Field Goal Festivities!

It’s that time of year again.  College football has just ended and the big showcase is looming around the corner.  The Feast of the Super Bowl is one of my favorite holidays every year, bringing together friends and family to eat way too much, drink ice cold beer and shout at a television for hours on a Sunday afternoon.  But like any great tradition, doing the same old same old every year can become dull and vapid.

So this year we here at Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions decided to “Tackle the Challenge” “kick off” some game day dishes destined for the highlight reel. 

Buffalo wings.  Over the years we have seen the evolution of this incredible dish, from humble bar snacks to the fodder of the finest gastro pubs.  But at their heart they are a simplistic combination of tender chicken in a rich and powerful sauce.  So why then does the form matter?  Introducing a duo of Buffy chicken goodness, our new buffalo chicken torte layered with ranch cream cheese and diced celery and carrots.  We made a batch of deeply seasoned and marinated chicken strips; hand chopped them and then tossed with a homemade wing sauce.  The ranch cream cheese layer in the middle can be adapted to suit any situation; Blue cheese ranch, blue cheese mouse, chipotle ranch and the list continues.  We served the torte with fried spinach and sun dried tomato flour tortilla wedges.  They added color, flavor and a creative twist on the classic corn tortilla chips.  Speaking of twists….

Presenting our Buffalo Chicken Wrap with a ranch and blue cheese spread, buffalo chicken tenders, lettuce, carrot and celery.   The concept was simple, take every element that makes your buffalo wing experience and pack it all into one compact bite.  The moist chicken is the perfect vehicle for the spicy and tangy sauce, the celery and carrots provide a clean and crisp crunch while the ranch spread cools your mouth from the heat of the sauce.  A perfect buffalo wing experience and no small bones to fight over!

But wings are the standard, what is our new direction?  Well since you asked, we decided to keep with the wrap direction and create a pair of Asian wraps perfect for any occasions.  For your pleasure we offer our take on a Mexican rice and bean wrap and called it “south west sushi”!  We used a bright and flavorful jasmine rice salad mixed with fresh; healthy, edamame.  The secret to this amazing salad is in the dressing, we toss the rice with diced orange, shredded napa cabbage, mint, cilantro, chives, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, orange juice and the secret kicker…. Pickled ginger.  Every bite is a burst of fresh and exciting flavors dancing on your tongue.   

While we are dabbling in Asia why not experience our new Grilled Sesame Chicken Wrap!  We marinated tender strips of chicken breast meat with chilies, garlic, sesame oil, toasted black and white sesame seeds, green onions, honey, and cilantro and lime juice.  After a few hour soak, the strips then hit the grill for some char and sweet caramelization from the marinade.  Our wrap was completed with fresh cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and a sweet and spicy Thai mayonnaise. The end result was a blast of fresh and bright flavors reminiscent of sweet and spicy lettuce wraps, without all the mess! 

So for your next game day, graduation or Thursday for that matter, step outside the wing and experience some Inspired creations!  Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!  Touchdown!