Author: Dave Tappan

  • Opening Day Beer Brats

    Opening Day Beer Brats

    Happy Opening Day! The Giants open their season in Cincinnati, the A’s are in Seattle and the Dodgers host the Tigers. Bust out the brats and enjoy! 

    Opening Day Beer Brats 

    3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)

    2 pounds of brats

    2 onions, halved and sliced into half moons

    4 cloves of garlic, minced

    2 bottles of a good craft beer

    1 teaspoon caraway seeds

    1 teaspoon nutmeg

    1/2 cup Stone Ground mustard1 tablespoon honey

    2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

    In a large skillet on medium high heat brown the brats on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    Add the other 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and cook the onions on medium heat until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic, nutmeg and caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, and then add the beer, and mix in the mustard, vinegar and honey.At this point, if you want to do a smoker or grill version, put everything into an aluminum foil pan and set your smoker or grill to 250. Let everything stew and cook for about an hour.Add the brats back into the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brats are done.

    Remove the brats to a serving platter and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until onion mixture is thickened – stirring frequently.

    Serve on brat buns or hoagie rolls topped with the onion mixture.

  • Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce

    Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce

    Pork steaks are on sale at my favorite meat store in Redding. So…

    Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce  

    4 boneless pork chops or pork steaks Paprika, to taste

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 tablespoons butter, divided

    1/2 cup olive oil, divided

    8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

    1/2 small yellow onion, diced

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

    2 Tablespoons all-purpose Flour

    2 cups chicken broth

    Minced parsley or chives, for garnish  

    Season both sides of pork chops with paprika, salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and half of the olive oil. Sear both sides of the pork chops until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove pork chops from pan and set aside. In same skillet over medium-high head add remaining the butter and olive oil. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they are golden and browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and mustard and cook for about 1 minute until garlic becomes fragrant. Stir in the flour, cooking stirring to remove lumps. Slowly add the broth, whisking until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste Return pork chops to pan and cook for a couple of minutes or until they are heated through. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley or chives.

  • Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

    Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

    Happy Weekend! If you have some shrimp in the freezer, bust ’em out and get to work! This tostada is tasty, refreshing and pairs well with a bloody Mary!  

    Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas  

    For the Shrimp Ceviche:

    1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into small pieces

    3/4 cup fresh lime juice (enough to cover the shrimp and “cook” it)

    1 diced cucumber

    2 diced Roma tomatoes

    1 finely chopped red onion

    1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano peppers, finely chopped Handful torn

    fresh cilantro, chopped

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste  

    For Assembly:

    6-8 tostada shells

    1 or 2 avocados, sliced

    Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

    Lime wedges

    Hot sauce  

    In a large glass or ceramic bowl, add the chopped shrimp and cover it completely with the fresh lime juice. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink and opaque (the lime juice “cooks” the shrimp). Once the shrimp is ready, drain off some of the excess lime juice, leaving a bit to keep the ceviche moist. To the marinated shrimp, add the diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to combine. Place a few avocado slices on each tostada shell. Spoon a generous amount of shrimp ceviche on top of the avocado. Garnish each tostada with fresh cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.  

    Ingredients for one bloody cocktail

    8 ounces V-8

    3 ounces vodka

    A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

    1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

    A couple of dashes of hot sauce ( I like Crystal)

    A couple of dashes of Pick-A-Peppa pepper sauce

    Fresh ground pepper to taste

    A couple of dashes of celery salt plus more for rimming

    Ice cubes

    Fresh lemon or lime juice for garnish and rimming  

    Garnish suggestions:

    Celery stalk

    Pickled green bean and/or asparagus

    Cocktail onions

    Dill pickle spear

    Sweet gherkins

    Pepperoncini

    Cooked pepper bacon

    Salami

    Fried or grilled chicken wing

    Grilled, sauteed or boiled prawn Garlic

    stuffed green olives

    All of the above  

    In a pounder glass, stir together V-8, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, Pick-A-Peppa, celery salt and pepper. Rim another pounder glass with a lemon or lime wedge and celery salt. Fill that glass ¾ full of ice, then pour mixture into that glass. Stir well. Garnish with suggested garnishes.

  • Korean BBQ Bulgogi Beef Tacos

    Korean BBQ Bulgogi Beef Tacos

    Happy Friday!I found my recipe for Korean tacos. I’m gonna fire the Ninja this weekend.  

