Author: Dave Tappan

Be careful, you might just get a proposal tomorrow night with this recipe. Happy Valentine’s Day! Marry Me Chicken 2 tablespoons olive oil4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 6-8 bone in, thighs2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 teaspoon dried thyme1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes3/4 cup chicken broth1/2 cup heavy cream1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped1/2 cup parmesan cheese, gratedFresh basil, for servingKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Preheat oven to 375°Add oil to a large cast iron or oven-proof skillet, and place over medium-high heat.Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and sear until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.Lower heat to medium, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add thyme, red pepper flakes, chicken broth and heavy cream, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.Stir in sundried tomatoes and parmesan and return chicken to skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.Top with basil and more parmesan. Enjoy!

They say, oysters are an aphrodisiac. I say, they’re just damn good. Cover your bases. Serve oysters on Valentine’s Day. Cast Iron Baked Oysters Rockefeller with Creamy DijonSpinach 4 slices thick-cut chopped bacon3 cups chopped onions1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper1 1/2 cups chopped celery1 teaspoon Creole seasoningKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste1-pint oysters, drained and patted dry1 recipe Dijon Creamed Spinach, recipe follows1/3 cup bread crumbs1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan Dijon Creamed Spinach:1/2 cup julienned yellow onion1 tablespoon olive oil2 teaspoons all-purpose flour1 tablespoon minced garlic1 sprig fresh thyme1 bay leaf1/4 cup Dijon mustard2 cups heavy creamKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste2 pounds spinach, cooked, squeezed dry and coarsely chopped In a large skillet, render the chopped bacon until crispy, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery and cook until very tender and all the juices are evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with the Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool.Preheat the oven to 375.Once the vegetables have cooled to room temperature, divide the bacon-vegetable mixture evenly between 6 individual shallow ramekins, about 1/3 cup for each ramekin. Divide the oysters evenly among the ramekins, laying the oysters the top of the vegetables in 1 even layer. Spoon 1/3 cup of the Dijon Creamed Spinach over the oysters in each ramekin, spreading with the back of a spoon to form an even layer. Top with the bread crumbs and Parmesan and bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Dijon Creamed Spinach:In a large skillet, cook the onions with the olive oil until almost translucent. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes. Add mustard and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until sauce is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Add the spinach, stir until thoroughly combined, and serve.

I opened up my pantry and found a few cans of tuna. Yikes! Crunchy Tuna Casserole 1 lb. bow tie pasta2 tbsp. butter1 onion, chopped6 oz. canned white tuna (packed in oil), drained and flaked, reserve 2 tbsp. oil2 tbsp. flourKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste1 c. white wine2 c. chicken stock1 c. frozen peas1 tomato, diced2 c. mozzarella, diced1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving 1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook onion until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons reserved oil from tuna, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and stir until flour turns golden, about 3 minutes.3. Add wine and stir until smooth, then add chicken stock and continuously stir until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until sauce begins to thicken, 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, frozen peas, tomato, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and tuna.4. In a small bowl, stir together panko, olive oil, and parsley. In a large baking dish, layer pasta mixture and top with remaining cup of mozzarella and breadcrumb mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper.5. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 minutes. Serve with parsley.

Beth makes a great stuffed mushroom. I like to sneak some blue cheese in when she’s not looking. These make a great Super Bowl snack. Bacon Blue Stuffed Mushrooms 3 strips bacon12 large mushrooms2 tablespoons butter1 onion, diced2 cloves garlic, sliced6 ounces cream cheese6 ounces blue cheese2/3 cup bread crumbs Cook bacon strips in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy; drain on paper towels. While the bacon is cooking, remove stems from mushrooms. Set caps aside, and finely chop the stems.1. Add butter to skillet with bacon grease. When melted, stir in mushroom stems, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 15 to 20 minutes.2. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray.3. Once the onion mixture has reached a deep, rich brown color, place into a blender along with bacon, cream cheese, blue cheese, and bread crumbs. Blend on low until ingredients are roughly chopped and evenly combined. Stuff cheese mixture into mushroom caps and place into prepared baking dish.4. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Braised Squid Stuffed with Chorizo 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil8 ounces fresh chorizo, peeled and crumbled1 cup fresh bread crumbs1 1/2 pounds whole squid with tentacles1 medium onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, chopped2 bay leaves4 strips lemon zest1 cup white wine2 cups fish or chicken stock1 (32 ounce) can whole tomatoes in juiceKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste4 fresh eggs (optional) In a large heavy pot heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. Cook the chorizo, stirring, until browned about 4 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat in the pot. Toss the bread crumbs with the chorizo.Stuff the squid bodies with the chorizo mixture and seal each with a wooden toothpick.Heat the fat in the pot over medium high heat and stir in the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and zest and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the wine, stock, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Nestle the squid bodies and tentacles in the liquid and simmer, covered, until the squid is very tender, about 1 hour. Transfer the squid to a serving bowl, then boil the liquid until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.Pour the cooking liquid over the squid and serve. Top with a sunny side up egg (optional)