Author: Dave Tappan

So last night, I asked my wife “Do you want to stay up and watch the ball drop Saturday night?” She said, “Honey, I’ve been watching them drop for years.” Happy New Year to you and yours.   Pork Scallopini   4 (6 ounce) boneless pork loin chops 1⁄2cup all-purpose flour Kosher salt and fresh…

Last night, I caught a little grief for splattering cacciatore sauce all over the stove. I said, “I’m never cooking again” Well, that didn’t last long. What’s For Dinner Tonight?   Tagliatelle Bolognese 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit   1/4-pound pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2…

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! Here’s wishing you a wonderful weekend and may there be many HO-HO-HOES in your holiday!   Spicy Fried Shrimp   For the Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce 2 teaspoons honey Kosher salt   For the Shrimp: Vegetable oil, for frying 2 large eggs…

Merry Christmas! If you’re making prime rib this year, please, please, please make plenty for left-overs…prime rib tacos, prime rib nachos, prime rib mac n cheese, prime rib burgers, prime rib-vegetable beef soup, prime rib grilled cheese sandwiches and…   Leftover Prime Rib Dips with Red Wine Au Jus   Ingredients for 8 sandwiches 6…

If you have seafood for the holidays, try this recipe I made a few years ago for a dinner party I catered. It’s a little pricey. Good thing I didn’t have to pay for it!   Stuffed Lobster Tails   4 (1 1/4-pound) lobsters, cooked 1 lb. Lump crab meat, cooked 2 cups crushed Ritz…

If you ain’t makin’ seafood for the Holidays, you ain’t doin’ it right. This is a recipe I got from an old Italian fisherman, named Luigi Hookatesticali. He died shortly after a nasty accident while casting his line.   Mussels In White Wine with Sopressata & Sun-Dried Tomatoes   4 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Teaspoon…

Food quote of the day, from Dolly Parton: “My weaknesses have always been food and men—in that order.” Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms in Butter, Wine, Garlic and Lemon 1 stick butter, divided Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on 6-10 cloves garlic, diced 1 lb. cremini mushrooms…

Last week, when I was filling in for Billy Pilgrim, someone asked me to post a breakfast recipe. My recipes are so dis-organized, it took me until this morning to find what I was looking for. 2023…organize these damn recipes. Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Gruyere Strata with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes 6 cups cubed day-old French…

Let’s bake some pasta!Cheesy Chicken and Pasta Bake1 tablespoon olive oil3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubedKosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste4 garlic cloves, minced2 ½ cups chicken broth2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta2 cups grated Parmesan cheese2 cups shredded mozzarella cheeseHeat oil in a large skillet…

It’s gonna be a cold and hopefully, wet weekend in Redding. Here’s something to warm your cockles:Sausage, White Bean and Tortellini Soup1 tablespoon olive oil4 links hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings2 cloves minced garlic1 onion, chopped1 medium rib celery, choppedOne 15-ounce can white beans, like cannellini or navy, rinsed and drainedOne 15-ounce…