“Fun Fact: I’ve never eaten these chicken wings as I’ve never tried meat,” shared Jesse Bowen. Even though she has no personal experience sampling her husband’s favorite meat to grill up, she wanted to share the recipe because their family and friends rave about how delicious they are!
Jesse is married to Brit, and they are celebrating 14 years together. He works on the Auburn University Campus as a Student Media Advisor for their radio station, yearbook, and magazine. He is also a play-by-play sportscaster for women’s athletics.
Together they have two littles — Mallie, their four-year-old daughter, and Gabe, their five-month-old son. They enjoy going to the playground.
Jesse is an occupational therapist and owner of Jellybean Pediatric Therapy. She started her business in January 2023 with hopes to just service a few children and has since grown Jellybean to support four full-time occupational therapists and a speech-language pathologist.
Jesse was diagnosed with autism when she turned 30. With this diagnosis, she discovered why she only eats three foods: noodles, waffles, and French fries. It also deepened her connection with some of her patients.
“Once I found out I had autism, it was like everything made sense,” Jesse said. “I always thought I understood my autistic patients better than others, and now I know why!”
Since Jesse has a limited selection of what she will eat, Brit normally does the majority of the cooking for himself and Mallie. However, spending time together in the kitchen is still one way the Bowen family loves to connect. Especially now that they are transitioning out of the newborn phase, and they can sit around the table while Gabe plays on the floor nearby.
“My daughter can be a picky eater at times, but she is always down for some chicken wings. She also likes to help her daddy grill,” Jesse shared light-heartedly. “One of the ways we bond as a family is through cooking, and this is one of our favorites! Mallie especially likes pouring and mixing the seasonings.“
When they are not working, the family enjoys playing games, swimming, attending sporting events, and traveling together. This past summer, traveling was scarce with Gabe being so new to the world, but they did make it to the beach for the first time as a family of four.
With Mallie officially starting a PreK program and Gabe starting daycare, the family is adjusting well to a new routine.
“I’m transitioning to doing more administrative work in the mornings and then scheduling and seeing patients in the afternoons, as we need more afternoon availability for our kiddos,” shared Jesse. In this season, these two bring her the most joy. The highlight of her day is seeing baby Gabe smile big and Mallie learning something new.
Brit’s Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
12 chicken wings
Brit’s Seasoning: 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and zest of 1 lemon or 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
Brit’s Dipping Sauce: 1/2 c. mayo, juice from 1/2 of the lemon or 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp mustard, 2 tsp horseradish, 1 tsp hot sauce.
Directions:
- When the grill is ready, add the chicken wings and cook each side for 6-10 minutes, flipping once, or until the chicken wings are cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat the grill to medium heat.
- While the grill is heating, quickly mix the ingredients for Brit’s Dipping Sauce in a small mixing bowl and place it in the fridge to chill.
- Next, combine all ingredients for Brit’s seasoning in a separate small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Pat the 12 chicken wings dry and place them in a large bowl.
- Add Brit’s seasoning to the chicken wings and toss to coat.
