Category: Dave’s Blog

  • Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings

    Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings

    Chicken wings for dummies. Couldn’t be easier. Mix all the crap together, get it in the crock pot and walk away. 

    SLOW COOKER STICKY CHICKEN WINGS 

    3 pounds chicken wings

    2 tablespoons cornstarch

    Sesame seeds for garnish

    Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

    Scallions, chopped for garnish 

    FOR THE SAUCE

    1/3 cup soy sauce

    1/3 cup prepared hoisin sauce

    1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

    1/4 cup honey

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste

    1 ½ inch knob of fresh ginger, minced

    1 teaspoon ground pepper

    1 teaspoon onion powder

    1 teaspoon garlic powder 

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, Sriracha, ginger, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

    2. Place wings into a slow cooker. Stir in soy sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or high heat for 1-2 hours.

    3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir in mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a light boil to reduce.

    4. Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil.

    5. Place wings onto the baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred. Baste the chicken with the reduced cooking liquid.

    6. Serve immediately with remaining sauce, garnished with sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro.

  • Cowboy Spaghetti

    Cowboy Spaghetti

     Our engineer here at Q97, Barry, shared this recipe with me, so I’m sharing it with you. Thanks Bear! 

    Cowboy Spaghetti 

    16 oz spaghetti or linguine

    24 oz. sirloin steak

    2 tbsp butter

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1/2 cup heavy cream

    1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, grated

    Montreal Steak Seasoning, to taste

    Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

    Pinch of red pepper flakes 

    Bring the steak to room temperature.

    Cook the pasta:

    Boil the pasta in heavily salted water (like the ocean) according to package instructions. Drain, but don’t rinse and set aside.

    Sear steak:

    In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season the steak with the steak seasoning, then sear for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the skillet, let rest, then slice into thin strips.

    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, salt and 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 in the creamy sauce.

    Serve:

    Plate the noodles and top with the sliced steak. Serve immediately while warm.

  • Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

    Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

    Last week, I made the mistake of not posting tacos on Taco Tuesday. Man, did I hear it from you! Thanks for the input!  

    FOR THE TACOS

    Juice of 3 limes

    Chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1 tsp. cumin Olive oil Zest of

    1 lime

    Kosher salt, to taste

    1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

    8 tortillas, warmed, for serving

    Lime wedges, for squeezing

    Plastic squeeze bottle, for drizzling the garlic-lime mayo  

    In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lime zest and season with salt. Add shrimp and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate 20 minutes in refrigerator. Preheat your grill to medium heat. Grill shrimp until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Build tacos: add the salsa, then a few shrimp and a drizzle of the garlic-lime mayo to each taco. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.   Pineapple Salsa 2 cups diced pineapple 1 cup diced tomatoes 1/4 cup diced red onion 1/4 cup cilantro leaves packed, chopped Juice from 1 lime 1 small jalapeno, finely minced Kosher salt, to taste   In a bowl, combine pineapple, tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice and minced jalapenos. Add salt, to taste. Stir until all ingredients are combined.  

    FOR THE GARLIC-LIME MAYO

    1/3 c. Mayonnaise

    2 tbsp. hot sauce Zest of

    1 lime 1 tsp. garlic powder

    Kosher salt, to taste

    In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk and season with salt.

  • Barbecued Wings with Dipping Sauces

    Barbecued Wings with Dipping Sauces

    bbq wings Happy Friday! Don’t let restaurants fool you. “Boneless” chicken wings are nothing more than chicken nuggets. Leave the nuggets to the toddlers. Grow a pair and make the real thing! Barbecued Wings with Dipping Sauces 4-5 lbs. fresh chicken wings, flats & drums separated, tips removed1 tablespoon minced garlicMontreal Steak Seasoning, to taste1 cup sweet BBQ sauce1 ½ cups Frank’s Red-Hot Sauce In a large shallow plastic container with a sealing lid, place chicken wings in a single layer. Add garlic, pepper, and seasoning. Toss them with your hands to coat well.Add BBQ sauce and hot sauce. Toss with your hands to make sure every wing is fully coated.Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Every few hours, shake the container to move the wings around in the marinade.When ready to grill, heat grill to 400 degrees. Lower temperature to medium low (around 300) and grill wings for about 20-25 minutes, turning frequently, until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink. Don’t walk away from the grill. They WILL catch on fire and burn.Serve with your favorite wing dipping sauce. Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce1/2 cup cilantro2 cloves garlic3/4 cup plain yogurt2 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp waterKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Garlic Parmesan Dipping Sauce1/2 cup mayonnaise1/2 cup sour cream2 cloves garlic, minced1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated2 tbsp parsley2 tbsp white vinegarKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Smoked Paprika Aioli1/2 cup mayonnaise1/2 cup yogurt1 tsp smoked paprika1 tbsp lime juice2 cloves garlic, mincedKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Cilantro Lemon Dipping SauceFinely chop cilantro and add garlic set aside.In a bowl, mix yogurt with olive oil, lemon juice and water. Add in cilantro and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garlic Parmesan Dipping SauceMix mayonnaise, Parmesan and sour cream in a bowl and add garlic, set aside.Add chopped parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Smoked Paprika AioliMix mayonnaise and yogurt in a bowl. Add in smoked paprika, garlic and lime juice.Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Nashville Hot Chicken with Cole Slaw

