While Lena and I have been making an effort to eat better recently, if you’re hosting a party or a full day of watching LotR with friends, there’s very little that’s better or more appropriate than a giant pile of chicken wings and a case of beer.

• Frozen chicken wings
• 1/2 a stick of butter
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce. Lots of folks swear by Louisiana Hot Sauce for wings, but I’ll never give up my Texas Pete’s.
• 1 dried Guajillo or California chili pod… anything with a decent sized pod and a medium amount of heat
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth
• 1 case (24 bottles) of beer

With a beer in your hand, preheat your convection oven to 325༠. In a broiler pan, make a single layer of wings, filling in all the available space without stacking. Cook for one hour and forty-five minutes, (four beers) then take ’em out and flip ’em over. Bake for another two beers, or forty five minutes.

After the flip, melt your butter in the microwave. (If you are going to be making separate batches of wings, it’s likely a good idea to divide your sauce into two batches as well.) Remove the stems and seeds from your pods and tear the skins into smaller pieces. put the pieces in Vitamix, along with the all of the other ingredients except the wings. Blend on high until it steams. Place in a small sauce pan on low, and let it simmer until the wings are done. (You will probably want to whisk it a few times while it cooks, and again before coating the wings.) The longer it sits the more flavor will come out of those chilies and into your sauce.

As soon as the wings are done, toss them in the bowl to coat, and serve immediately. You should probably think about having some more of that beer now.