Salted Honey-Caramel Sauce

Not all great dishes require extended time and effort to pull off something remarkable and deliciously nosh-worthy.  Take decadent salted honey-caramel sauce for instance.  This homemade treat comes together like a dream in a matter of mere minutes, and from there the sky is the limit on the number of ways to indulge.

From ice cream sundaes, to milkshakes, to cheesecake, to pancakes (you get the picture, no?), a drizzle or two or three of this homemade confection delivers irresistible sweet-salty-caramel-y goodness to your favorite desserts and dishes.

Make. Drizzle. Nosh. Repeat.  All in a day's... Happy Eating!

Salted Honey-Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel (or coarse salt)   
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Combine honey, 1/4 cup water, and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium, swirling until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil; cook until mixture is deep golden brown, 4-6 minutes.  

Remove from heat and carefully whisk in cream, butter, salt and vanilla (be careful, mixture will splatter).  Let cool completely.  Sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in an airtight container.  Gently reheat before serving.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart   

Buffalo Hot Wings

I wish there were adequate words to explain how so very seriously I take my hot wing indulgence.  And I have my mother to blame for this.  The day she began making hot wings for our family years ago was the day my obsession with the crispy, saucy, spicy guilty pleasure began.  Like a short-order cook, she achieved the perfect marriage of super crispy skin and the best buffalo sauce (translation: thick enough to coat the wing without separating into its respective hot sauce and butter parts, with a tangy kick to match.)

And so, from then until now, my quest for the perfect hot wing (besides my mama's) has always been about crispy skin and the perfect sauce.  And here enters my own fuss-free, scrumptious recipe that I began making a little while ago and can't rave about enough. 

First off, they're baked--not fried.  So for those who care, this is now a guilt-free indulgence! And the two ingredient sauce brings the tangy, vinegary, salty, spicy zip that all buffalo hot wings should be known for.  The perfect hot wing, in my kitchen, without the grease or the guilt, is euphoric.  It's the best winning combination I've come across in a while and when you make them, I'm sure you'll agree.

Happy Eating!

Buffalo Hot Wings
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken wings
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste (or a poultry seasoning blend)
3/4 cup of hot sauce (recommended: Louisiana hot sauce)
1 tablespoon of butter
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 425 F.

Pat the skin of the wings dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.  Inside a large baking dish, season wings liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder (or desired seasoning blend).  Place dish in preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until skin reaches desired level of crispness.  

Remove wings from oven and set aside.  Melt butter into hot sauce, stirring occasionally, and bring sauce to a brief boil.  Lower heat slightly and allow sauce to continue to simmer, while reducing and thickening, about 5 minutes longer.  (Cook's note: adjust ratio of sauce to butter, as desired.  You may also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to reduce the spiciness.)  

Dip each wing in buffalo sauce to coat. Serve and enjoy! 

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

There are some flavors that I simply cannot get enough of.  And such are the flavors of one of my absolute favorite sauces: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.  I began making this bold, tangy, bright and ever-so-scrumptious treat years ago as my go-to accompaniment to fish tacos--perfect for drizzling over crispy or grilled fish and for dipping with tortilla chips.  But, I soon realized that this treasure could be enjoyed on just about anything, from eggs, to steak, to enchiladas, to any way you please.

Tomatillos are used heavily throughout Mexican and Central American Cuisine

I especially savor this recipe because it yields a warm salsa that's somehow more delectable--a byproduct of the roasted vegetables.  Effortless to bring together, there is every reason for this to become a part of your condiment repertoire forever.  Forever. 

Happy Eating!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients:
1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 large white onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup cilantro
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place vegetables on a baking sheet and roast in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.  Remove vegetables from oven and add to blender or food processor, along with salt, cumin, lime juice, vinegar and cilantro.  

Using the pulse function, blend to desired chunky texture.  Check for seasoning, serve and enjoy!
(Cook's Note: If a mild salsa is preferred, halve the jalapeno peppers and remove the ribs and seeds before using.) 
 

HOW TO EAT: Sauces

I'm an undisputed sauce girl!  And when I come across a sauce that I like, "more is more" is the mantra that applies.  Sauces done right carry the perfect nuance of flavor and can elevate dishes single-handedly.  Whether it's salty fish sauce, tangy hot sauce, smoky barbecue sauce, decadent gravy, or any other scrumptious, sauce-y concoction, when you indulge, it's the best thing ever.  At least for me, anyway.

My latest tutorial in our "how-to-eat" series gives us the simple rules of the road for enjoying all things saucy. 

Happy Eating!

Eating Sauces

Sauces may be poured over or beside meat.  A forkful of food at a time may be dipped into the sauce.

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