Category: Dave’s Blog

  • Tomato Bruschetta With Prosciutto

    Tomato Bruschetta With Prosciutto

    Sometimes, all you need for dinner is bread.

    Tomato Bruschetta With Prosciutto

    16 thin slices of prosciutto

    4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

    10 fresh sweet basil leaves, chopped

    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    4 large tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

    1 large baguette

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On parchment paper-lined baking sheet, lay prosciutto ¼ inch apart and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer crispy prosciutto to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 clove minced garlic, basil, half the olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Add tomatoes and gently toss to combine. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

    Warm remaining olive oil in small skillet on medium-low heat. Add leftover minced garlic to warmed olive oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t burn the garlic, it’ll turn bitter. Remove from heat and set aside. Slice baguette on the bias and place slices on baking sheet. Drizzle each slice with olive oil-garlic mixture. Place tray in oven and toast for 20 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Flip baguette slices and transfer to serving platter. Top with tomato mixture and prosciutto. Serve immediately while warm.

    You can add all kinds of fun stuff to this, figs or fig jam, olives, goat cheese or ricotta, arugula, etc. Go crazy!

  • Cajun Shrimp & Pasta with Sausage

    Cajun Shrimp & Pasta with Sausage

    I literally wrote this recipe a long time ago during a Long Set of Today’s Country. It worked out pretty well.

    Cajun Shrimp & Pasta with Sausage

    2 lbs. med-large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning)

    1 teaspoon dried Oregano

    4 tablespoons Olive oil

    12-16 oz smoked sausage (thinly sliced)

    1 lb. fettuccine, or your favorite pasta

    1 yellow onion, halved and sliced into half-moons

    2 red bell peppers (thinly sliced)

    8 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning)

    2 teaspoons brown sugar

    6 cloves garlic (chopped)

    1 cup crushed tomatoes

    2 cups chicken broth

    2 cups heavy cream

    1 ⅓ cups Grated Parmesan

    2 tbsps parsley (chopped)

    Cook shrimp

    Toss shrimp with salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and Oregano, and coat well. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and drizzle bottom of pan with olive oil.

    Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Flip shrimp over and cook another minute or two. Then remove to a plate and set aside. Drizzle pan with a little more olive oil, add sausage and brown until nicely caramelized, about 4 – 5 minutes. Remove to plate, set aside. The same skillet will be used for making sauce.

    Boil pasta

    Add pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, but don’t rinse. Set aside.

    Make sauce

    Use the same skillet, now empty. Lower heat to medium and add a bit more olive oil to the pan, add the onion, red bell pepper, Cajun seasoning, brown sugar, and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until onion and pepper have softened a bit, scraping up any browned bits that you can. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan, simmer a couple minutes.

    Put it all together

    Once simmering, add Parmesan and stir into sauce. When Parmesan is blended in, add cooked pasta, and sausage and stir to combine and heat through, 2 – 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and then lastly, add shrimp (to avoid over steaming it in sauce).

    Garnish with chopped parsley.

  • Oven Braised Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions & Apples

    Oven Braised Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions & Apples

    Hope you had a good Memorial Day Weekend. God bless our fallen soldiers and their families. Beth and I saw the Little River Band at Seven Feathers in Canyonville on Saturday night. Great show! Highly recommend! Thanks Gary and Candis! Love you two!

    Oven Braised Beer Brats with Caramelized Onions & Apples

    6 bratwurst sausages

    2 large yellow onions, sliced

    2 apples (Honey-crisp or Gala), thinly sliced

    1 bottle (12 oz) beer

    2 tbsp unsalted butter

    1 tbsp olive oil

    1 tsp brown sugar

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    Whole grain mustard and rolls, for serving

    Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking pan with foil for easy cleanup.

    In a skillet, add olive oil over low-med heat. Add onions and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in butter, brown sugar and apples; cook 4 more minutes.

    Spread the onion-apple mixture in the foil-lined pan. Nestle bratwursts on top.

    Pour beer evenly into the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

    Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, flipping brats once until browned and beer is mostly reduced.

  • Italian Pizza-Pasta Salad

    Italian Pizza-Pasta Salad

    A must for your Memorial Day Weekend BBQ, is a good pasta salad and this is a great pasta salad…

    Italian Pizza-Pasta Salad

    For the salad:

    16 oz rotini pasta (tri-color, if you like)

    12 oz salami, sliced into strips

    12 oz mini pepperoni, halved

    20 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (3 cups)

    2 cups jarred, marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped

    1 English cucumber, diced

    1 medium red onion, finely diced

    16 oz fresh, small mozzarella balls, or cubed from a block

    1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

    1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved

    1 cup jarred, roasted red peppers drained and coarsely chopped

    Finely chopped parsley, for garnish

    Dressing, to taste

    For the dressing:

    1 cup extra virgin olive oil

    6 Tbsp white wine vinegar

    1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese finely grated

    2 Tbsp mayonnaise

    2 tsp granulated sugar

    2 garlic clove finely grated or pressed

    1 tsp dried oregano

    1 tsp dried parsley

    1 tsp dried basil

    Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

    For the dressing:

    Combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    For the salad:

    Cook the rotini in HEAVILY salted water to al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water.

