Baked BBQ Wings with Blue Cheese Dip and Potato Skins with Cheddar and Bacon

Gutsy Cooks Menu #1

My daughter Sarah was at our house tonight, and when I told her what we were having for dinner, she said, "You're making chicken wings!?? I can't think of anything less likely for you to have for dinner--unless it's potato skins. But it sounds good to me." (I told you my daughters called me a food snob).
I told her that I was a Gutsy Cook. After some predictable confusion, we got it straight. Another cooking club--this time where I'm just following orders. And if I'm ordered to make wings, I will do it. Even if I'm a little bit late in posting.

A word about the name: in the spirit of democracy, I'm going along with the majority vote, which was pretty enthusiastic about Gutsy Cooks as a title. I've never thought of myself as "gutsy" about anything, but I'll admit that "Gutsy Cooks" has a more can-do spirit than "Cowardly Cooks." So, for purposes of making these weekly menus, gutsy it shall be.
These wings are very, very easy, and despite my general lack of enthusiasm for chicken wings, they were pretty good.  I shocked Sarah again when I started eating the chicken wings with a knife and fork.  "Mom! You have to eat wings with your fingers.  It's like trying to eat corn on the cob with a knife and fork." It's very nice to have children who give you friendly advice.

All the ingredients (olive oil, tomato paste, oregano, brown sugar, shallot, garlic, hot pepper sauce) go in a food processor. I used sriacha sauce, and I should have used at least twice as much. The wings marinate for a while in the sauce, and then they're baked.
The potato skins are heavy on potato. Actually, they're just heavy--with bacon, cheddar cheese, shallots, butter, and milk, this is not a light snack. On the other hand, how can you go wrong with that list of ingredients?

Too late, I realized I'd forgotten to add the chopped parsley to the potatotes. That was the only green thing included in the meal. (I was going to make a salad, but that would have been almost as bad as eating the wings with utensils.
Oh but wait! There was another green thing--the chives in the blue cheese, sour cream, and chive dipping sauce.

This trio orecipes is what makes me a sucker for the idea of cooking your way through a cookbook.  You end up trying things you wouldn't otherwise try.  Sometimes you like them, sometimes you don't.  These were winners, although I'm not sure I'd have them for dinner.  On the other hand, if I wait until I have a Super Bowl party to make these
again, it'll be a long wait.

Taste-o-Meter Rating:

Jim: I'd give the wings a 7 1/2, which could go up to an 8 if they were spicier. 7 for the potato skins.
Marie: 7 for the wings; 8 for the potato skins.