Easy Hot Wings

 I promised this recipe...

 Hot wings

I have been so busy canning and putting up produce that the recipe section has been neglected.  This is the easy way and not as fattening...the other fried wing recipe is 

Todd Wilbur's found here for $.79 I advise that you buy his books because my family really enjoy them and I have used these books enough to pay for them ten times over.

His recipe calls for battering and frying the wings first.

I like his recipe but have found that (not to be bragging,) but from the response I receive from my fried chicken that they like mine better...

1. Wash your chicken very well, do not dry

2. Salt and pepper each piece in your hand to coat both sides evenly

3. Put lots of flour in a large bowl that has a lid

place chicken pieces into bowl put lid on and shake all around up and down to coat

4. Fry in preheated 375 degree electric frying pan 

fry each piece until golden brown

5.  Take a large cooling rack and place paper towels or wax paper under rack in an area in your kitchen that is draft free to keep warm.

6. Lift chicken out of pan, place on that rack...to cool...makes for the crispiest chicken

Leave on that rack until you serve..put into bowl with following hot sauce recipe shake around a little to coat chicken take out and serve.


OR

This day I did not fry but baked which is still delicious!

I used frozen wings this time, (but I really like fresh wings better especially if they are smaller Springer Farms Brand.) I didn't salt and pepper these and they were just fine without it....so less salt even better

Bake frozen wings according to package directions...I say that but I cooked mine longer, because I like my chicken to brown...

While chicken is baking make the sauce 

take:  Texas Pete Hot Sauce which is my favorite...or any hot sauce you prefer

take same amount of butter

example: 1/2 cup sauce and 1 stick butter which is 1/2 cup

that was plenty to coat these with some left over for those that like to use sauce as a dip

Melt slowly in saucepan then keep on low until needed.

You can adjust hot sauce to your liking, depending on how hot you like it!

add a dash or two of garlic powder to sauce

When baked to your liking  take out of oven to cool slightly maybe 2 to 5 minutes

put wings into large bowl with lid cover with sauce and immediately  shake and roll chicken around in bowl to coat

 

remove from bowl with tongs

serve warm with celery sticks and ranch dressing

Delicious, and quick and easy.

I sure hope you enjoy these whether you bake or fry them....

Dolly 


Please let's share our weekly activities with
Heidi 
This is 
The Country  Homemaker Blog Hop 31
 

Mashing Grapes...

I laugh every time I think of Lucy stomping those grapes.

At my old home we have a grapevine, apple and pear trees.
I decided that not only will I pick and eat from the trees this year I will make pie fillings, freeze, can fruit and make jelly.

These grapes really are pretty aren't they?
Muscadine  is the variety, that grows well in South Carolina

Today I smashed and with the food processor chopped grapes
Put them into a large pot with one cup of water
You have to make juice to make jelly.

Brought them to a boil then simmered on low for about 20 minutes

drained them through my small holed old tupperware colander

drained them again through a smaller strainer
I didn't have any cheesecloth to squeeze the juice, worked just as well

The juice is beautiful, may have to can some juice...use it for other things like my friend Ron Cottle
Next week may just have to go pick more muscadines and apples wow I am on a mission...
Then making muscadine jelly, I am excited can't wait. I really think that this year people will be getting a package of canned goods, jams, jellies, and sewn products for Christmas. I have always said that and for some strange reason not given them this year look out folks...
Check out these gorgeous little Granny Smiths...you know they are organic because they are not picture perfect, but to me they are gorgeous.
Canning Pie fillings, and such next week.

Oh well I couldn't resist putting another picture of the peaches
some are floating but they were really ripe...link to canning click here

Please ignore house too busy canning to clean but that will be next up....

Since I am so busy canning this is what has been on the menu for today
something totally easy with ...oh my not that short easy way not me....well yes today yes.
Frozen wings....yes I confess frozen wingsssss
I made Hooters Wings recipe to follow next week....

Link here to Easy Hot Wings Recipe
Enjoy your weekend!

Dolly


   

Peaches, Peaches, Canning Peaches.

I like these peaches, they are delicious.  I have several favorites, such as Cresthaven (shown above) and Winblo. You can use any variety you have on hand, of course. 

A little advice: BUY LOCAL if at all possible.   I bought these from McLeod Farms, McBee, SC they have several great tasting peaches that are excellent for canning.  Carly has been getting some peaches closer to our home from Abbott Farms.  She has been making baby food from those, and they are delicious.  I am going to try some of their varieties before they are gone.  I usually can slices and halves...pints and quarts.

 

Instructions and Tips

For easier peeling, place the peaches into boiling water for only a minute.  Take them out immediately and put them into cold water.  Peel, cut in half, pit, and scrape the center to get the red out. I use a grapefruit spoon, and it works great for that. Leave peaches halved or sliced, whichever you prefer.

You will need Fruit Fresh to prevent fruit from turning brown, and it helps preserve with a better color.  **You may also use lemon juice in the water as a substitute if you have none. The Fruit Fresh works better, though...put your peeled, cleaned fruit in a large bowl of this treated water while preparing.

