Author: Dave Tappan

I found a pound of shrimp in my freezer. So… Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Brother Devil) and Pasta Extra-virgin olive oil1-pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced2 to 4 anchovy fillets, chopped1 teaspoon red pepper flakes1 28 -ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand1/2 cup dry white wineKosher salt, to taste1 teaspoon dried oregano1 pound dry linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti1 teaspoon dried parsley or dried basil Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.Add the shrimp and cook, turning once, until almost cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, then add the garlic, anchovies and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the wine, oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.Add the parsley, pasta and shrimp to the sauce along with any collected juices from the plate and toss to combine.Stir in some of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce. Season with salt. Divide among shallow bowls and drizzle with olive oil; top with red pepper flakes, if desired.

Today is National Tortilla Chip Day. Why? I have no idea. Might as well go with it.   Tri-Tip Nachos   2 lbs. Smoked Tri-Tip, seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning One 15 oz can black beans 1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped 3 jalapeños, chopped 1 small red onion, chopped 2 sliced black olives 1 cup homemade or prepared guacamole 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped Lime wedges, for serving and squeezing   Smoke or barbecue a whole Tri-Tip seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning. Line a baking sheet with foil. Layer the baking sheet with tortilla chips. Cover tortilla chips with a can of black beans. Slice and cut into cubes about 2 pounds of Tr-Tip. Place on top of black beans. Cover chips, beans, and Tri-Tip with about 1 and 3/4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Pre-heat smoker or oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie sheet in smoker or oven for ten minutes. Remove and add Roma tomatoes, red onions, jalapeño, and black olives. Cover with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Place back in smoker or oven for about three minutes. Remove and top with guacamole, sour cream or crema, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

I got this recipe from McCormick spices. I use McCormick spices because they now print the name of the spice on the cap of the bottle…genius! So, if you’re looking down on your spices, you can see exactly what you’re looking for!   Mexican Style Shrimp Po’ Boys with Spicy Lime Mayo   2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, tails removed 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lime, divided 1 tsp. McCormick Garlic Powder 1 tsp. McCormick Onion Powder 1 tsp. McCormick Chili Powder 1 tsp. McCormick Paprika 1 tsp. McCormick Ground Cumin Kosher salt, to taste 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tbsp. hot sauce (I like Tapatio for this) 4 rolls (8″) Avocado, thinly sliced Tomatoes, thinly sliced Romaine, red leaf or shredded iceberg lettuce   1. Preheat oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, juice of ½ lime, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin and paprika. Season with salt. 2. Spread shrimp onto a baking sheet and bake until pink and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, make spicy lime mayo: In a small bowl, whisk together remaining lime juice with mayonnaise and hot sauce. Toast the rolls. 4. Build sandwiches: Open rolls and spread the cut sides with spicy lime mayo, then add shrimp, a few slices of avocado and tomato, and lettuce.

I’ve had ziti on my mind lately. I think it’s because I watched some Last Man Standing re-runs last weekend. I love that show. Vanessa Baxter’s baked ziti was a running gag on the show. This isn’t her recipe, but it’s damn good!   Baked Italian Sausage Ziti   1 lb. dry Ziti pasta 2 lbs. sweet or spicy Italian sausage (casings removed) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes Kosher salt, to taste 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1/3 cup torn fresh basil, plus more for serving 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions to al dente, about 7 minutes. Under cook it a bit, as it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain, but don’t rinse and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 and set the oven rack in the middle position. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

More red meat! A Facebook friend of mine, sent this to me. I haven’t done this yet, but I’m gonna give it a go. I did add the garlic-blue cheese butter, because I like it! Air Fryer Rib-Eye Steak with Garlic-Blue Cheese Butter Two 16 oz. rib-eye steaks½ cup soy sauce¼ cup olive oilMontreal Steak Seasoning, to taste Blue Cheese Butter:½ a stick of unsalted butter, melted1-2 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled from a wedge In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and blue cheese together for about 30 seconds.Stir the mixture until well combined, then return it to the refrigerator while the steak is cooking. Combine steaks, soy sauce, olive oil, and seasoning in a large resealable bag. Marinate meat for at least 1-2 hours.Remove steaks from the bag and discard marinade. Pat steaks dry with a paper towel.Add about 1 tablespoon water to the bottom of the air fryer pan to prevent it from smoking during cooking. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.Cook steaks in the preheated air fryer for 7 minutes, flip, and cook about 7 minutes more for medium-rare (130-135 degrees, internal temp). For medium, cook 8 minutes per side.Let steaks rest for about 5 minutes before serving.Top each steak with a spoonful of the prepared garlic-blue cheese butter.

