CHICKEN WINGS AND KILLING AFRICAN VIOLETS

Well, I just wrote this whole fun post and lost it. Ever wonder where such things go? Probably with the lost socks!!

I am going to post a recipe for killer Maple Teriyaki Chicken Wings for those of you watching the Football Championships tomorrow, but first I have to ask your opinion of an indelicate subject and old wive's tales. Hopefully you will find this as amusing as we did. Let me set the scene. There are six Realtors at the party, five of us between ages 50-63 and our friend *V*. *V* is in her mid thirties and is from France ( like Laraine Newman as a conehead, if you are old enough to remember). She came here 15 years ago a a Nanny, met her husband and the rest is history, she is thin and beautiful and for some reason she likes hanging out with us "older" women. Okay, we have finished the Chicken Tetrazzini and melange of colorful veggies and a couple of bottles of wine and we get talking about what our mothers told us about of menstruation. I remember my mother telling me that I couldn't wash my hair "during that time" ( no clue why, there was never an explanation), but one friend said that her mother told her never to touch the African Violets because it would kill them immediately!! Have you ever heard of this??She lived on Long Island, maybe it was a common problem there, I don't know. I do know that there had to have been bouts of incontinence over this because we all laughed so hard. The conversation further degenerated with talk of how we weren't allowed to use Tampons because they would cause us to lose our virginity and then it would be hard for us to find husbands!! Ladies, this was the 60's, the 1960's not the 1760's, only 40 years ago!!! Have we come a long way baby or what??




Okay enough said. Time for the chicken wings. I got this recipe from a Food Network Show years ago. Sorry, I don't remember the name and it hasn't been on for years. These wings are so tasty, sweet from the syrup and salty from the soy sauce. You might even add some red pepper flakes to give them a little heat as well.


4-5 lbs chicken wings
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
1/2 c. lite soy sauce
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
1/2 T. black pepper
1 c. maple syrup ( the real stuff, not fake maple flavored stuff)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients ( except wings) together in a disposable pan*. Add wings, toss to coat. Place pan on a cookie sheet. Bake for an hour, tossing every 15-20 minutes ( this really does make a difference). Increase heat to 425 degrees, turn wings again and cook another 45 minutes. Sometimes it seems like there is too much liquid after the hour, but it usually evaporates with the higher heat for the last 45 minutes.

* If you don't have a cheapie disposable pan, line a broiler pan with lots of foil and be prepared to soak and scrub.