Comfort Foods and Indulgences

The greatest thing to come out of Buffalo, NY is their wings.

Buffalo wings are chicken wings and drummettes that are fried without breading and then coated in a vinegar based sauce typically comprised of melted butter and hot sauce. They're served with a cool, tangy blue cheese dressing for dipping and some crisp celery sticks.

Buffalo wings are the ideal party food guest: they get along well with others like pizza and nachos, and they're best buds with cold beer. So they've got to be part of your Super Bowl party line-up, even if you're making different wings like my Maple-Beer-Chili Chicken Wings (which you really, really should). They're too self-confident to be intimated by other wings at the party.

If you are a Mom who enjoys decadence (like me), you may want to leave a picture of this hanging around the kitchen.  With Mother’s Day approaching, there might be some little hands who might want to put this together for you.

It’s the perfect dessert for the impatient and the baking challenged, as it takes only minutes to toast and slather these waffles with hazelnut spread. 

Sliced strawberries would also be a perfect replacement for the berries.

So forget about calories for one day and enjoy this over-the-top dessert.

When I asked what I could bring for dessert to a recent gathering, my friend told me that her husband loves “anything pumpkin” - particularly healthy recipes - but also a little decadent.

Always up for a challenge, I consulted my well-worn copy of Whole Grain Baking from King Arthur. They have a wonderful recipe for Pumpkin Layer cake which uses both whole wheat and whole barley flour. It’s a quick and easy cake recipe and the barley and pumpkin keep it nice and moist.

I opted for cupcakes which are easier to transport and decided to frost them with a Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream. For a finishing touch, I made some candied pecans with pumpkin seeds and crystallized ginger.

The result was an over-the-top cupcake with a very “healthy” vibe.

I love bean dips for a party, especially layered dips, because of the colorful and flavorful layers that can be created in a bowl. It reminds me of the colored sand I used to pour into jars as a kid. It's exciting and unexpected to see and break through the different layers of one of these dips to discover unique flavors.

Most layered bean dips start with a can of ho-hum refried beans, but this dip starts with a flavorful pinto bean purée made with a quick sauté of onion and garlic. Then comes the Pace Picante Sauce followed by a layer of mashed avocados, which tastes much like guacamole. Cooling sour cream finishes the layers.

The chunky toppings include shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, scallions, and cilantro. It's an easy dip that comes together in no time at all. It can even be made a few hours ahead (minus the toppings) and refrigerated before your party guests arrive. This is a must-try recipe to add to your Super Bowl celebration.