College Favorites Food Fest-The Best Nachos and Wings

We have a visitor here, Ollie my friends sweet six year old Havanese. (He kind of had a hard time looking at the camera, I think he was looking for his Mom and Dad).

Ollie gets along great with everyone, he is a love.

He is staying with us for four days while his family attends freshman orientation at the University of Virginia.  Ollie's human brother will be attending the University in the fall.  This got me thinking about my own college experience, I attended the University of Buffalo.  I LOVED college, its where I met my wonderful husband and lots of good friends.   Its also where I stayed up all night eating a lot of delicious fattening college food, like Nachos and Buffalo Wings.   So in honor of my old college days I decided to make both of those tasty treats.

The Best Nachos (simplified version of Nachos on the Grill from Bobby Flay)

Ingredients:

Salsa Verde  (I used one from Fresh Direct but any good green salsa will do, or make your own)

Tomato Relish

• 8 plum tomatoes, halved
• Olive oil for coating tomatoes
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp of the sauce that canned Chipotle Peppers come in
• 1/2 Spanish onion chopped

 Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and grill on both sides on an outdoor grill or grill pan (a grill pan is easier) until charred.   Meanwhile, combine the other ingredients, whisking well.   Cool and chop the tomatoes and stir in to the relish.

Green Onion Cream

• 8 ounces of cream fraiche or sour cream (cream fraiche is better, if you can't find it here is a link on how to make it)
• 1 bunch green onions/scallion

Stir together.

Nachos

8 ounces yellow corn tortilla chips
8 ounces blue corn tortilla chips
1 bunch scallions
8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese
8 ounces sharp white cheddar

Place a cost iron skillet on a hot grill for five minutes or in a 424 degree oven.   Remove the skillet and put half chips in a cast iron skillet and top with half the cheese and then half the scallions and then repeat these layers.   Place the skillet back on the grill or in the oven and heat five to seven minutes.   Be careful the pan is HOT!


Buffalo Wings in The Oven From Ina Garten

I know without a doubt that the only really delicious wings in the world can be found in Buffalo.   The best ones are at Duffs.  No other wings compare, and trust me I have tried them.    Traditional wings of course involve deep frying oil and mess.    Here is a link to a recipe  from the Anchor Bar, supposedly the bar in which Buffalo Wings were invented (still not as good as Duffs).   Without a commercial fryer though the wings will never be that good so if you ask me its not worth the mess.  Sometimes though I still have the wings craving and since I can't make the eight hour drive to Buffalo I use this mess free recipe from Ina Garten.


Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken wings, if they are too large cut them at the joints
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 tsp Frank's Hot Sauce
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

Preheat broiler.  Melt butter in a measuring cup in the microwave and stir in the cayenne, hot sauce, and salt.   Put the wings in a bowl pour over the sauce making sure they are completely coated.  Place wings on a sheet pan and  broil 3 min, turn and Broil 4 minutes.

Blue Cheese Sauce
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp milk
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process to smooth.

Serve wings with sauce and celery sticks.