Panthers Preseason Party!

Our Panthers Preseason Party on Saturday turned out to be a huge success! We had tons of friends over, with babies and food galore...the only snafu was that we ran out of hamburger buns, but of course our crew was not shy to improvise! We'll make sure we buy extra next time everyone, promise. :)

I tried out two tasty new recipes that seemed to be a hit so I will share:

Chocolate Hazelnut Ravioli
(courtesty Giadi De Laurentiis, foodtv.com)
16 wonton wrappers 1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.

Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)

Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.


Teriyaki Chicken Wings
(courtesy Tyler Florence, foodtv.com)


Teriyaki Sauce:

1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 fresh red chiles, halved
5 garlic cloves, halved
2-inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife

Chicken Wings:
2 dozen chicken wings, about 3 1/4 pounds, rinsed and patted dry
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Prepare the teriyaki sauce by combining the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, chiles, garlic, and ginger in a pot. Bring to a slow boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken wings generously with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken wings in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the skin gets crispy. With tongs, dip the wings in the teriyaki sauce and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to glaze. An impressive presentation is to serve these chicken wings family style; arrange them on a large platter, pour the remaining sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Don't forget the wet naps!



Lastly here are some party pics...and for those of you who didn't make it to the end of the game, the Panthers won!