 

Making the Syrup

You will need sugar and water to make the syrup of your choice.  There are Light, Medium, and Heavy Syrups.  

My Notes**Taste your peaches, and if they are very sweet, then make a light syrup.  If they aren't very sweet, then make a medium syrup.  I don't make a heavy syrup personally, but that will be your choice.  In my canning of peaches over the years, I have found that a heavy syrup sometimes makes the fruit float.  That, in turn, makes for fruit that turns dark on top if it is above the syrup.  I like mine to be pretty as well as delicious. Another important note if the fruit is too ripe, it will also float.

Medium Syrup

(acceptable for most fruits unless very sour)

5 cups cold water

3 1/4 cups sugar 

Heat to dissolve, and you will want it hot when you carefully ladle it in over your fruit in hot jars.

You can hot pack by heating peaches in syrup or cold pack them into jars.

I cold-packed these

Sterilize jars and keep them warm...I keep mine warm in a 275-degree oven

Heat your lids and caps until warm but not boiling. Keep warm

Heat water in the canner or pot for the water bath. If you put a little white vinegar into that pot, it will cut down on some of the stain you see in my canner.

Heat your syrup and keep it warm

Place slices or halves (if using halves, turn upside down in the jar on top of each other) into the jars, pack them slightly until you reach 1/2" from the top.
ladle hot syrup leaving 1/2" space at top **Careful now syrup is very not**

Then take something like I use the tiny handle end of a plastic spatula and run it around the edges down in the jar, and with the slices into the middle to take bubbles out of the jar...

Wipe the jar top and rim with a clean, wet dishcloth

Place hot lid and cap on, finger-tighten...don't close too tightly

Take jar lifters and place the jars into the hot water bath.

 

Water Bath

**Use any large pot with a lid and have a rack in the bottom so jars will not burst or break.  It will need to be large enough to have 1-2 inches of water covering your canning jars.**

Fill the canner with jars. Mine holds 7 wide-mouth quarts or pints

Cover jars with hot water and bring to a boil...read your instructions for your pressure canner ...For my pressure canner, I had to remove the sealing parts from the lid to cover and cook for water bath...

You will want it to boil, but not hard boil over the jars.

Cook 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.

Carefully, with a jar lifter, lift out the jars. They will be

extremely hot and slippery.  Even after all of these years

I dropped a jar last night....

Place on heat heat-proof surface or line with towels,

Cover the jars with a light tea or dish towel to keep drafts away from the jars.

Do not touch jars until 24 hours later, and then

Gently take your finger and touch the center of the jar lid to see if the jars are sealed. If sealed, the lid won't pop up in the center but will remain flat. Remember, gentle to the touch.

I still leave mine stationary until the next day and then you can wipe clean, remove screw cap if you choose to do so and store canned goods. They recommend not stacking the jars on top of each other and remove the screw bands to prevent false seals later on.

Peaches, I love them.  Can you tell?

They can be used in so many ways.  Chill to eat as is or in salads.  Delicious!

Make cobblers or pies at a moment's notice.

They are better for you because you are the one who controls what goes into them.

The amount of sugar, and if you buy local, you know your fruit.  It is fresh and hasn't been gassed or picked green for travel...

I have a wonderful Jam Peach Banana Cherry Jam recipe HERE that you will love, it is sweet like a marmalade but so good!

 

Peaches & Cream Ganache  Recipe Here

I made this, and it was shared by the best Chef Francois Payard at one time.  

You can find him here now. It was an honor to make and enjoy his wonderful MakeCarons!

Also, on my main Blog, Hibiscus House, read all about him in a previous post

I hope you enjoyed this post.  We have some Granny Smith Apples at the old house, and I think that may be my next venture...then rest, relaxation, sewing, and fun.

Completely Delicious how to can peaches a great tutorial.

Making Tomato Paste

 Tomato Paste on left and Tomato Juice on right

 Tomato Juice

Tomato Paste

This is only the second time that I have attempted to make tomato paste, and the first time I froze it.

I have to confess this was to be tomato sauce but I started sewing and blogging until it turned to paste...

You know the saying life gives you lemons make lemon aid, well that is what I did.

I do need a food mill then that would make all the difference in the world.

That is what I suggest if you are making paste.  

I did find out that you need lots and lots of tomatoes. I made these 4 jelly jars with a tomato box full of tomatoes....

boiled tomatoes slightly to peel easier

peeled

seeded (ugh) 

(too time consuming without food mill don't advise unless you have 3 hrs. to kill)

I cooked them down slowly took all of the water that had cooked out of the tomatoes and set aside and saved.

Before I went to bed I again took the water off and put them into a crock pot.

I simmered them on low overnight.

The next morning I realized paste Dolly you have made paste, and it tastes very good.

Sterilized the jars heated the lids and caps and kept them warm

heated paste higher on stove but watched because tomatoes do stick to pot easily

ladled them into jelly jars

added 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

sealed.

Simple Tomato Juice

I strained all pulp and seeds that ended up in the juice that was ladled off

heated juice

added 1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

to hot sterilized jars.