    Place the pasta in a large bowl and add the salad ingredients in separate piles on top of the pasta. Be sure to leave a “wedge” of pasta visible, for presentation. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Salad can be made up to 4 hours in advance.

  • French Onion Sloppy Jose Cansecoes

    French Onion Sloppy Jose Cansecoes

    Here’s a classic…on steroids! I call it…

    French Onion Sloppy Jose Cansecoes

    1 pound ground beef

    1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    1 teaspoon soy sauce

    1 teaspoon dried thyme

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    4 hamburger buns

    1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

    Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

    Caramelize onions in olive oil over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until golden.

    Add ground beef, cook until browned.

    Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.

    Simmer for 5-7 minutes until flavors meld.

    Toast hamburger buns until golden.

    Spoon beef mixture onto buns, top with Swiss cheese.

    Optional: broil for 1-2 minutes until cheese melts.

    Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

  • Dave’s Street Tacos with Mexican Street Corn

    Dave’s Street Tacos with Mexican Street Corn

    Today is our 35th wedding anniversary and it’s Taco Tuesday. Coincidence? I think not.

    Dave’s Street Tacos with Mexican Street Corn

    1½ pounds lean ground beef

    ½ pound chorizo or ground pork

    Yellow onion, diced

    Fresh Cilantro

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 chipotles with adobo sauce

    2 tablespoons Chile powder

    2 teaspoons ground cumin

    2 teaspoons garlic powder

    2 teaspoons onion powder

    2 teaspoons paprika

    ¼ cup chicken, beef or vegetable stock

    Corn or flower street taco tortillas

    Hot sauce, for topping

    Lime wedges, for serving

    For the meat:

    In a large bowl, mix the beef and pork together with the spices, chopped chipotles and 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce. If using chorizo, just mix the beef with the spices, then mix in the chorizo. You can substitute all the spices with your favorite Mexican spice blend if you like.

    In a large skillet, cook the meat until it’s completely done. I like mine a little on the overdone side with a little crisp on the meat. Add the stock as needed for desired consistency. I like to keep mine a little on the dry side. Turn the heat off and cover until serving.

    Warm the tortillas in a skillet, on a grill or over a gas flame.

    Build the tacos using two tortillas, the meat, chopped onion and cilantro. Top with hot sauce, a pinch of salt and a lime squeeze.

    Mexican Street Corn

    6 to 8 medium ears sweet corn, shucked and silk removed

    1/2 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream

    1/2 cup mayonnaise

    1/2 cup minced cilantro

    1 clove garlic, minced

    1 teaspoon Chile powder

    2 teaspoons lime zest, from one lime

    2 tablespoon lime juice, from one lime

    1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled

    Lime wedges, for squeezing

    Heat your grill to high.

    In a bowl, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime zest and lime juice. Taste and season the mixture with salt if needed. Set aside.

    Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.

    Using a brush or a spoon, coat each ear of corn with the crema mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese. Top with more Chile powder, cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

  • Garlic Butter Steak & Noodles

    Garlic Butter Steak & Noodles

    When you’re REALLY in the mood for red meat and pasta!

    Garlic Butter Steak & Noodles

    16 oz. linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti

    1 lb. sirloin steak

    2 tbsp butter

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1/2 cup heavy cream

    1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    Red pepper flakes, to taste

    Cook linguine: Boil the linguine in salted water according to package instructions. Drain, but do not rinse and set aside. Reserve a cup of the pasta water.

    Sear steak: In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper, then sear for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the skillet, let rest, and slice thinly.

    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, black 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 noodles in the creamy sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you want to loosen up the sauce.

    Serve: Plate the noodles and top with the sliced steak. Serve immediately.

  • Easy Grilled Buffalo Wings

    Easy Grilled Buffalo Wings

    Happy Wing Wednesday!  

    Easy Grilled Buffalo Wings  

    1 1/2 cups hot sauce. I like Crystal or Frank’s.

