With the Super Bowl just around the corner, like most people, I instantly think….It’s Wing Time, Baby!!! Even if you despise sports and just enjoy tailgating for the food, fun and friends. Or are just plain in search of a great appetizer or lunch, you’re really going to LOVE these and want to make them soon no matter what the occasion is! So here is my entry for the Simply Sesame Blogger Recipe Challenge! Something different from the same ole buffalo or barbecue-style! A little unique from your usual Asian-style peanut wings, too, in that this uses something completely different and unexpected….the perfect, healthy alternative to peanut butter, Simply Sesame Creamy Spread by the Bonelli Fine Food company! And this could not have worked out better for my newest Super Bowl appetizer recipe, Spicy Sesame, Ginger and Garlic Butter Wings! You and your fellow die-hard football fanatics ‘n wing lovers are going inhale these puppies!

~ About the Sponsor ~

(*Worth reading, friends!)

The Bonelli Fine Food company, located in San Diego, California, is unlike most companies these days. Just read how truly amazing these people are! I so wish every company had a heart like theirs! What a better world it would be!! I could not have said this better, so this excerpt is from their website…

“Bonelli Fine Food, Inc., in San Diego, California, produces healthy snack food spreads. Perfect for use as a peanut butter alternative or energy-packed meal supplement, our spreads are great for the whole family. We’ve been in business for more than 5 years, and due to an overwhelmingly positive response to our delicious products, we’re looking forward to providing healthy alternatives to common snacks for a long time to come.

Our founder, Ali, is passionate about providing alternatives to foods that cause allergic reactions for a lot of people. It wasn’t long before his brother enthusiastically joined in to create the family business. With 20 years of experience, our goal today is to make it easy for you to lead a healthy life while enjoying food that tastes great.

Bonelli Fine Food, Inc., goes beyond tasting great. Our overall compassionate approach to business guides our decisions. For example, we avoid palm oil because it’s being mass-produced, causing rain forests and other critical natural habitats to be destroyed. In the interest of conservation of these essential biospheres, our products do not contain palm oil. All our food is natural, certified non-GMO, palm oil free and gluten-free. There are no preservatives, no peanuts, and no stabilizers. Turn to us for simply good food that tastes great.” ~ From their About Us page.

~ ♥ ~

Their healthy products are 100% natural, gluten-free, no preservatives, no additives, no trans fats/cholesterol, low in sodium/sugar/calories, no high fructose corn syrup, vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, palm oil-free, and made in a peanut-free facility! What’s not to love, right? And their Pure Roasted Sesame one has just 4 ingredients! (Ground Hulled Roasted Sesame Seeds, Pure Cane Sugar, Sesame Powder, and Sesame Oil). That’s it! Pure and natural energy. The perfect snack food! I may be saying “buh-bye” to my old friend, “Mr. Peter Pan”. 😉

~ ♦ ~

So let’s put our game faces on and crank out some winning wings, shall we? Game on!

What to make, what to make, with this incredibly magical spread, right? I, at first thought, was aiming towards something sweet, but so many bloggers have chosen that direction, that I decided to go down the path less traveled, (as usual!) 😉 You know me! 😉 So I took off my magical baker’s cap, tied on my messy cook’s apron, and got to work on something savory to enjoy munching on during the big game coming up!

I didn’t know what these “creamy sesame butter spreads” were going to taste like, but I was ready for anything! And I have to tell you. This stuff is so shockingly good, that it’s one of those things that makes your eyes roll back in your head, and you literally sigh!

Absolutely.

Mind blown.

I could NOT believe what I was tasting. I loved all three that I was sent to try, the Simply Sesame Pure Roasted Sesame, the Simply Sesame Vanilla with Almond Bits, and the Simply Sesame Pistachio Morsels & Hint of Cardamom. So it was a very tough decision on which to create a recipe with, as I adored them all! And any of these would work just fine, but choose I must, so I ended up going with two out of three! (*The Vanilla one already has TONS of great reviews, so I thought to help get the word out about the other two!)

So, as I mentioned above, I got to thinking about what other fun events happen this time of year, since I was kind of burned out on the holidays. I always look forward to Super Bowl Sunday…so, I decided to veer a bit from the crazy holiday madness and create something delicious for my hubby and I to enjoy while watching the game! And what goes hand-in-hand with football? WINGS! 😀 Did you know that for the Super Bowl alone, JUST the Super Bowl….that 1.25 BILLION chicken wings will be consumed this year?!!! And we happened to have some gorgeous ones in the freezer that were just begging to be used, so the ever popular wings it would be!

