The calendar says January and the mercury says first day of Spring, a perfect occasion to fire up the grill and make merry. Phone a few friends and get grilling. As everyone is tumbling home from their holidays away, it's a great time to reconnect before reality resumes. They will say 'yes! We'll be there!' Make extra just in case.

Wings are fun and I found this recipe in This is a Cookbook, a stylish cookbook I picked up at my local bookstore. Sriracha and lime? I'm in. These are flavorful-spicy, tangy with their crispy char. The kids love them! There was lots of marinade left behind once I removed the wings for grilling, so I cooked it for a while to thicken into a fabulous dip for the finished wings.

As long as the grill is going, we like to throw all kinds of things on the fire. I pulled a rack of ribs from the freezer and gave them a dry rub while they thawed on a rack in the fridge (thinking ahead!). For good measure, we'll toss a big caesar salad (family favorite recipe in my book) and add a couple of chicken breasts, plus the remnants of a baguette for lovely 'croutons.' Something for everyone. Suddenly we have an impromptu dinner party and I'm the happiest girl in town.

Grilled Chicken Wings

adapted from This is a Cookbook by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman

1 cup hot pepper sauce (Frank's Redhot!)

1 cup Sriracha sauce

zest and juice of 2 limes

freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds raw chicken wings, cut apart at the joint if whole, and tips removed

Stir the hot sauces together in a large bowl and add the lime zest and juice and pepper. Add the wings and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours.

Build a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to high. Reserving the marinade, remove the chicken from the bowl and grill on the grill rack for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until done. Chicken will be opaque with a lightly charred crust.

Heat the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it boils, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened while chicken grills.

Pile the wings on a big platter and pass the sauce separately. Serve with lots of napkins and cold drinks.

Serves 6-8

Happy Cooking!