easy breezy baked buffalo wings

When I lived in Japan, I missed foods I didn't expect: buffalo chicken wings, lettuce that wasn't shredded, Raisin Bran cereal, and mostly - pizza and french fries. A friend lovingly mailed me two giant boxes of Raisin Bran, the Marines that my girlfriend Callie and I were kinda sorta dating took us on base for real honest-to-god American fast food (and I learned that in desperate times, I will eat and enjoy Pizza Hut), and I discovered that my little market carried fresh chicken wings, from time to time. (I learned to live with shredded lettuce.)

I'd search the fresh meat like a fiend every day in the market and always - if there was a package of wings - I'd snag them. I finally had the meat to scratch the itch of my craving, but like most Japanese, I didn't have an oven. So I created my own buffalo wings recipe that needed nothing more than boiling water and a toaster oven. I liked them so much (and ate them so often!) that I brought the recipe home with me. Now every time I make wings, I'm homesick for the smell of rice fields and tatami in the summer, and my apartment in Yamaguchi, Japan. Life is funny that way.

easy breezy baked buffalo wings 
wings! (1 pound, half a pound, however many you want to cook)
a pat of butter
buffalo sauce (of your own making or bottled, whatever you prefer - i used sriracha in japan because it's what i had, but here in the state's i rely on good 'ole frank's red when i'm keeping it simple)
salt, pepper, garlic, old bay, other seasonings you love

steps 
heat your oven to 400-450 degrees (i "wing" this recipe every time so forgive my lack of exactness!)
fill a medium-sized pot (or larger for more wings) 2/3 with hot water and bring to a boil
submerge the  wings and boil for, ohhh 5-7 minutes
drain & place the wings on a greased pan
sprinkle the wings generously with your seasonings of choice (i go big on the pepper & garlic, and if i'm feeling crazy, old bay)
bake for about 6-7 minutes to get them nice and crispy
turn the oven to broil and continue to cook them for another 6-8 minutes
while they're broiling, melt a pat of butter and mix it with your buffalo sauce of choice in a bowl that has a fitted lid (a sriracha-honey mix would also be delicious here)
pull the wings out and stick them straight into the sauce - put on the lid and shake to fully coat

let cool just enough to handle and enjoy!

(you might also love dipping the wings in this simple, homemade ranch dressing. i substitute greek yogurt for the sour cream and mayo. it's delicious!)