Honey!

One of my cupboard essentials is honey. Honey is versatile, it’s organic and, in moderation, it can be a healthy alternative to sugar.

I simply love the fact that you can use it as an ingredient from snacks to beverages, from main dishes and desserts… From dips to soup to barbecue sauce!

From the Super Bowl to March Madness, there will be tons of chicken wings served at game day gatherings all across America. I’d like you to consider pairing wings and honey for three fantastic recipes.

In the end, you’ll present your family and friends with a platter of multiple choices that will delight the carnivores in the group.

Start with the knowledge that generally you’ll get between 9 to 12 chicken wings per pound, and allocate at least 2 wings per person (most tailgate parties have other foods). Once you determine how many people are invited, you can calculate how many pounds to buy and cook.

Pre-heat your oven to 450° and lined one (or two) baking sheets with foil for easy clean up. If you have wire racks, use them for a leaner wing. In a bowl, toss the wings with 2-3 tablespoons of oil and make sure the wings get a coating – this will help cook them and also make them non-stick.

Place them in a single layer on baking sheet and season liberally with salt and pepper and bake for 40 minutes (turning once halfway through).

Whisk sauces in separate bowls and set aside.

Once the cooking is done, separate the wings into groups and brush sauces, and place the wings under the broiler for 4 to 6 minutes. Tent finished wings with foil to keep warm as you finish the rest of the wings. Serve on their own or with dipping sauces of your choice.

Honey Mustard

¼ cup honey

¾ cup Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)

Sea salt to taste

Honey Sriracha

1/2 cup honey

¼ cup Sriracha

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon oil

Honey Lemon

½ cup honey

¼ cup teriyaki

2 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 large lemon, juiced

You know I always encourage experimentation, and as much as honey and wings love each other they also love mixing. Other combination you may wish to play with: honey and minced garlic, honey and chipotle, honey lime, honey ginger, and honey miso. The recipes also work with turkey wings, but those will probably require that you double everything (and halve the allotted portions).

If using teriyaki, soy or Worcestershire sauces, omit salt in the sauce. Jalapeño and other pepper/chili sauces should always be less than half of the honey content for you to get a balance of flavors. Lemon can be substituted with lime or oranges. You can also use a variety of different vinegars to change the taste every time you makes these.

I recommend you taste the sauce before you brush it on. Sweet and salty, sweet and spicy, and sweet and tangy work especially well. You can afford to go for grand flavors but don’t match the same bombastic seasonings to the dipping sauces because it will overwhelm the senses and it takes away from the enjoyment.

Go [team]!