Punctuation is Everything
Michael asked Nelson to make chicken wings the other day. This is how he asked… “Can you fry up some wings? Make them. Jerk!.” And then… “Can you fry up some chicken wings? Make them Jerk!”
He was goofing around, of course… he’s funny that way. The second request is what earned Michael the prize. We had a good chuckle about how a simple punctuation, in just the right place, (or wrong place), can make all the difference.
These are the simple silly things that make us laugh. This, plus Michael’s incredible gift of terrible puns.
Simple Pleasures
This past weekend was the Easter long weekend. We got together with my family for an Easter Sunday lunch. It was really nice to spend time with them. We need to do that more often…you know…just because.
Life moves quickly and time flies, as they say. As we get older, Nelson and I appreciate time with family and friends more than ever before. Just hanging out together–talking, laughing, enjoying a meal, and sharing memories–these are moments we treasure. And they’re so simple, so uncomplicated, so perfect. That reminds me of these wings…
It’s Little Things
Just like I said… simple pleasures. The four of us devoured these wings while sitting cross-legged around our coffee table, watching “A Series of Unfortunate Events” on Netflix. It wasn’t a classy or traditional Easter Sunday dinner, and yet it was perfect. We were with our kids, we were filling our tummies, we were enjoying a treat of television while eating, and we were feeling very blessed.
Sometimes it’s the little things–simple pleasures like these–wings like these–that make for great memories. We wish you simple pleasures and yummy eats. Always eat well, friends.
Naked Jerk Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs wings, drumettes and winglettes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp hot red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- Vegetable oil (enough to deep fry in your fryer or other cooking vessel)
- Green onion, chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, paprika, white pepper, ground allspice, chili powder, pepper flakes, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Place the wings in a sealable freezer bag and pour the marinade over the wings.
- Seal the bag while trying to let out as much air as possible.
- Move the wings around in the bag until all the wings are completely coated with the marinade.
- Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until the next day.
- Preheat the oil in your fryer (or other cooking vessel) to 355ºF.
- Remove the wings from the bag and place them on a paper towel-lined tray.
- Pat down the wings with more paper towel to remove excess liquid (to keep the oil from splattering).
- Carefully place some of the wings in the oil (fry basket), without overcrowding.
- Fry the wings for 7 minutes.
- Place the cooked wings on a paper towel-lined dish to soak up the excess oil.
- Repeat the last 3 steps until all the wings are cooked.
- Sprinkle chopped green onion over the wings as garnish.
- Serve the wings hot with a favourite sauce and sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cooking time may very depending on the size of the wings. The ones we used for this recipe are on the smaller side. Increase the time slightly if your wings are large. Once you lift the basket after the first batch is done, try a wing to make sure they’re completely cooked through.
- To keep all the wings hot, place the first batches in the oven at 200ºF until all the wings are cooked.
- Our 21 minute cooking time estimate assumes you can cook all the wings in three batches at 7 minutes per batch.
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