Football Sunday Wings

"Football Is an honest game. It's true to life . It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life." - Joe Namath


Football Sundays however, are about WINGS!

SRIRACHA HONEY WINGS

Although technically September 21st marks the beginning of fall, everyone knows it really starts once Sunday football begins! Its a time to get the family together, to get friends together, for couples to argue about whose team is better, a time for camaraderie at the local bars. More importantly however, its a time to EAT! A time to eat good! 

As you prepare your menu for Sunday football festivities, wings must be an important component. They should be a staple in every home. Now, your local bar/pub may claim to serve up the best wings in town, however nothing is better than homemade wings cooked fresh and hot! 

Now let me introduce to you these yummy, sticky, slightly spicy, yet slightly sweet oven baked wings. Its a super easy recipe that is sure to please every wing fan in your home! I hate spicy but my fiance loves it, and these were perfect for the both of us. 

I got this recipe from Damn Delicious. The recipe can be found here Most Awesome Wings! 

Enjoy!

Breakfast - The Most Important Meal of the Day

"What nicer thing can you do for somebody than 

make them breakfast?" - Anthony Bourdain

Banana Pancakes

With fall right around the corner, what better way to enjoy a crisp Sunday morning than warm, sweet homemade banana pancakes? This easy recipe will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling that will help kick start your day!

It took two tries to master this recipe and combine just the right ingredients. After getting my fiance's seal of approval, I thought it would be the perfect recipe to jump start my blog again. You will never have to buy pre-made pancake mix again!

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon coconut sugar (Trader Joe's Organic Coconut Sugar is divine)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vanilla soy milk (regular whole milk can be used instead)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 large egg

1 1/2 medium ripe bananas

Directions

If using an electric griddle, heat to 375 degrees or heat a skillet over medium heat. 

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine milk, oil, vanilla and egg and whisk together. 

Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk until moistened. Lumps are good!! Once mixed, slice bananas and add to mixture. As you mix the bananas into the mixture, carefully crush them slightly into the batter.

Grease the skillet or griddle with butter, oil or Pam (I used Pam) and spoon batter on nice and round. (mine were more abstract round) Cook until the tops have some bubbles, flip and allow the other side to brown. 

Remove from the griddle or skillet and enjoy with your favorite topping! I added sliced bananas, honey and a sprinkle of coconut sugar to mine. Delicious!!!

Bon Appetit!

Oh How I Have Missed You!

I have missed blogging oh so much! Especially recapping all the amazing meals, restaurants and drinks I have had the pleaure of eating, experiencing and drinking. The last year and a half has been very exciting though and has been keeping me busy. These past 9 months in particular have been amazing. A quick recap: 1. I started graduate school 2. I got engaged to the love of my life Don Pepe and 3. I lived and studied Psychology in Bali, Indonesia for one month! Pretty exciting stuff which will be detailed in future posts. The most memorable moment however, was our engagement =)

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Woolf

It was quite the surprise and I am the happiest woman on earth! Our families were very happy as well and threw us a mini celebration the night after our engagement.

The cakes were as good as they looked. Strawberry shortcake yum my favorite. And here is a glimpse of the ring:

The start to a great year! More to come...

Family Time!!!!!!!

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."  -- Desmond Tutu

I've always wished I was a part of those families where every Sunday they get together and have a big meal, talk about memories, and recap each others weeks. I used to think only TV families did that. I promised myself when I had a family, I would start that tradition. One that would last even when they were older and living on their own.

As you get older, you start to value family more. I'm beginning to learn on a day to day basis that NO ONE is going to love me like they do, and because of that I'm making an effort to spend more time with my lovely familia!

Yesterday I visited my aunt, uncle and 3 younger cousins for some Sunday Funday excitement! My aunt is a bigggggg cooking motivation for me. There's rarely a time I visit that she's NOT cooking for her family, and everything is deeeeeeelicious. I love her ability to take ingredients that you would not think of making together, and turn it into an amazing meal! It's nothing extravagant either, just very simple but delectable dishes. Proving, sometimes simplicity is better!

She made shrimp scampi over Spanish rice, with string beans and platano maduros (sweet plantains). It was a Yumfest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here she is preparing the shrimp. Reason #1 why I hate cooking shrimp - cleaning them!! Yuck! I'm glad she took this mission on :-)

Maduros ready to be cooked!!! Cook them in oil and sprinkle some brown sugar over them. Yum! Reason #456 why I love being Puerto Rican - Having these bad boys with a meal!

Yum! Spanish rice waiting to be eaten...BY ME!!

Shrimp Scampi! I believe she added a little chicken broth, butter, garlic and oregano. So simple, yet sooo delicious!

String beans! She cooked them in chicken broth with a ham hock and salt, pepper and garlic for taste.

TaDa!! The finished product right before I happily devoured it. :-) And of course no meal is complete for me without my glass of wine.
Do you have any family traditions? Or want to share any of your favorite family recipes/meals!? I would love to know :-)