Author: Dave Tappan

Crock-Pot Thai Peanut Chicken

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1 cup canned coconut milk, shake well

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

Juice from one lime

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Red pepper flakes, to taste

2 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water, for thickening.

Cilantro, for garnish

Cooked rice or rice noodles, for serving.

Peanuts, for garnish.

Lime wedges, for squeezing

1. Prepare the Chicken

Place the chicken at the bottom of your slow cooker. Ensuring the chicken is evenly spread out will allow it to cook uniformly.

2. Mix the Sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut milk, minced garlic, minced ginger, peanut butter, honey, lime juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-integrated.

3. Pour the Sauce

Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring each piece is well coated. Use a spoon to spread the sauce if necessary.

4. Cook

Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The chicken should become tender and easy to shred.

5. Thicken the Sauce

About 30 minutes before the cooking time ends, stir in the cornstarch-water mixture to the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. Re-cover and allow it to cook for the remaining time.

6. Shred the Chicken

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stirring to combine it thoroughly with the sauce.

7. Serve

Serve the Thai peanut chicken over a bed of cooked rice or rice noodles or even as a taco. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts for added crunch.

Ruthie’s Cheesy, Stuffed Bell Peppers

6 green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers. Or a combination of.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1/2 lb. chorizo

1 yellow onion, chopped

3/4 cup cooked rice

1 egg

2 (15 ounce) cans Italian stewed tomatoes, divided

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces of grated cheddar cheese, divided

Cut off portion of tops of bell pepper, and remove seeds, and membranes.

Place the peppers in a large roaster or stock pot with salted water and boil.

Cook 10 minutes so they will be only partially done.

Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, chorizo and onion. Add rice, egg, 1 can tomatoes, Worcestershire and seasonings, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add 1 cup cheese and mix well.

Stuff peppers with mixture and set upright in buttered baking dish (you may have to trim little slivers off bottoms of peppers so they will sit upright.).

Pour remaining can of tomatoes over top and around peppers.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Rib Eye Steaks with Assorted Sauces & Butters

Cowboy Butter:

2 sticks salted butter, softened

¼ cup Gorgonzola crumbles

1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley, plus more if needed

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

A couple of turns of freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 lemon, zested and halved

Kosher salt, to taste

Well in advance, make the cowboy butter. Place the softened butter in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer. Whip the butter until it’s fluffy. Add the Gorgonzola, parsley, red pepper flakes, black pepper, garlic, lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon. Mix it until it’s totally combined, scraping the sides as needed. Taste and add more ingredients as needed to your liking.

Dave’s Famous Cream Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1/2 cup prepared horseradish

2 tablespoons chives

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk heavy cream until thickened, but not yet at soft peaks.

Fold in crème fraîche, horseradish, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before using, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Blue Cheese & Onion Cream Sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stick softened butter

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 cup heavy cream

3 to 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Melt a 1/2 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then saute the onions until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour in the cream, a dash of salt and pepper and the Worcestershire sauce. Let it bubble up, then add the blue cheese and stir together to melt, adding more pepper or Worcestershire sauce as you wish.

Roquefort chive sauce

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 ounces French Roquefort cheese, crumbled (4 ounces with rind)

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, salt, pepper and chives and whisk rapidly until the cheese melts.

Whiskey Butter

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 shallots, minced soaked in whiskey

3 teaspoons minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 teaspoons whiskey

Kosher salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

Combine butter, shallot, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, Jack Daniel’s, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Drop butter in spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Roll in plastic and smooth out to form a round log. Refrigerate until hard and easy to cut, at least 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Horseradish Compound Butter for Steak

2 sticks Unsalted Butter, Softened

1 clove Garlic, Minced

1 teaspoon Freshly Grated Lemon Zest

2 Tablespoons Prepared Horseradish, Squeeze Out The Moisture

2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley, Minced

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Compound Butter:

In a bowl, mix and mash together butter, garlic, lemon zest, horseradish, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto plastic wrap. Gently form into a small log. Refrigerate until firm.

Compound butter ideas:

Blue Cheese

Gorgonzola

Chili Powder and cumin

Parsley

Cilantro

Roasted red pepper

The possibilities are endless!

Happy Valley White Sauce

1 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup bottled Italian dressing

Juice from one lemon

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

Garlic salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a medium-sized bowl whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.

Continue to adjust the spices and seasonings to your taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more vinegar and Worcestershire sauce until you get the consistency you like.

Baked Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta

1 1/2 lbs. mild or hot Italian sausage, (casings removed)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 small onion, diced

28 oz. can whole tomatoes (San Marzano are best) hand crushed

6 leaves fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried basil)

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. rigatoni, penne, or ziti pasta

Ricotta Mixture:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.

On the stove-top, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add loose sausage and cook, stirring regularly, until cooked through and browned in spots. Remove to a plate and set aside.

To the same skillet, over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring until softened. Add garlic and cook and additional 30-45 seconds. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, chopped basil leaves and a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Add sausage back to the skillet and cook a few minutes, to blend the flavors and warm the sausage again. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper, as needed. (If the flavors seem flat, it needs more salt!). Turn off heat and let stand until pasta is ready.

When pasta is cooked, add to the skillet with the tomato sauce and sausage. Stir to combine. Spoon dollops of the ricotta mixture randomly on top. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

4 Jalapenos sliced lengthwise seeds and membranes removed

8 ounces cream cheese

8 slices cooked bacon

4 slices pepper jack

4 slices yellow American

8 slices Italian bread

Cilantro, chopped

Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Stuff each jalapeno half with cream cheese. Bake stuffed jalapenos on cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Place 1 slice each American cheese on 4 bread slices. Place 1 slice each pepper jack on other 4 bread slices. Each sandwich will have both kinds of cheese. Slice the cooked, stuffed jalapenos into bite size spears. Divide the jalapeno slices between the slices of bread with American. Add the bacon to the slices of bread with pepper jack. Add chopped cilantro to one side. Combine the slices of bread to form sandwiches.

