in pieces, chilled
Salt
Lime Curd Filling
3/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice, about 7 limes
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice, about 1 Large Lemon
1 TSP Cornstarch
1 Cup Sugar, divided into 1/2 cups
5 Large Egg Yolks
1 Large Egg
6 TBSP Unsalted Butter, cut into tablespoons, chilled
Salt
Powdered Sugar & Lime Zest for serving
Let’s Get Baking
Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking pan with two sheets of foil, crossing one over the other. Butter the bottom of the sides of the foil and set the pan aside.
Onto the shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, use your fingertips to massage the lime zest into the granulated sugar until fragrant oils are released and the mixture looks like wet sand. Add in the flour + chopped mint + baking powder + salt and toss to combine. Add in the pieces of chilled butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Use your fingers to smash the butter completely into the flour mixture, working until you have lots of moist crumbs that hold together easily when squeezed.
Transfer the shortbread dough onto the prepared pan and scatter the crumbs easily across the bottom. Use your hands to flatten the crumbs into an even layer across the bottom. Bake the shortbread until lightly golden across the surface, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Reduce the oven temp to 300F. Let the crust cool while making the filling.
To make the lime curd filling: In a small saucepan, combine lime juice + lemon juice + cornstarch + salt and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and cook over MED heat, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar. When the mixture comes to a boil, whisk constantly until it thickens slightly from the cornstarch, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks + whole egg + remaining 1/2 cup until the mixture is smooth, thick, and has paled in color a couple shades, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the hot citrus mixture into the eggs a TBSP at a time to slowly raise the temperature, until you’ve added about half the citrus mixture to the eggs.
Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan, then set back over MED-LOW heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the curd turns opaque is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and barely holds the marks of the whisk, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the curd from the heat and whisk in the butter a piece at a time, waiting until each piece melts before adding the next until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the hot curd over the crust and shake the pan gently so it settles in an even layer. Bake the bars until the sides have puffed & the center is set but still a bit wobbly when you shake it, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven & let the bars cool completely in the pan.
Transfer the cooled pan to the fridge and chill until the bottom of the pan is cold to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove the foil & cut it into about 16 squares. Dust with powdered sugar and top with more lime zest before serving.
One of the guiding factors in choosing a recipe for me revolves a lot around what produce is in season. I wanted to make pasta that highlighted spring produce and I came across this recipe from my New York Times cookbook by Jean Yves Legarve. I am not sure who that is, and if I am uncultured I apologize, but I do know one thing, you need to make this pasta. Cream sauces can be daunting, but I promise not only is this dish so delicious with the perfect amount of citrus and cheese, but it is also so easy to throw together you can make it on a weeknight.
Ingredients
6 TBSP Unsalted Butter
8 Thick Asparagus spears, stalks peeled & cut into 1-in lengths [I could only find an ALDI package of asparagus so I used 1/2 the package]
1 Lemon, Grated for zest & juiced
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
2 TBSP Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 TSP Nutmeg
3 TBSP Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley [I used dried]
1/2 LB Spaghetti
Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Let’s Get Cooking
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over MED heat. Add in the asparagus and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the lemon zest + half the lemon juice + eggs + cream + Parmesan cheese + nutmeg + parsley in a bowl and mix well. Be sure to taste the sauce, the lemon flavor should be subtle. I had to add all of the juice from my lemon so be sure to taste!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir encough salt that the water tastes salty. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to your pasta package.
Drain the spaghetti well and return it to the pot. Add in the asparagus with the butter and lemon sauce. Toss well.
Turn the head to LOW and gently toss the pasta over the heat for 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens slightly & adheres to the pasta. Season to taste with salt & LOTS of cracked black pepper.
I made it to 27, phew! Looks good from here. For my birthday I am soaking in the relaxation, but also the excitement of getting my own KitchenAid! I was so excited when my mom shared she would be getting me my own for my birthday. To celebrate my amazing gift, I broke in my mixer with this delicious & moist Blueberry Lemon Loaf by Glorious Treats. This bread is the perfect transition into spring baking, it’s tangy, it’s sweet, and I could eat it all day!