    1/2 cup buttermilk Hot wing rub (recipe follows)

    3 pounds chicken wings, flats and drums separated, wing tips removed and discarded

    Vegetable oil, for oiling the grill

    4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick),

    melted Blue cheese dressing, for serving Celery sticks

    Hot Wing Rub

    1 T garlic powder

    1 t cayenne

    1/2 t ground mustard

    3/4 t white pepper

    3/4 t black pepper

    1/2 t dried thyme

    1/2 t dried oregano

    1 T paprika

    1 T kosher salt  

    Place 1 cup of the hot sauce, the buttermilk, and hot wing rub in a large resealable plastic bag and stir to combine. Add the wings and seal the bag, pressing out any excess air. Turn the bag to coat the wings evenly. Let marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours. Heat an outdoor grill to medium high. When the grill is ready, use tongs to rub the grate with several layers of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil. Remove the wings from the marinade, letting any excess drip off, and discard the marinade. Place the wings on the grate in a single layer, crowded so they are touching. This will steam them a bit and keep them moist. Cover the grill and cook, flipping the wings occasionally with tongs, until they’re no longer pink at the bone and the skin is slightly charred in spots, about 20 minutes total. Keep an eye on your wings. They’ll catch fire if you ignore them and that’s no Bueno. When the wings are almost ready, combine the remaining 1/2 cup hot sauce and the melted butter in a large stainless steel bowl and set aside. Add the cooked wings to the bowl and toss to coat. Put the sauced wings back on the grill and cook until crisp. Just a minute or two. Serve with the dip and celery sticks.  

    Blue Cheese Dip

    1/2 cup sour cream

    1/4 cup mayonnaise

    1 small clove garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    1-2 tablespoons milk

    4 ounces blue cheese

    Crumbled Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste   In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice. Add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time until reaching desired consistency. Stir in the blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

  • Porterhouse Steak with Blue Cheese Butter & Italian Salad

    Porterhouse Steak with Blue Cheese Butter & Italian Salad

    Mother’s Day is this Sunday! Happy Mother’s Day to every great mom reading this post. It takes some big (mozzarella) balls to be a mom! You deserve a great meal!  

    Porterhouse Steak

    2 16-20 oz Porterhouse steaks

    1 cup soy sauce 4 tbsp garlic

    minced Juice from 2 lemons

    Garlic salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste  

    In a large Zip-Loc bag, add the soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Place the steak in the bag to marinate. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Take the steak out of the bag & and lightly pat dry any excess marinade. Throw marinade away. Hit it with a little Kosher salt if you like. Fire your grill or BBQ and get it hot! Set up a hot zone and cool zone. Sear the steak for 3-5 minutes on both sides, then move it to the cool zone, top it with the blue cheese butter and cook it to your desired doneness. 130 degrees for medium rare. When done, remove the steak, top it with again with the blue cheese butter, tent with foil on your cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak off the bone, then rearrange it around the bone (you’ll want to gnaw on that bone) serve & enjoy!  

    Blue Cheese Butter

    1 stick unsalted butter, softened

    3 tablespoons blue cheese

    1 small shallot, minced

    1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

    1 small garlic glove, minced

    Garlic salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste  

    Mix the butter, blue cheese, shallot, parsley, and garlic together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

    Italian Salad

    ½ cup olive oil

    5 tablespoons white wine vinegar

    1 tablespoon mayonnaise

    1 tablespoon sugar

    1½ teaspoons dried oregano

    1 garlic clove, finely grated Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    1 small head of iceberg lettuce 1 small red onion, sliced into rings

    4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced

    2 cups drained small mozzarella balls, torn

    10 pepperoncini peppers  

    Whisk oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut lettuce in half through stem end. Tear apart into large pieces. Arrange on a platter and scatter onion, provolone, mozzarella, and pepperoncini over the lettuce. Drizzle with dressing to coat to your liking (you’ll probably have some extra) and top with more black pepper.

  • Crispy Air Fryer Asian Wings

    Crispy Air Fryer Asian Wings

    Happy Wing Wednesday! 

    Crispy Air Fryer Asian Wings 

    3 pounds chicken wings, drums and flats

    Kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    4 tablespoons chili garlic sauce

    4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

    4 tablespoons soy sauce

    4 tablespoons rice vinegar

    4 garlic cloves, minced

    2 teaspoons ginger, minced

    2 tablespoons light brown sugar

    2 limes, zest and juice

    2 tablespoon sesame oil

    Lime wedges, for squeezing

    Sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish 

    Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture (this will help make sure they crisp up in the air fryer).Toss the wings in olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Preheat the air fryer to 375°FArrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they begin to turn golden brown. While the wings are cooking, whisk together chili garlic sauce, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, light brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Once the wings are crispy and cooked through, toss them in the sauce until they are fully coated and place them back in the air fryer for 3 more minutes or until the sauce has caramelized. Garnish with sesame seeds, lime wedges and chopped green onions before serving.