Balsamic Honey Barbecue Wings Reasons why summer is so great

As I am now in week 3 of official summer break, I find myself enjoying things I never thought I would have said a few years back.  Im compiling them in a short list for my own personal amusement.

Top 10 Reasons Why Summer Break Is Great

10.  No more dropping kids off at three different times to different locations.

9.  No packing of lunches.

8.  Later wake-ups (for both Children and ME)

7.  Fewer layers to wear, to organize and to take off

6.  Fewer work hours

5.  Better lighting for better pictures for food blog

4.  Fewer activities for Children

3.  More hours to get Children involved in the maintenance of the house and to get them to throw away their own junk

2. More leisurely bathroom time, since Im not rushing somewhere else

1.  No more homework for me to stress over, get over, make sure its over each week.

You got that right.  Its the lack of homework from school that just gets me excited.  Children can do their activity, sit down and do their extra math sheets with me, and play and we dont stress about homework. I dont check their homework, confirm their homework and sign off on their homework.  Its the most liberating feeling ever.

The other thing that makes me happy is food that Children gobble down.  Meals are more leisurely as were not in a rush to go to the next activity, and instead we have more time to lick our fingers and enjoy our food.  This chicken dish made the kids happy as they love anything with a sauce and the chicken was a little bit crispy and wonderful.

Balsamic Honey Barbecue Sauce Wings
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 lbs Chicken wings, separated into wings and drummettes, tips discarded

Barbecue sauce
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Method
In a saucepan, mix together balsamic vinegar, tomato ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Stir until mixture is incorporated and smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by a ? about 15 minutes. Once mixture has reduced, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400. Line roasting pan with foil and if you have it available, use a roasting rack on the inside of the pan. This allows more fat to render off of the wing and a crispier exterior. Lay wings neatly on rack and drizzle olive oil over the wing, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes, and then turn wings over and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Once wings have cooked, then brush barbecue sauce all over one side of wing. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, turn over, brush more barbecue sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve warm.

Printable recipe

To the great days of summer

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Avocado and Tomato Pasta Salad This is summer

Right about now, when the heat begins creeping in, and the long sleeves and long pants and jackets make way for short sleeves, shorts, and flip-flops, advertising everywhere turns our thoughts to summer.

And suddenly everyone begins thinking about what the summer "it" thing is going to be.

Already the LA Times wrote about this summers song, Beautiful by Mariah Carey.  (By the way, I had no idea that Mariah Carey was still around.) I listened to it a few times, and found the tune a bit catchy and fun (although the lyrics EXTREMELY worrisome with motorcycles and no helmets and boys doing things) but maybe it is the summer song.  I can see people enjoying it on the beach, in the car, or at a bbq.

There are also summer fashion themes.  Bold graphics, boho chic, shiny metallic looks and peekaboo cutouts.  Yeah, whom am I kidding?  Summer fashion to me means shorts and a tshirt, and maybe a new swim suit.    But you know that summer will bring out new and fun outfits for the rest of the world and youll see me in my khaki shorts and black tshirt uniform.

There are the summer "it" vacation spots - Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, Thailand.  These are the places to which people travel in order to enjoy some rest and relaxation.

I know not enough about music, fashion, vacations - but I DO have this summers PERFECT "IT" pasta salad.  Its this one.  Bright, citrusy, cilantro, avocado tomato - and with pasta.  It is so perfect to bring to any picnic you have and it goes with literally everything.  Ive had it with chicken, beef, and fish, and each combination is too yummy to pass up.  You could also shred some rotisserie chicken into it and call it a meal salad, but Ill let you decide to do that on your own.  Its simple to put together and it will taste great at your next gathering.  The best thing about this "it" summer pasta salad is that its easy to put together and easy to eat.

Avocado and Tomato Pasta Salad
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 pound rotini or another curly pasta

¼  cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½  cup olive oil

2 cups red and/or yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chopped green onions
2 avocados, peeled, and diced

Method
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse well and set aside to drain and cool.

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, in small bowl or measuring cup. Gradually whisk in oil. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mix tomatoes, cilantro, green onions with pasta.   Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add avocado.  Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Printable recipe

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