2 Lbs of fresh chicken wings
1/2 Cup flour
6oz orange Louisiana Hot or 6oz Mexican Cholula Hot Sauce [please only use one or the other or your tongue will not be happy]
1oz Tabasco sauce
5 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper
1 Tbsp sugar [this will help with tolerating the heat, adjust accordingly]
2 Tbsp ketchup [this will help too cut down on the vinegar in the hot sauce and thicken your sauce]

Wings
Preheat frialator to 375F
Pour flour into a ziplock bag
Add chicken 3-4 at a time to lightly coat wings
When removing wings shake them well to remove excess flour
Once all wings are flour coated deep fry until fully cooked
The number of wings you cook at a time depends on the size of your fryolater
Cook for 15-20 minutes, placing cooked wings on cookie sheet with few paper towels

Hot Sauce
Combine hot sauces, basil, garlic, red pepper over low heat and simmer
Add sugar and ketchup and taste
Here is where you can adjust sugar, ketchup according to the heat you want
I used the Cholula hot sauce [with the wooden top] and following the above recipe found it just the right amount of heat

Dipping sauce
Add 1 packet of ranch dressing to 8oz cream cheese

For Starters…

Mango Peach Cheese on French Bread Rounds

1/2 Ripe mango, finely diced
1/2 Ripe peach, finely diced
2 Small plum tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 Cup minced purple onion
1 Jalapeno chile, finely diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
4oz cream cheese
1 Loaf of French bread

Combine above ingredients to make a relish chutney mixture.
Slice French bread into 12-18 rounds about 1/2 inch thick and toast on both sides.
Top rounds with cream cream and then with chutney.

I suggest picking up a bottle Crios Susana de Balba Rose, Argentinian Malbec. This wine is a premium wine getting wonderful ratings. A food freindly wine with a great bouquet of strawberry and cherry. It is a medium-bodied wine, smooth on the palate, dry in style and a lengthy finish. Cost is a bargain at $10.

The Entree…
Mascarpone and Capicola Stuffed Chicken Breast Stuffed with Basil Bechamel Sauce

1 Large chicken breast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 Cup mascarpone cheese
2 Tbsp stilton cheese, shredded
1 tsp parsley, minced
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper
3 Slices of capicola ham

Preheat oven to 425F
Pound breast for a thin surface area and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper
Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat
Add breast to brown on both sides for 1 minute Remove from heat and cool
Combine cheeses, parsley garlic and remaining salt and pepper.
Place breast on clean surface area adding capicola on top
In the center of the capicola place cheese mixture in an elongated strip
Roll chicken around capicola/cheese mixture similar to a ‘buche de noel’
Secure chicken breast with toothpics or cooking string to keep wrapped
Cook for 15 minutes if starting from room temperature
If you prep this ahead and regrigerate add a few minutes to the cook time.
Remove chicken breast from oven and let sit for 10 minutes
Slice chicken breast to make 1inch round discs
Layer on a bed of Basil Rositto then drizzle Bechamel Sauce… well, over everything!
Serve with fresh steamed broccoli

Basil Bechamel Sauce

1.5 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Basil/olive oil cube
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup light cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat butter in saute pan over medium heat add shallots and cook for 2 minutes
Add garlic and whisk in flour to make a roux
Add stock and basil cube [pull from the freezer from last year's harvest]
Simmer to reduce liquid over low heat
Add cream and continue to simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness
Remove from heat and whisk in lemon
Sauce will be light and delicious

The Best is Always Last…

Chocolate Lave Cake with Lavender Sugar
This recipe actually serves four, I use large 6oz ramekins

8oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
10 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cardamon
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove
3 Large eggs and 3 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
1.5 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Cup flour

Preheat oven to 425F
Grease ramekins generously
In medium sauce pan heat chocolate, butter and spices over low heat until smooth
Remove chocolate sauce from heat cooling slightly
Whisk together eggs, yolks and vanilla
Add cooled chocolate mixture and blend
Slowly add sugar and then flour until well blended
Fill each ramekin evenly almost to the top
Cook for 15 minutes and remove from oven
Run a knife around the edges of each ramekin
Let sit for 5 minutes, then invert dish on top of ramekin and flip
Tap the bottom of the r’kin, remove and watch the volcanic eruption!
Sprinkle with lavender sugar

1/2LB Linguine, cook al dente

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

8oz turkey sausage or bratwurst, sliced to 1 inch

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 large tomato

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup parmesan cheese [garnish]

Cook linguine, mix in a small amount of olive oil and place in refrigerator.

Mix together chopped tomatoes, basil, 1Tbsp garlic, 1Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper; set aside.

In a large saute pan or wok heat 2Tbsp olive oil. Add sausage cooking sausage thoroughly; about 6 minutes depending on thickness. Add remaining garlic, onions, peppers cooking for another 3-5 minutes. Remove this from the saute pan adding to tomato/basil mixture.

Return saute pan to heat adding 1Tbsp of olive oil. Once pan is very hot add linguine sauteing for 3-5 minutes. Add sausage mixture to linguine saute for another 3 minutes.

Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Bon Appétit!

Now you have fresh basil for any dish all winter long!