In honor of football playoff season, we had some peeps over to watch the games, and I put on my fancy apron and dusted off my recipe books.  Dave and I recently watched a Food Network show called “Throwdown with Bobby Flay” , and decided to have a little “Throwdown” of our own.  I’m getting ahead of myself though…  First, we started the day with my favorite appetizer - Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos, recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.  If you don’t follow her blog, you’re missing out.  She’s SO cool.  This recipe is disgustingly simple and deliciously tasty.  I’ve yet to have leftovers, no matter how many times I’ve made them.

This is what they look like naked and sad, and ready for some cream cheese lovin’:

And then…right before the oven.  (P.S. If you DO decide to make these, take note that I use a 1/2-1 piece of bacon per each jalapeno.  They deserve it.  I don’t want to dis Pioneer Woman, but, bacon wins out here.)

And, here’s how the beauties turn out.  Yum…I just drooled on my keyboard thinking about them.

Ok, now we get to the title of this post – the “wing off”.  A couple of weeks ago, Dave and I tried Bobby Flay’s wings, and, while good, we didn’t feel like they lived up to my Uncle Dave’s wings that we consider our standard.  (And, Uncle Dave, I’m sorry I ever strayed to other wing territory).

So…this weekend.  Throwdown-style – we decided to pit my Uncle Dave’s wings against The Neely’s wings from the Food Network.  I have tried, and tried to find the original link we used, but I can’t find it, so I apologize for the blatant disregard of the original recipe.  Let’s have it be known that I followed it to the T, as I always do the first time I try a recipe.

The Neely’s recipe.  LOTS of ingredients.  Some chillin’ in the fridge, some time off to have a Tecate, etc.  Here is the scene before the dipping of the chicken wings:

And then, my assembly line.  Naked chicken, egg mixture, flour dip, FRY.  Love it. 

INTERMISSION

Coleslaw with lime and cilantro – no words.   But, it does turn pink.  Not as attractive in photographs as in your mouth.

And, the end result below.  Not a saucy recipe, but we served with Ranch (and really, my kid will eat a freakin’ VEGETABLE if I drown it in Ranch, so it’s really not a commercial for an A+ recipe)

And, next…  as much as I love my Uncle Dave, I would never, never, never, pick his food if I thought there was something better.  And, I’m pretty sure he’d be ok with that.  But, in this case, although not a formal “study”, every person (10 in all) picked my Uncle Dave’s wings as the BEST, hands down.  And, while I’m not sharing the secret family recipe.  I will share a picture of the ingredients.

And, the end result.

BLISS. + Ranch?   HEAVEN on earth.  

If you want the full recipe?  You have to book a photo session.  Consider it a bonus. 

Thanks Uncle Dave!!