Instead of despairing over the increased price of chicken wings this Super Bowl Sunday, take that bottle of buffalo sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot, of course) and get creative with more than just poultry. I scoured my recipe files to bring you these gourmet spicy selections:
As addictive as peanuts, but with less fat- & calorie-guilt, roasted chickpeas satisfy that need to endlessly munch on something crunchy during the game. To buffalo-ize them, toss a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas with 2 tablespoons of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a dash each of cayenne, garlic powder and salt, and bake on a lined sheet pan at 450 degrees for 35-40 minutes, tossing occasionally until crisp and brown. Let cool before serving (recipe from Pretty Plate).
Every party needs a dip (or two or three) but the ubiquitous buffalo chicken dip, while delicious, is so 2012. Instead, amp up your dip game by raiding the fridge to make this buffalo beer cheese dip, adapted from The Beeroness. In a food processor, mix 8 ounces of sour cream, 16 ounces of softened cream cheese, ¾ cup of Parmesan, ¾ cup of mozzarella, ⅓ cup of Frank’s, ⅔ cup of Victory Hop Devil (or IPA of your choosing), 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Blend until well combined. Pour into oven-safe serving dish, stirring in up to 2 cups of pre-cooked chicken if desired. Top with more mozzarella and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with blue cheese (may I suggest Birchrun Blue?) and serve warm with chips.
I’m continually amazed by the different disguises cauliflower can take on, and these spicy buffalo cauliflower bites featured on Skinny Taste have been on my list to unleash on game day. Simply dredge cauliflower florets in a mixture of 1 cup of water, 1 cup of flour and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, place on a greased baking sheet and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Then mix ¾ cup of Frank’s with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and pour the mixture over the cauliflower before returning to the oven for 5 more minutes. Serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing and of course, carrots and celery sticks.
Is it still classy and decadent if you put Frank’s on it? Test out your theory with buffalo oven “fried” goat cheese from Half Baked Harvest. Take a 10 ounces of goat cheese log (perhaps from your favorite Chester County purveyor), crumble and mix in a bowl with ½ cup of blue cheese. Then form 24 balls and pop in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In one bowl, beat 2 eggs. In another, pour 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs. Dip the cheese balls in the egg, then roll in panko and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden, then let cool for 10 minutes before tossing with buffalo sauce (½ cup of Frank’s, 1 stick melted butter, 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt) and returning to the oven for 5 more minutes. Then, enjoy your crunchy buffalo goat cheese in any delicious fashion you choose!
Deviled eggs are usually reserved for summer fetes, but throw in classic buffalo wing flavors and suddenly you have a bite-size app to warm you up at cold football tailgates! These extra-devilish buffalo deviled eggs come from Ari’s Menu. Slice a half dozen hard-boiled eggs lengthwise and mix the yolks with 3 tablespoons of plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of light mayo, ½ avocado, ¼ cup of Frank’s, and a dash each of garlic powder and mayo. Fill whites with the yolk mixture, and top with diced celery, blue cheese crumbles, paprika and a drizzle of Frank’s.
Photographs courtesy of Pretty Plate, Birchrun Hills Farm, Skinnytaste, Half Baked Harvest & Ari’s Menu.