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Salt
1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 TSP Vanilla Extract
2 TSP Grated Lemon Zest
2 TSBP Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Cup Blueberries, I like using fresh but you can always use frozen
1 TBSP All Purpose Flour
Glaze:
2 TSBP Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 TSBP Lemon Juice
1/2 TSP Vanilla Extract
Let’s Get Baking
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease lightly
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour + baking powder + salt and set aside.
In the mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter + eggs + sugar + vanilla + lemon zest + lemon juice. Whisk until creamy.
With the mixer on slow, add in the flour mixture and milk, alternating until they are both incorporated.
Rinse the blueberries and toss with the 1 TBSP of flour, this will ensure that the blueberries don’t sink to the bottom of the batter while baking. Add to the batter and gently incorporate by hand.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on the top rack. Bake for about 55-65 minutes, I only needed 58 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean. Allow the load to cool for about 30 minutes.
Combine all the ingredients in the glaze and pour over the loaf after it has cooled. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.
I hope you enjoy this DELICIOUS transition into spring!
‘Hannah, what are you eating for lunch this week?” What a fantastic question, thanks for asking! In the process of doom scrolling the other week I saw all these videos on Tik Tok about this grinder salad. It is basically a deconstructed hoagie/grinder whatever you want to call it. It is very similar to the Kitchen Sink Salad that I have posted about previously. The Tik Tok recipe calls for mayo which I opted to leave out as it would not keep well since I am making the salad for weekday lunches. The fun part about this salad & the kitchen sink salad is it’s another opportunity to make it your own and clear out your fridge at the same time!
** A nice little bonus recipe: take your salami, spread some goat cheese, place a pepperoncini on top, and roll the salami up, OMG YUM
Ingredients
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
6 Pepperoncini + a little juice, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
6 Slices of Salami, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 TSP Oregano
1 TSP Basil
1/2 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
1 Head Romaine Lettuce, washed & chopped
Handful of Arugula & Spinach
Tomatoes, diced
1/2 Cucumber, sliced
Cheese of your choice, I used crumbled goat cheese
1/4 Cup Sliced Green Olives
Olive Oil
Cracked Pepper
Feel free to add in croutons, I used the sourdough foccacia I made a few weeks ago.
Dressing:
Combine all in a container and mix well
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1/2 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 TSP Red Wine Vinegar
Salt + Pepper
1 TSP Oregano
1 TSP Mayo* I added one day to make the dressing a little bit creamier you can opt-out
Let’s Get Cooking
First things first prep your ingredients.
In a large bowl combine red onion + pepperonchini + garlic + oregano + basil + red pepper flakes. Mix well and let sit
Prepare your lettuce & spinach/arugula [you don’t need to add the arugula, I just like the peppery flavor it adds]
Add your greens to the bowl + all your additional toppings. Mix well and top with freshly cracked pep.
If you are eating immediately, feel free to top it with your dressing. If not, store in a separate container that you can top with later.
My brother, Jake, maybe in love with making these breakfast burritos. At first, I didn’t get it, but now after making them myself I definitely understand the hype. These breakfast burritos are amazing for meal prepping, but also perfect for clearing out your fridge of that extra produce. I added spinach, which Jake does not have in his burritos, he instead uses red & green peppers, but use what you like!
Ingredients
6 Eggs
4 Strips of Bacon, sliced
1 TSP Garlic, Minced
1 Cup Spinach
1/2 Cup Hot Peppers
1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
6-8 Tortillas, I like Mission but use whatever you like
Salt & Pepper
Let’s Get Cooking
Start, as always, by prepping your ingredients.
Throw your bacon in a skillet and cook just below your desired doneness. I prefer mine to be a bit chewy. Remove the bacon onto a towel-lined plate. Wash the pan.
Using the same pan, throw in the garlic and spinach and cook until wilted. Once done, throw back in the bacon + peppers and cook for about 1 more minute until melded.
On MED-HIGH heat, throw in the eggs + cheese + salt + pepper and cook until done, or no longer runny. Remove eggs from heat.
