It Finally Happened!

I grossed out my family. Every year I like to try "Halloween" recipes. In the past I have tried things like mummy dogs, a fun thing to serve in October. As I started searching for things to make this year, a menu started to take shape. Here is our menu:

tub of ribs (how fun to have bone in ribs to eat)

bat wings (marinated chicken wings)

chopped kidneys (roasted potatoes---find the recipe here)

Worms (check out Jessica's post)

swamp grass (an ordinary green salad)

bones (rhodes rolls shaped like bones)

What I didn't realize is that the bat wings would gross out my family. I was given the recipe at a class I went to. It uses chicken wings with the tip included. When you pull them out, they are the shape of a bat wing. I thought it sounded like a fun thing to make, and a little more grown up than mummy dogs. The chicken tasted great, but half of my guests could not get past the way the bat wings looked. (there is black food coloring in the marinade) I had to bribe some of them with dessert to get them to try them. My mother, sister and husband were good sports though. It's probably a good thing my son in law is so in love with my daughter because he has serious doubts about me now!

Here are the recipes for the things we ate. You can decide whether you are brave enough to eat bat wings.

BBQ Ribs

Pork Loin Back Ribs and your favorite barbecue sauce. I used the Sweet Baby Rays.

Step One: Cut the ribs in smaller pieces. I left 2-3 bones together. Boil the ribs for one hour in a large stock pot full of water and a 1/4 cup of vinegar. I used apple cider but you could use white vinegar also.

Step Two: Remove ribs from water and cover with barbeque sauce

Step Three: Grill until glazed, gooey and yummy! Turn several times and coat with more sauce. Grill about 15-20 minutes.

Bat Wings

Directions

1 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1/4 cup black bean sauce

1 teaspoon black paste food coloring

20 large whole chicken wings with tips

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, black bean sauce, and food coloring. Set 1/3 cup soy sauce mixture aside.

2. Place chicken wings in a large re-sealable plastic bag and pour remaining soy sauce mixture over wings; seal bag. Turn bag until wings are well coated. Refrigerate, and let marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, turning chicken wings every 30 minutes to coat.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

4. Remove wings from marinade, shaking off any excess; discard marinade. Place them in an even layer on prepared baking sheets, arranging them so that wings are extended. Bake until juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with reserved soy sauce mixture every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with any remaining soy sauce mixture. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

Bones

12 Rhodes Dinner rolls, thawed but still cold

1/4 C. butter, melted

Parmesan cheese

poppy seeds

Method:

Using the flat of your hand, roll the center part of a roll into a 6-inch rope leaving both ends large and rounded. With scissors, clip 1 1/2 inched into the center of each end. Separate and lay the cut sides flat on a large sprayed baking pan. They will look like bones. Brush well with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and poppy seeds. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 20-30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

I realized that I needed to roll mine thinner in the beginning.