What's Cooking - Post-Dispatch

CHICKEN WINGS WORK WELL FOR GATHERINGS
By Cleora Hughes

Name: Alison Chancellor
Home: Florissant
Occupation: Recent Human Services graduate, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley

Family: Mom, Kay, a secretary for Underwriters Laboratory; father, Steve, an insurance agent; brother, Chris, on staff at Commerce Bank. Plus Scrappy, a much-loved Lhasa apso.

Overcoming obstacles: Chancellor, who is 22, has cerebral palsy. "I have a physical disability, but I still find many things to do in the community that allow me to 'leave my disability at the door,'" she said.

"One of my activities is being a member of the DisAbility Project. I have been with the group for 3 1/2 years, and it has been the best thing for me so far. I get to experience the arts and to act.

I'm really a ham at heart and an advocate for myself. I have made lifelong friends. That, you can't put a price on. This is my niche."

Songs to sing: "In my freshman year at McCluer North High School, I sang with the Girls Ensemble. The next year, I was in the Chamber Choir, and after that I joined the Concert Choir. I liked singing a lot. Now, I'm into writing. Since I've been in the theater group, my friend Katie Banister and I have written a piece called 'You Never Know.' It was an informational piece about Katie's disability, which was the result of an accident, and mine, which was diagnosed at birth."

I'm really into Italian food: "I love any kind of pasta or salad. But desserts are my downfall. Any kind of sweet stuff, and I'm all over it. My grandmother passed away last year, and I really miss her strawberry pie. For Christmas, my mother gave her brothers and sister a cookbook with all of Grandma's recipes."

Love that microwave: "My friends eat ramen noodles in their dorm rooms. They just add water to the package, and they're all set. I usually microwave dinner leftovers for my lunch, or sometimes, my mom will be nice and make a sandwich for me in the morning before she leaves for work. She is the one who prepares our dinner."

I describe myself as: "Outgoing, creative and short."

Right now: "I'm looking for a job, but I've had no luck so far. Soon, I will be attending a Vocational Rehab Center that will help me with résumés and interviewing skills. That should be pretty cool."

People should: "Get to know me for who I am and not the fact that I have a disability. I wish they'd just say 'Hi' to me and not assume that I can't do something. First, ask me if I need assistance. I really am pretty independent and can do most things on my own."

Family favorite: "This recipe came from my Aunt Sandy. She had it as an appetizer when she invited the family over for a gathering. We enjoyed the dish so much that we immediately asked for the recipe, and we have been enjoying it ever since. I like to help my mother make this recipe. If we prepare the dish for parties, 4 pounds just never seems to be enough."

That Uppity Theatre Company's DisAbility Project will give free performances at 11 a.m. Feb. 5 at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, and at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at Washington University. For information, call 314-995-4600. (People - with or without a disability - who are interested in performing with the company can get more information by e-mail at director@uppityco.com.)

====== CHINESE CHICKEN WINGS ======

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Nonstick cooking spray

4 pounds chicken wings

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 or 2 tablespoons Chinese chili sauce (to taste)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add wings in a single layer.

In a medium bowl, combine wine, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger and chili sauce. Pour over wings.

Bake for 45 minutes, then turn wings and bake 45 minutes longer. With a slotted spoon, transfer wings to a jellyroll pan or a glass baking dish. Bake wings 10 minutes, until crisp. Discard sauce remaining in baking pan.

PER SERVING (based on 8 servings): 265 calories; 17g fat (58 percent calories from fat); 5g saturated fat; 73mg cholesterol; 24g protein; 4g carbohydrate; 4g sugar; no fiber; 705mg sodium; 15mg calcium; 164mg potassium.

Copyright 2003 St. Louis Post-Dispatch