You May Just Have to Wing It!!!!!

America is in Crisis...the beloved chicken wing is becoming an endangered species!!!

It seems that the farm in Texas that produces the bulk of the chicken wings in the United States, Pilgrims Pride Corporation has recently filed for bankruptcy, and now, gasp, there may be a shortage of Chicken Wings just in time for next weeks Super Bowl.

Now, I have a few questions here, how come if chicken wings are in such demand, the corporation is going bankrupt...you remember from high school economics, that thing called the law of supply and demand!!! We're demanding them, you're supplying them and, you tell us you are filing for bankruptcy??? What's wrong with this equation??

My next question is one I hope would be obvious to everyone, what about companies like Perdue Chickens, are they raising chickens without wings???? I am still trying to figure out what Pilgrams Pride does to raise chickens that only come with wings...good trick if you can master it.

Where are the rest of the chicken body parts heading...south for the winter, away from the dastardly Buffalo, who put them in such hot demand in the first place. I can't blame them there, I'd like to get out of upstate New York as well...

Or, is this just another pot shot at us wing loving Americans to drive up the price of wings (now that gas is dropping, they have to get us one way or another) or will they invoke a chicken wing tax to go along with the snack food and soda debacle that is now controlling the country. I thought it was my right as an American to choose to be fat if I so desire, lol

What is happening in our beloved country????

So my suggestion is, better have some alternatives on hand for Super Bowl Sunday, and be prepared to wing it. Here is a veggie tart that might have a place in your house. Now, don't let the veggie part fool you, this is no healthy snack (once you weigh in the puff pastry and the artichoke-asiago spread) but what the heck it's Super Bowl Sunday after all. The beauty of this recipe is that you could easily switch the spread to anything you like, such as hummus, or bean paste, or a mushroom pate, anything you like, the same goes for the vegetables, use eggplant, mushroom slices, thin slices of carrots, you could mix and match at will.

This recipe was adapted from a great recipe on Vegan Yum Yum. That is the only site that could turn moi into a vegetarian, she has great recipes there.

Asparagus Zucchini Tart with Artichoke-Asiago Spread

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer

1 container of artichoke-asiago spread - (I bought this at Wegman’s Grocery
Store – on their salad bar section. I used the 1 pound container size, and filled it up. You could put any spread you like such as a red pepper hummus or make your own)
1 small bunch of Fresh Asparagus

1 small zucchini
1½ tablespoons Panko crumbs
1 tablespoon grating cheese
1 Puff Pastry Sheet
 - I used Pepperidge Farm
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Take one sheet of puff pastry sheet out of the freezer, and place it on a sheet of parchment paper about as long as a cookie sheet. Let it defrost on the counter for about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400º F and if you are making your own filling, prepare it now. See the Vegan Yum Yum blog for the original recipe if you want to do the bean pesto. While the pastry is defrosting, cut the bottoms off the asparagus. Peel the zucchini. I take a fork and run it down the zucchini to make a pretty border and then, cut it in to thin slices. (This works well with cucumbers too)

Mix your grating cheese and Panko crumbs together. Mix and set aside.

After defrosting the pastry, open it carefully (don’t tear it please) on top of the same sheet of parchment paper. Take a rolling pin and carefully, keep the rectangular shape, roll it out to a little bit small than the cookie sheet. Place the spread on top of the pastry. Spread the artichoke– asiago spread leaving a 1-inch border. Place two - three asparagus spears (alternating directions) on the spread. Place a row of the zucchini (overlapping slightly) next to the asparagus. Repeat the pattern. I put a border of spears along the edges. Fold the edges of the pastry up to make a little border crust. Slide the tart, parchment paper and all onto a cookie sheet. Trim any excess parchment paper, leaving just a small border so you can lift it later Drizzle or brush the vegetables with olive oil. Season with a little salt (because the dip and grating cheese are salty too) and black pepper. Sprinkle the Panko/cheese mixture over the top of the tart. Place the tart (paper and all) into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry has puffed and the spears and zucchini are tender. Let cool a few minutes. Slice into serving size pieces with a pizza cutter or scissors. Serve warm.

Vegan Yum Yum says you can reheat this if it is left over or eat at room temperature.

Here is what you will need for this recipe:

Take one sheet of puff pastry sheet out of the freezer,
and place it on a sheet of parchment paper
that is about as long as a cookie sheet
and let it defrost for about 40 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 400º F


and if you are making your own filling, prepare it now.
See the Vegan Yum Yum blog for the original recipe
if you want to do the bean pesto.

While the pastry is defrosting,
cut the bottoms off the asparagus.
and set aside


Peel the zucchini


I take a fork and run it down



the zucchini to make a pretty border


and then, cut it in to thin slices.
(This works well with cucumbers too)


and set aside


Mix your grating cheese


and Panko crumbs


together


Mix and set aside.


After defrosting the pastry, open it carefully
(don’t tear it please) on top of the
same sheet of parchment paper.


Take a rolling pin and carefully,


keep the rectangular shape, roll it out
to a little bit smaller than the cookie sheet.


Place the spread on top of the pastry


Spread the artichoke – asiago spread
leaving a 1-inch border.


Place two - three asparagus spears
(alternating directions) on the spread
push down gently


Place a row of the zucchini (overlapping slightly)
next to the asparagus.


Repeat the pattern.


I put a border of spears along the edges


Fold the edges of the pastry up

to make a little border crust.




Slide the tart, parchment paper
and all onto a cookie sheet.


Trim any excess parchment paper, leaving just a
small border so you can lift it later




Drizzle or brush the vegetables with olive oil.


Season with a little salt (because the dip and
grating cheese are salty too)


and black pepper.



Sprinkle the Panko/cheese mixture
over the top of the tart.



Place the tart (paper and all) into the
oven for 25-30 minutes,


I turned my tart from front to back after
15 minutes to insure even browning),

until the pastry has puffed and the
spears and zucchini are tender.


Let cool a few minutes.



Slice into serving size pieces with
a pizza cutter or scissors.


Serve warm.



Vegan Yum Yum says you can reheat this
if it is left over or eat at room temperature.

Kudos to Vegan Yum Yum for the original recipe!!!