Onto making your burritos! Take your tortilla and place about 1/3 of the egg mixture in the middle. Take the top and bottom ends and fold them inward, then roll from one side to the another. Now my brother said I need to work on my rolling techniques so I guess don’t listen to me. Once rolled, place it back on the skillet, or I used my griddle. Cook until there are griddle marks on both sides.
Now here are Jake’s pro tips for perfect breakfast burritos:
-Allow burritos to cool before wrapping in the foil, steam from the burritos gets caught in the foil and the extra water can cause freezer burn
-Take your aluminum foil and place a paper towel on top. Wrap your burrito in the foil/paper towel. [ONLY IF YOU ARE REHEATING IN THE MICROWAVE]
TO REHEAT:
In the microwave: remove from foil, gently wet the paper towel, and reheat for about 2 minutes
In the oven: make sure first off your burrito is only wrapped in foil, and remove the paper towel if added. Preheat the oven to 375F and allow to reheat for about 10 minutes. This is what I do right when I wake up and by the time I am ready to head to work the burrito is nice and toasty warm for me!
Hi, it’s been a minute. I’ve had to take the time to focus on studying for the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and I unfortunately, had to step away from the blog for a little but I am back! I am so excited to be back into my hobbies and doing the things I love. I found this recipe from the New York Times Cooking website; it caught my eye because of the soup being topped with sour cream & onion chips. The recipe calls for the soup to be made in a slow cooker, but I made it in a stock pot and it came out AMAZING. I top mine with extra cracked black pepper, cheese, & of course potato chips. This soup has such a different taste and it’s so creamy, it’s an automatic new favorite.
Ingredients:
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 LB Yukon Gold Potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 1in chunks
1 LB Cauliflower, chopped into large bite-sized florets and stems
2 15oz Cans Cannellini beans, drained
1/2 Yellow Onion, minced
6 Cloves Garlic, smashed & minced
3 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock
3 TBSP Unsalted Butter
2 TBSP Dry White Wine
1/2 TSP Dried Thyme
1/2 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Lemon Juice
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt [ recipe calls for sour cream but I like the tang of the yogurt ]
Salt & Pepper
Sour cream & onion potato chips, for topping
Shredded cheddar, for topping
Let’s Get Cooking
Prep all your ingredients beforehand, chopping the onion, potatoes, cauliflower, and garlic.
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and add in the garlic + onion and let saute for about 2-4 min. Once fragrant, add in the potatoes + cauliflower. Let the vegetables cook for about 8 minutes on MED heat.
Add in the beans + vegetable stock + butter + thyme + garlic powder + dry white wine + salt + pepper and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil and allow to simmer for about 1 hour or until all the vegetables are soft. Using a potato masher, mash the vegetables until the soup has a chunky texture, allow to cook for another 30 minutes.
Using a blender, blend the soup [ in batches if you need to ] and return to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice + greek yogurt/sour cream. Top with more black pepper.
I have a special place in my heart for this guacamole because it was one of the first dishes that people requested I make. I know it’s just a snack, but we all have to start somewhere! I made this just for myself recently, so feel free to up the red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, etc. I know the greek yogurt might throw some people off, but trust me, it adds this amazing tangy flavor I just love. Serve any way you like, with homemade tortilla chips, on toast, on a burger, the possibilities are endless.
As I am sure I have stated by now, I love potatoes in all their beautiful forms. I also love how delicious they are when you incorporate roasted garlic, which are the most beautiful, golden, delicious, little nuggets in the whole world. Try out these roasted garlic mashed potatoes the next time you need a side dish. This recipe is a Hannah recipe, so the measurements aren’t precise, so use your judgment, be a chef.
When you have 30 minutes left on the garlic, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, drop in the potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drail and put back into the pot.
Mash the potatoes until they are all broken down. Add in the milk + sour cream + butter and continue to mash.
Add in the roasted garlic + salt + pepper and mash until you are at your desired consistency. Add in more milk & butter if you need.
Hangry Hannah 