I had some left over so I added tiny bit of sugar

it is very delicious.

Notes to self:

Next time buy food mill

buy lots and lots of tomatoes

add different seasonings

would be good with basil etc.

If nothing else that tomato juice could be added to broths, soups, recipes...

Keep, store, save and most importantly use what you work so hard to save...

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do....

I would love any recipes you might have out there for tomato sauces and pastes that you have tried.

Dolly    

Looks like I need to buy one of these items to use for much easier preparation of sauce and juice

you tube video

Catie and Carly are Baking Again!

Star Wars Cake

Catie loves to make unusual and pretty cakes. Carly and I love the Wilton Pans some of which are no longer available. We have loads of pans.  Catie was so glad to find out that Carly had this pan because Daniel loves Star Wars and it was his birthday. They took these photos for me to use because they know mama loves to blog.  I hope you enjoy these, I know I did....

Thanks girls.

Catie decorating She has a knack.

Chocolate Cake out of the pan

Carly's Boba Fett Star Wars Pan

I really like how it turned out...

I love making these flipbooks click arrow above to see 

Catie made this Pink Gradient Cake and I thought I would share that post again from 

Hibiscus House

click on picture to see this post.

Carly and I took Wilton Class and found wonderful pans

We had so much fun

click on photo below to see that post.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed this post

Dolly    

Sunshine Nomination-Passing It On!

I was nominated for the sunshine award by

Barbara of 21 Rosemary Lane

I thank her too for her sweet comments.  She is an inspiration to all herself!

This award is from bloggers to other bloggers who "positively and creatively inspire other bloggers in the blogsphere."

As a part of accepting the award I need to answer 10 questions about myself.

Here goes:

1.  Favorite color: My favorite color is green. I confess I love many that green keeps calling me back.

2.  Favorite animal: I guess my dog Chewy. Love the chickens and guinea so glad they can't read!

3.  Favorite number: 6

4.  Favorite drink:  Sweetened Ice Tea with Lemon!

5.  Facebook or Twitter:  If I have to choose guess it is Facebook....(but I love Twitter too)

6.  Good Book or Good Movie:  Oh so hard, love to read, love movies.....I guess Movies!

7.  My passion:  writing, cooking, designing, sculpting, sewing, sharing,....I love to create that is my passion.

8.  Giving or Getting Gifts:  I must confess giving. I am not a good receiver....rather give than get....

9.  Favorite Day:  Everyday!  

10:  Favorite Flower:  Rose

Now I need to award this nomination to 10 other blogs that inspire me. This award is from bloggers to other bloggers who "positively and creatively inspire other bloggers in the blogsphere."

This is going to be hard because there are so many wonderful blogs that inspire me.

Here they are in no particular order.

Michelle of My Little Piece of Heaven


Jane of Cottage at the Crossroads

Heather of Heather's Blog-O-Rama

Deborah Jean of Dandelion House

Lazy J Bar C Farm

Heidi of My Simple Country Living

Michele of Simply Scaife Family Farm 

Honey of 2805

Anita of Cedar Hill Ranch

CJ's Snippets and Snapshots

There are so many Blogs out there that inspire Thank you to everyone!
Please make sure you check out the above blogs because they are truly inspirational.

Dolly    

Canning, Freezing, Jamming....Whew

It has been such a busy Spring and Summer. We fought nutsedge in garden until we gave in and decided to buy our produce.  You know it is a lot easier to just buy in the long run, although I miss growing my own.....maybe next year.

Canning, Freezing, putting away fruits and veggies can be somewhat tiring but it is a labor of love.

You do have to preserve them and it does seem at times that all crops are ready at the same time.....whew.....But aren't they beautiful?  Don't you just love wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables?  They make for the most beautiful pictures.

Pee Dee State Farmers' Market

Picked strawberries

Made our favorite Strawberry-Banana Jam

made Strawberry Cake and Icing

made Strawberry Pizza

Found wonderful green beans from a farmer down the road.

Canned Green Beans

The most wonderful tomatoes can be found in Summerton, SC at

Flowers Farm

The Guys went and bought the produce

Canned Tomatoes

Picked blueberries at Sally Hill

Ate and froze some then made 

Blueberry Pie

Made Bread & Butter pickles

Tried to keep chickens alive with this heat.  Sadly I lost two Wheaten Marans Hens, the ones that lay the dark brown eggs...loved the chickens, Mandy, and Miranda...love the eggs need those to cook wonderful delicious foods.

The Egg

Last night I put up five bushels of butter beans and two bushels of corn.

Needless to say today is a blur...

Thank you God for your blessings and thank you for this day.

Kitchen table full of green lima "butter beans" and "colored butter beans"

Melons and beautiful corn

I intend to go back to Flowers Farm and get pics to do blog it is one beautiful operation.

Wonderful people.

Hope you enjoy this post and take care.

Dolly needs a vacation...happy Summer to you all.

Please visit Heidi's The Country Homemaker Hop at My Simple Country Living and share your posts.



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