Pan #1 of wings, marinated, happy, and ready for the oven!

First ones done, resting, and cooling down! They smell fantastic!!!

And I’m thrilled that I went this route! They turned out fabulous, and so easy to make! Loaded with wonderful Asian-style umami flavors, and so fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy, that they just melt in your mouth! The sweet sesame shines through beautifully, with a touch of pungent fresh ginger, salty soy sauce, rich hoisin, tanginess from the pineapple juice, and a nice kick of heat from the spicy sriracha sauce! The basting of garlic-sesame butter sauce just takes these wings right over the top and straight into wing nirvana! Perfect harmony in every mouthwatering bite! The ultimate wing that’s a winner at any Super Bowl party!

If having guests over for the big game, you best double this. Maybe triple. 😉

So if you’re looking for a new game winning wing recipe that has that “wow!” factor going on….you just found it!! These are simple to make, and use pantry items you mostly already have on hand. Thank you very much to the kind and compassionate folks at Simply Sesame/Bonelli Fine Food for making such a healthy and safe snack food alternative that tastes unbelievably fantastic! I so hope that your Simply Sesame Spreads gain the popularity that they deserve! Thanks for having me, we fully enjoyed them, and will continue to be a loyal customer!

Be sure to follow Simply Sesame/Bonelli Fine Food via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

*Disclaimer: Though I was sent product to try, any and all opinions are solely my own.

One last little note before I go….I have a drawer half full of these, so I decided to get out a few for fun. I kinda like the fortune I got. Words of the wise for us all. Hope you all enjoy!

*Be sure to see the second recipe below this one!

Yield: 4 - 5 appetizer servings

Spicy Sesame, Ginger and Garlic Butter Wings

Print

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken wings and drumettes (*mine were jumbo and made 17, if yours are smaller you may get more)
• toasted sesame seeds to garnish, optional

For Marinade:

• 1/4 cup Simply Sesame Pistachio Morsels & Hint of Cardamon Creamy Spread
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, ok to sub low sodium
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, can sub cilantro if you enjoy, (can also sub 1 tsp. dried parsley)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. regular or dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp. chili paste sauce or sriracha sauce, either works well
• 1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 - 2 x-large garlic cloves, very finely minced, to taste (I used 2 because we're garlic fiends!)

(

• 1/8 tsp. cayenne powder

Garlic-Sesame Butter Sauce:

• 4 Tbl. real butter, unsalted or salted
• 1 large clove garlic or 2 - 3 small to medium ones, very finely minced, to taste
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Instructions

In glass measuring pitcher or small to medium bowl, add marinade ingredients and whisk well to completely mix until fully blended.

In ziplock baggie, add chicken pieces. Pour just enough of the marinade over the wings until coated. (About a half of a cup). Save rest of marinade aside, and chill (*to be used as a dipping sauce later). Marinate wings for at least one hour. Several hours is better. (Turn bag over several times while marinating).

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place wings into a sprayed 11x7 or 13x9 baking dish pretty side up. Pop into fully preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes. *When there are 35 minutes left, baste with about half of garlic butter sauce*. (*Add butter, minced garlic, and sesame oil to a small pan and heat on stove, or in microwave in a bowl, until butter has melted). When 5 minutes left, add 2 - 3 spoonfuls (regular eating spoons) of reserved marinade to garlic butter sauce, and drizzle over wings using all of it.

When wings are done, remove from oven, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Place onto serving plate and serve with (chilled or room temperature) last of reserved marinade for dipping. Enjoy!

Notes

*I only use Kikkoman brand hoisin sauce, as I have had bad results trying other brands in the past. (Hoisin should be thick and very dark brown in color).

And here is a *bonus*, secondary dip! Creamy Spicy Sesame Dipping Sauce! (*Just in case you run out of the first one, or prefer a creamy sauce for dipping!) *My hubby preferred this sauce for dipping, but I enjoyed them both!

Yield: 1 cup

Creamy Spicy Sesame Dipping Sauce

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Simply Sesame Pure Roasted Creamy Spread
• 3 Tbl. hot water
• 2 Tbl. + 1 tsp. regular soy sauce
• 2 Tbl. honey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbl. fresh parsley (*or cilantro), finely minced
• 1/4 tsp. sriracha sauce, more if you prefer it hotter

Instructions

Place Simply Sesame Pure Roasted Creamy Spread into a small bowl.

Add hot water and stir with a spoon or a small whisk until completely mixed and creamy.

Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cover tightly and refrigerate.

Let come to room temperature, and stir before serving.

Enjoy!