Scallops anyone?

I love to cook.  So much, in fact, that I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school, just for fun. 

I’ve worked in restaurants before – that is not fun.

I’m the kind of cook that has a very hard time sharing recipes, though.  I rarely use them and I never measure.  I’m more of a grab this and that, toss some in, take a taste kind of gal. 

Therefore, I can’t exactly share with you this recipe.  I can tell you what I put together, but not how much of anything. 

This post is mainly to give ingredients and inspiration – you’re on your own after that.

I started with rice.

I like to use parboiled rice, and I cooked it with some chopped garlic, fat-free chicken broth, and turmeric.

Next, like any really good recipe, I used lots of unhealthy chopped bacon.

I used bay scallops for this recipe.  They are generally not as delicious as sea scallops, but in this case their small size is an asset, and they are easier for my young children to manage anyway.

I sauteed the scallops in an olive oil-butter combo with minced garlic.  Be careful not to overcook – small scallops cook very quickly!

I then removed the scallops and worked on the sauce, adding some white wine, lemon juice, a dash of chili powder, and salt and pepper to the garlic and fat already in the skillet.  Reduce until it begins to thicken, add some chopped green onion, and remove from the heat.  At this point I swirled in a small amount more of butter to thicken.

In a bowl I topped the rice with scallops, bacon, and sauce.

This was a very easy, inexpensive, under 30 minute meal that my whole family raved about.  Granted, it’s not the most healthy fare, but sometimes good food is worth an extra mile on the treadmill.  I’ve made this about half a dozen times now and everyone always eats more than I expected, so definitely plan for extra!

Scallops a la Heather – enjoy!