    Nashville Hot Chicken with Cole Slaw

    hot chicken Nashville Hot Chicken with Cole Slaw Coleslaw1/4 cup mayonnaise1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard1 tablespoon white vinegar4 cups finely shredded cabbageKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Nashville Hot Sauce1 stick unsalted butter4 teaspoons minced garlicCayenne pepper, to taste2/3 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce4 teaspoons light brown sugar Sandwich4 boneless-skinless chicken thighs2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup buttermilk, room temperatureFrank’s RedHot sauce, to tasteKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to tasteUnsalted butter, softened4 of your favorite hamburger bunsMayonnaise, for servingBread & Butter pickles, for serving Coleslaw: Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, and vinegar. Pour over cabbage and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Hot Chicken Sauce: Heat butter, garlic and cayenne in a small saucepan until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in hot sauce and sugar; stir to combine. Keep warm. Chicken: Working one at a time, lightly pound each thigh between two pieces of plastic to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Let sit, covered with plastic, at room temperature while preparing remaining ingredients, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for toasting buns. Spray the pan of your air fryer and preheat to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, season 1 cup flour with salt and pepper; whisk to combine. In a separate shallow dish, season remaining flour with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add buttermilk mixture and stir together to create ragged clumps. Working with two pieces at a time, dredge chicken in plain flour mixture, then buttermilk mixture. Let excess drain off, then dip in clumpy flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere and making sure chicken is completely coated. If wet spots are visible, press in more coating. Cook chicken for about 12 minutes (internal temp of chicken should be 165 degrees), flipping over half way through cook. Lightly butter buns and place in the oven to lightly toast.To serve, spread mayonnaise on each bun. Brush chicken with more hot chicken sauce, then place on roll, with pickles. Serve coleslaw on top and a huge pile of bread & butter pickles on the side.
  • Beer Battered fish Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions and Cucumber and Chipotle Crema

    Beer Battered fish Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions and Cucumber and Chipotle Crema

    295814123_10229298778193377_7262685220600345130_n Brandi in Redding texted me yesterday, looking for a fish taco recipe on Taco Tuesday. This is arguably my favorite fish taco recipe. You can also cook these in an air fryer.   Beer Battered fish Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions and Cucumber and Chipotle Crema   Vegetable oil, for frying 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 teaspoons ground cumin 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper Kosher salt, to taste A few dashes of Tapatio hot sauce 12 ounces beer or club soda 3 (8-ounce) tilapia, halibut, rock fish or cod fillets, cut into chunks 8 (6-inch) flour and/or corn tortillas, lightly charred over a gas flame or on a grill Lime wedges for squeezing Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber, recipe follows   Fill a large pot with oil halfway up the pot. Heat oil to 350 degrees, or use your deep-fryer. You can also cook these in an air fryer. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Slowly whisk in beer or soda until thick, but not runny. Add a few dashes of Tapatio to the batter. Dredge fish in remaining flour first, then dunk in the batter. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper-toweled lined plate. Serve fish in tortillas topped with Chipotle Crema and Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber   Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber: 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup water Kosher salt, to taste 1 large red onion, medium dice 1 large Vidalia onion, medium dice 1 English cucumber, medium dice 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced 1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves   In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Add onions and cucumber and continue to cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat, add chile, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool slightly then chill covered, for at least 1 hour. Toss in the tomato and cilantro, 5 minutes before serving.   Chipotle Crema: 1 cup mayonnaise 2 chipotles in adobo 1 tablespoon adobo sauce 2 garlic cloves pinch of salt squeeze of lime Plastic squeeze bottle, for dispensing the crema   For the Chipotle Crema, add the following ingredients to a blender or food processor and combine well: 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 chipotles in adobo, 2 garlic cloves, pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime. You might need to add a splash of water to get it to combine. If you want more heat, you can add more chipotles or some of the adobo sauce. Use a plastic squeeze bottle to dispense the crema. It looks really nice on the tacos.
  • Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Brother Devil) and Pasta

    Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Brother Devil) and Pasta

    shrimp fra davolo 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.
  • Tri-Tip Nachos

    Tri-Tip Nachos

    loaded-steak-sheetpan-nachos19 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.
  • Mexican Style Shrimp Po’ Boys

    Mexican Style Shrimp Po’ Boys

    po boy 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.
  • Baked Italian Sausage Ziti

    Baked Italian Sausage Ziti

    190236107_10226553701008163_2555912930773285497_n 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.