    3 pounds boneless beef short ribs

    Flour or corn tortillasLime wedges, for squeezing Marinade

    1 cup sodium soy sauce

    1/2 cup mirin

    1/2 cup brown sugar

    1/4 cup sesame oil6 cloves garlic

    6 scallions

    One inch knob, peeled & grated

    fresh ginger 

    Asian Slaw

    Napa cabbage roughly chopped

    Matchstick radish or daikon

    Matchstick carrot

    Chopped scallions

    Fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped 

    Soy Lime Dressing

    2 limes juiced

    1/4 cup soy sauce

    2 tablespoons mirin

    2 tablespoons Sriracha

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    Trim any excess fat from the meat, then thinly slice into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Place in a 1-gallon size plastic bag.In a food processor or blender, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, scallions, and ginger. Pour half into the bag with the sliced meat and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.Place the other half of the soy mixture into a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until thickened and reduced by at least half. It should get darker and thicker.

    Place the cabbage, radish, and scallions in a large bowl.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, mirin, and Sriracha. Do not dress slaw until right before you plan on assembling the tacos. Toss the dressing on the prepared cabbage.

    Heat a griddle, cast iron skillet or grill over high heat. Flash-sear the meat in a single layer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat (keep warm until you assemble the tacos).Grill your tortillas for approximately 30 seconds on each side.

    On top of the grilled tortilla, pile the Asian slaw, and cooked beef, drizzle with the reduced marinate, and a splash of Sriracha.

  • Ruthie’s Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish & Mustard Sauce

    Ruthie’s Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish & Mustard Sauce

    St. Patrick’s Day is this coming Monday. If you’re looking for a good Corned Beef & Cabbage recipe, my mom always made a good one that is certain to knock your shillelagh in the dirt! 

    Ruthie’s Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish & Mustard Sauce 

    1 corned beef brisket (about 4 pounds) with spice packet

    2 tablespoons brown sugar

    2 bay leaves

    3-1/2 pounds small potatoes (10-15), peeled

    8 medium carrots, cut into 1” chunks, cross-wise

    1 medium head cabbage, cut into wedges

    1 cup apple juice

    1 cup beer 

    HORSERADISH SAUCE:

    3 tablespoons butter

    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    1 to 1-1/2 cups reserved cooking juices from corned beef1 tablespoon sugar

    1 tablespoon cider vinegar

    1/4 cup horseradish 

    MUSTARD SAUCE:

    1 ½ tablespoons salted butter

    ⅓ cup brown sugar

    ¼ cup white sugar

    ¼ cup prepared Dijon mustard

    1 large egg

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    ¾ cup cider vinegar 

    Rinse and pat dry your brisket. Place brisket in your crock pot with the spice packet, brown sugar and bay leaves.

    Add the beer and apple juice, then cover the remainder of the brisket with water.

    Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 6 hours.Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage and continue cooking for 2 more hours, or until the vegetables and the corned beef is nice and tender.

    Cut beef across the grain into slices. Serve with vegetables, Horseradish Sauce and, if desired, Mustard Sauce. 

    Horseradish Sauce:

    strain and reserve 1-1/2 cups cooking juices; skim fat from reserved juices. Discard remaining juices.

    In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in 1 cup reserved juices. Stir in sugar, vinegar and horseradish; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened. If desired, thin with additional juices. Season to taste with additional sugar, vinegar or horseradish. 

    Mustard Sauce:

    Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; remove from heat.

    Whisk brown sugar, white sugar, mustard, egg, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Whisk in vinegar until well combined. Stir mixture into melted butter in the saucepan.

    Stir sauce over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes more.

  • Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs

    Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs

    After the Tyrus show last night, I got home and watched a couple of re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond. A running gag on the show, was Deborah’s Lemon Chicken.  

    Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs 

    8 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in

    Juice from one or two lemons

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 tbsp butter

    2 garlic cloves, crushed

    2 tsp Herbs de Provence

    1 cup chicken stock

    1 lemon, sliced 

    Season the chicken with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

    Heat a large skillet or pan over medium high heat then add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Allow the chicken to cook for 7-10 minutes until the skin is a deep golden brown and the fat has rendered.

    Flip the chicken thighs over and allow to cook for another 10 minutes on the other side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

    Add butter, garlic and Herbs de Provence and allow to cook for 30 seconds before adding the lemon slices and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer then add the chicken thighs back in. Allow to cook for another 10 minutes. You can cover the chicken if you want more sauce or place it in a hot oven to finish cooking.

