Bay Scallops with Spinach, Somen noodles, and leek sauce.

Bay Scallops with leek sauce, 

wilted spinach over somen noodles.

We love any combination of this recipe with salmon as well... These are all made very quickly, and quite tasty! The leek sauce is so worth it...  we serve the scallops over the somen noodles, add in as much spinach as each person likes, top it off with the leek sauce and stir it all together... I would have taken a photo, but it all disappeared very quickly... and was told to go write down what I did immediately!  So there... I did. ;-) with a full happy, belly!

LEEK SAUCE:

3 TBS Butter
3 Leeks, well washed, chopped into 1/2" rounds (white and light green only)
1/3 C dry white wine
1/3 heavy cream
3Tbs finely chopped fresh chives
salt pepper 
1/4 c chicken stock
Melt butter in a medium skillet, over med/high heat. Add leeks, simmer, stir occasionally, 5 minutes, add wine, simmer until leeks are tender, about 4 minutes. add cream and chives, season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and add to the blender and blend until smooth.

WILTED SPINACH:

2 TBS butter melted
1 container of spinach, washed and dry.
2 garlic cloves

Coat pan with olive oil, garlic press to garlic gloves... sautee about 1 minute, don't let garlic burn... add spinach, drizzle with olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until all coated, cover and let simmer on high for about 2 minutes, uncover, stir until all is wilted.  Remove from pan, drizzle butter over it and stir... add salt and pepper to taste.


BAY SCALLOPS:

1.25 lbs of bay scallops
2 TBS butter
drizzle of olive oil

Coat pan with oil and one TBS of butter, heat until hot, add scallops, heat for 1 minute then turn them over for one more minute...

Remove from heat to serve sprinkle with Sea salt.


SOMEN NOODLES:

2 bundles of Somen noodles

Heat  a pot of water enough for two bundles of somen noodles... Boil water, add noodles, and cook for 2 minutes... drain and rinse well. serve.

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

Spicy, sweet, and just down right YUMMY!

12 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided

3/4 c flour

2 tsp Roasted Saigon Cinnamon (McCormick)

1 tsp Ancho Chile Pepper (I used Mc Cormick's Chipotle Chile Pepper because that's what I had on hand)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar (I used light brown)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp good pure Vanilla Extract

MELT 8 oz of the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water & set aside.

COARSELY CHOP remaining 4 oz chocolate.

MIX flour, roasted cinnamon, chile pepper, baking powder & salt in a small bowl.

BEAT butter & sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until light & fluffy.

ADD eggs & vanilla & mix well.

ADD melted chocolate & beat until well blended.

GRADUALLY BEAT IN flour mixture (low speed) until well mixed.

STIR IN chopped chocolate.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoons 1 1/2" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375 degree oven about 10 minutes or just until cookies are set AND  slightly

cracked on top.

TRANSFER carefully to wire rack & cool completely. 

(Makes about 2 - 3 doz depending on size of cookie)

Garlicky Cranberry Chutney

Garlicky Cranberry Chutney

We were given this as a gift the last two thanksgivings, and we Demolished the container... Found on NPR website... SO GOOD!!!

Susan Stamberg calls this recipe "my truly favorite cranberry side dish." It's from Madhur Jaffrey's cookbook East/West Menus for Family and Friends(Harper & Row, 1987).

1-inch piece fresh ginger

3 cloves finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1-pound can cranberry sauce with berries

1/2 teaspoon salt (or less)

ground black pepper

Cut ginger into paperthin slices, stack them together and cut into really thin slivers.

Combine ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar and cayenne in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, simmer on medium flame about 15 minutes or until there are about four tablespoons of liquid left.

Add can of cranberry sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and bring to a simmer. Lumps are ok. Simmer on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.

Cool, store and refrigerate. ("It will keep for several days, if you don't finish it all after first taste!")

Tofu black bean veggie burgers... yum.

ingredients:

1/4 red onion1 bell pepper, cored6 ounces fresh mushroom of your choiceOne 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained2 teaspoons garam masala seasoning1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt6 ounces soft silken tofu (I prefer Mori-nu brand)1 cup panko bread crumbs2 teaspoons cooking oil12 burger bunsmayonnaise (or soy mayonnaise)2 cups fresh arugula6 ounces goat cheese (or soy cheese)

directions:

Roughly chop the onion and bell pepper (it makes it easier for the food processor). In a food processor, add the first 6 ingredients. Pulse until the mixture becomes finely minced.

Drain the tofu and pat dry. With a large spoon, mix the tofu and the panko bread crumbs into the patty mixture. You can taste the mixture and add additional garam masala seasoning or salt, if needed. Refrigerate the patty mixture for at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight). The mixture should be moist, but just firm enough to hold a patty shape - if it is too wet, mix in 1/4 additional bread crumbs. Shape the mixture into 6-8 patties.

When ready to cook, heat a frying pan over medium heat and swirl in the cooking oil. When hot, carefully add as many patties that can fit without touching. Fry each side until it is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Assemble the patties onto each bun with mayonnaise, arugula and cheese.

lentil chili

This is soooo good. Must have the avocado relish added in... the best!

1 cup rinsed brown lentils

1/2 tsp salt + to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric in powder form 1 medium bell pepper seeded and chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp lime juice

For avocado salsa on top,

1/2 avocado in .5 inch cubes 1/2 cup finely diced tomatoes 1/2 tsp finely chopped cilantro 1/2 tsp lime juice 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

To prepare,

Lentils, salt, turmeric and 2 cups water in pan. Cook uncovered over medium heat [presume a simmer] for 25-30 minutes. Add rest except lime and cook 10 minutes more. Add lime just before serving.

For salsa- combine ingredients all together to consistency desired and serve cold over stew.

Strawberry Julius

• Homemade Strawberry Julius
• 
  
• 2 cups strawberries
• 1/2 cup milk (nonfat or lowfat okay)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 egg white
• 1/2-2/3 teaspoon vanilla
• handful of ice cubes
• Blend all together...

Potato salad

Potato salad

• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise or boiled dressing

preparation

Cover potatoes with salted cold water; by 2 inches in a 3-quart saucepan and simmer uncovered until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Drain in a colander and cool slightly.

While potatoes are simmering, whisk together vinegar and salt in a large bowl until salt is dissolved.

When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1-inch pieces, adding to vinegar mixture as cut, and toss gently with a rubber spatula to combine. Let cool to room temperature, then add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste and stir gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.