Top each sandwich with butter. Place in skillet over medium low heat butter side down. Grill each side until lightly browned. Cheese should be melted and gooey.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

2 lbs. large raw shrimp peeled, deveined & tail-off

4 large eggs

3 cups Panko

1 cup cornstarch

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

cooking spray

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

Sriracha, to taste

For the Slaw:

16 oz coleslaw mix

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup chopped green onion

4 tbsp mayonnaise

Juice from 1 lime

Sriracha, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

To Serve:

20 flour tortillas

Chopped green onion

Cilantro

Lime wedges, for serving

Pat the shrimp dry. Then set up your dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. To one of the bowls, add the cornstarch and seasonings. To the second bowl, add the Panko. To the last bowl, add the eggs and a splash of water and whisk until combined.

Dip each shrimp into the cornstarch, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Let them rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place breaded shrimp in your air fryer basket, in one layer and spray the top with oil. You will likely need to cook the shrimp in batches.

Spray the shrimp with cooking spray.

Air fry the shrimp at 390F for 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. After you flip the shrimp, spray the other side with oil and continue frying.

While the shrimp is cooking, add all of the bang bang sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Then, add all of the slaw ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.

After the shrimp is done cooking, add it to a large bowl and pour the bang bang sauce over top (reserving a little bit for garnish, if you’d like). Gently toss or shake the bowl to coat the shrimp in the bang bang sauce.

Warm your tortillas over an open flame, on a pan, or in the microwave. Then, assemble your tacos, starting with the tortillas, a bit of the slaw, the shrimp, any leftover bang bang sauce you have, and garnish with some sliced green onion. Enjoy!

Grilled Asian Chicken Thighs

16 bone in-skin on chicken thighs

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

¼ cup orange juice

8 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup chopped green onion

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

More chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, green onion, ginger and cayenne pepper.

2. Put the chicken thighs in Ziploc bags and marinate at least 1 hour in refrigerator.

3. Remove chicken and place marinade in small saucepan over medium high heat; boil 2 minutes.

4. Place the chicken on a sheet pan with a wire rack to drain and come to room temperature.

5. Heat the grill to medium and cook the thighs for about 10 minutes, turn and cook another 10 minutes more, basting occasionally with the boiled marinade until thighs are done. They should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees on a digital thermometer. If they are not done, turn and baste while they cook a little longer. Don’t let them catch on fire! Move off the heat while cooking if necessary.

6. Platter the cooked chicken on a large platter and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if you like.

Salmon Cordon Bleu

For the fish:

Four thick salmon fillets, 6-8 ounces each

1/2 pound thin deli sliced hot ham

1/2 pound good quality Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

For Lemon-Lime Cream Poaching Sauce:

2 shallots, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoon Franks hot sauce

1-1/2 sticks cold butter, in pieces

Fresh parsley

Sliced green onions

Make lemon lime poaching sauce:

Combine shallot, garlic and wine in a saucepan and simmer until wine is reduced to about a tablespoon

Add chicken broth, thyme, pepper, lemon, lime, hot sauce and cream and bring to a simmer.

Transfer to a skillet large enough to hold fish bundles in one layer

Prepare salmon for poaching:

Slice a pocket into the side of each fillet

Stuff the pocketed salmon with cheese with ham

Bring poaching liquid to a very light simmer, add fish, cover and cook on low until fish is done, about 8 to 10 minutes

Carefully remove fish to serving plate and cover to keep warm

Bring sauce to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened, lower heat to low and whisk in butter in pieces, add parsley and green onions

Serve sauce drizzled on fish with extra on the side.

Mojo Marinated Tri-Tip Tacos

3 ½-4 pound tri-tip, trimmed

2 bottles Pacifico beer

2 oranges

2 Serrano peppers, sliced, no seeds

8 guajillo chiles soaked (reserve 1/2-1 cup liquid from peppers)

6 garlic cloves

2 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp onion powder

Kosher salt, to taste

6 tbsp olive oil

24 corn tortillas

Refried beans

Cotija cheese, crumbled

Fresh limes, quartered, for squeezing

Diced onion

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Marinate the meat in beer for 1 hour, in a large zip lock bag, in the refrigerator. Soak the guajillo peppers in hot water, covered, for 5 minutes or until soft.

Juice the oranges. In a blender purée the orange juice, Serrano peppers, soaked guajillo chilies and 1/2-1 cup liquid from peppers, garlic, cumin, onion powder, salt and olive oil.

Place the beer marinated tri-tip, with the beer, in the large zip lock bag.

Pour the orange marinade into the bag with the tri-tip.

Marinate 2 hours, in the refrigerator. Place the bag in a bowl or pan in case of leakage.

Start your grill. Fire up all of your burners and get the grill really hot. When the grill is 400-500 degrees, place the meat on the grill and sear both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Don’t walk away! If the meat catches on fire that’s a bad thing! Continue to move the meat around to prevent burnage.

Shut off half of your burners and move the meat to the indirect heat side of your grill. Continue cooking the tri-tip until medium rare. Use a digital probe thermometer and cook the meat to about 130-140 degrees.

When done, remove the tri-tip from the grill, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil or butcher paper and let rest.

While meat is resting, grill the tortillas on each side until slightly charred.Slice the tri-tip in half crosswise and then against the grain into strips or small cubes and serve with refried beans spread on grilled tortillas. Top with crumbled cotija cheese,diced onion and cilantro with a squeeze of lime.