    Serve the chicken with the pan sauce and lemon slices.

  • Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings

    Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings

    Chicken wings for dummies. Couldn’t be easier. Mix all the crap together, get it in the crock pot and walk away. 

    SLOW COOKER STICKY CHICKEN WINGS 

    3 pounds chicken wings

    2 tablespoons cornstarch

    Sesame seeds for garnish

    Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

    Scallions, chopped for garnish 

    FOR THE SAUCE

    1/3 cup soy sauce

    1/3 cup prepared hoisin sauce

    1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

    1/4 cup honey

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste

    1 ½ inch knob of fresh ginger, minced

    1 teaspoon ground pepper

    1 teaspoon onion powder

    1 teaspoon garlic powder 

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, Sriracha, ginger, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

    2. Place wings into a slow cooker. Stir in soy sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or high heat for 1-2 hours.

    3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir in mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a light boil to reduce.

    4. Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.

    5. Place wings onto the baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred. Baste the chicken with the reduced cooking liquid.

    6. Serve immediately with remaining sauce, garnished with sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro.

  • Cowboy Spaghetti

    Cowboy Spaghetti

     Our engineer here at Q97, Barry, shared this recipe with me, so I’m sharing it with you. Thanks Bear! 

    Cowboy Spaghetti 

    16 oz spaghetti or linguine

    24 oz. sirloin steak

    2 tbsp butter

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1/2 cup heavy cream

    1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, grated

    Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    Pinch of red pepper flakes 

    Bring the steak to room temperature.

    Cook the pasta:

    Boil the pasta in heavily salted water (like the ocean) according to package instructions. Drain, but don’t rinse and set aside.

    Sear steak:

    In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season the steak with the steak seasoning, then sear for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the skillet, let rest, then slice into thin strips.

    Sauté garlic:

    In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.

    Make sauce:

    Add heavy cream, Parmesan, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

    Toss noodles:

    Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the in the creamy sauce.

    Serve:

    Plate the noodles and top with the sliced steak. Serve immediately while warm.

  • Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

    Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

    Last week, I made the mistake of not posting tacos on Taco Tuesday. Man, did I hear it from you! Thanks for the input!  

    FOR THE TACOS

    Juice of 3 limes

    Chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1 tsp. cumin Olive oil Zest of

    1 lime

    Kosher salt, to taste

    1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

    8 tortillas, warmed, for serving

    Lime wedges, for squeezing

    Plastic squeeze bottle, for drizzling the garlic-lime mayo  

    In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lime zest and season with salt. Add shrimp and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate 20 minutes in refrigerator. Preheat your grill to medium heat. Grill shrimp until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Build tacos: add the salsa, then a few shrimp and a drizzle of the garlic-lime mayo to each taco. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.   Pineapple Salsa 2 cups diced pineapple 1 cup diced tomatoes 1/4 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup cilantro leaves packed, chopped Juice from 1 lime 1 small jalapeno, finely minced Kosher salt, to taste   In a bowl, combine pineapple, tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice and minced jalapenos. Add salt, to taste. Stir until all ingredients are combined.  

    FOR THE GARLIC-LIME MAYO

    1/3 c. Mayonnaise

    2 tbsp. hot sauce Zest of

    1 lime 1 tsp. garlic powder

    Kosher salt, to taste

    In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk and season with salt.

  • Chicken and White Bean Chili

    Chicken and White Bean Chili

    Here’s a chili I first had years ago at a Super Bowl party. It was the creation of our good friend Kelly Stutchman.   Chicken and White Bean Chili   2 -15-ounce cans white beans, drained 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon Old Bay 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 jalapeno, minced 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and diced into 1/2 inch pieces 4 cups chicken stock (more as needed)   Topping ideas: Grated Monterey Jack cheese Sliced radish Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped Lime wedges for squeezing Tortilla chips Scallions, sliced Sliced avacado or guacamole Chopped roma tomatoes   In a large thick-bottomed stock pot, sauté onions in olive oil on medium high heat, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Old Bay and cayenne and cook a minute more. Add the green chiles and dried oregano. Add the minced jalapeño. Add the chicken and chicken stock. Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low, cover and maintain the simmer for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the drained beans and cook for 20 minutes more. Taste for seasonings and add more salt to taste. Serve with toppings.