40-22? What the hell? After a shellackin’ like that, Davey needs red meat! Cowboy Steak and Jack Daniels Butter Rub:2 tablespoons chile powder1 tablespoon paprikaKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon ground cumin2 (16 ounce) bone-in rib-eye steaks (or whatever you like) Whiskey Butter:2 sticks butter, softened2 shallots, minced and soaked in whiskey2 teaspoons dried parsley1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce3 teaspoons Jack Daniels (or whatever you like)Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Rub:In bowl combine chile powders, paprika, onion and garlic powders, cumin and salt & pepper.Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, let meat come to room temperature about 20 minutes before grilling. Pat meat with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Just before grilling, brush steaks with oil. Sprinkle rub on steaks; pat in with fingers.Place steaks directly over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Turn and grill 5 more minutes for medium-rare (or however you like it). Remove from grill. Top steaks with the whiskey butter. Let rest at least 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Whiskey Butter: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.

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.

It’s Super Bowl week. Let’s kick it off with tacos for your bash. Double, triple, or whatever you need to, for a crowd. Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Tacos 1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced flank steak1/4 cup cornstarch1 Tbsp vegetable oil4 tsp Christopher Ranch minced garlic, in water1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced3/4 cup water3/4 cup soy sauce3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed2 tsp Sriracha1 cup shredded carrots Toppings:Pickled cucumberPickled JalapenoSliced radishesFresh cilantroShredded cabbageBean sproutsSirachaLime wedges, for squeezingTortillas, for serving Add sliced flank steak and cornstarch to a large resealable plastic bag. Close and shake to coat well.To the bottom of slow cooker, add vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, water, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha. Stir to combine.Add in coated flank steak and carrots and stir again until everything is coated in the sauce.Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours, until steak is cooked and tender.Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings and lime wedges.

Happy Friday! Weather be damned, I’m gonna treat myself to this sexy bad boy this weekend.   Ribeye Steak Sandwiches on Texas Toast with Roasted Garlic Mayo   2 (8 oz) Boneless ribeye steaks 1 Sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced 4 Slices provolone cheese 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, divided 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar Montreal steak seasoning, to taste 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp butter Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste   Texas Garlic Toast 4 slices Texas Toast 1/4 cup butter 1 Tsp dried Parsley 1 Tsp garlic powder   Roasted Garlic Mayo 1 Head garlic, roasted 1 Cup mayonnaise 1 Tsp ground pepper 1 Tsp barbecue sauce   Pre-heat your oven to 400. Place the garlic in heavy duty foil with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until soft to the touch. Fire up your grill for 2 zone grilling. Season the steaks with the salt and pepper, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire. Place a cast iron skillet on the hot zone of the grill. Add olive oil and butter. Add onion and mushrooms to skillet, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with Worcestershire. Cook for 10 minutes until brown and tender. Season each steak with the steak seasoning and place on the hot zone of the grill. Cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Top each steak with onions and mushrooms; layer on 2 slices of the cheese on each steak and let it melt on the grill. Preheat oven to broil. Place butter, dried parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to combine. Brush on the top side of each piece of the Texas Toast slices. Place the toast in the oven for 1-2 minutes or until brown. To make the roasted garlic mayo, place the roasted garlic in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until it becomes a paste. Add the mayonnaise, pepper and barbecue sauce and stir well to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Slather each piece of Texas Toast with Roasted Garlic Mayo. Place steak on toast and top with the other slice. Dig in!

If you’re on chili detail Super Bowl Sunday, blow ’em away with my award-winning recipe.   Grilled Tri-Tip and Rib-Eye Chili   4 pounds steak (I use a combination of tri-tip and rib-eye) 2 pounds hot Italian sausage, casings removed Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 2 large onions, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 to 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced 4 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons Worcestershire 2 tablespoons hot sauce (I like Crystal) 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 package of Shelby’s 1 carton of beef stock, as needed 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (optional) 2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles   Optional toppings: avocado slices, sliced jalapenos, sliced radishes, shredded cheese, diced scallions, sour cream, Siracha or hot sauce, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges for squeezing.   Heat your grill to high. Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear the steak on both sides, about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. You’re not cooking the meat at this point, just getting some good color on the steak. Remove the steak and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Cut the steak, across the grain, into ½ inch chunks and transfer to your slow cooker or large stock pot, cover and let rest. To a large skillet, add sausage (break up the links into crumbles) and cook for 5 minutes. Add onions, garlic and jalapeños. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Cook until softened. Transfer to your slow cooker or large pot with the meat. Add half of the beef stock and then more as needed. Stir in chili powder, sugar, Worcestershire, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, tomatoes, beans (optional) and canned green chiles. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours in a large stock pot (stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn on the bottom) or 4-6 hours on low in a slow cooker. Serve and garnish with optional toppings. Goes great with cornbread.