More is Better

Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomatoes and Pesto 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind I zested 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic ARRRGH never bottled --use 2 FRESH cloves 2 cups grape tomatoes ( I used heirloom mix from Trader Joes) 3 tablespoons commercial pesto (Used my homemade that I freeze in ice cube trays) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil Heat a large cast-iron skillet (yes I used Stainless Steel) over high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. For a golden-brown crust on the scallops, don't disturb them while they cook except to turn them over. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Note : that the pan is really carmelized/glazed add the liquids...

It is a great product on its own but makes a fabulous Risotto as well --first time we made it made a mushroom risotto as I had a ton of mushrooms. Last night made it with Asparagus and grated onion in it --yummy! (Grilled Tuna Sliced on the side)

This is what happens when I wander through Costco and find a multi-pack of eggplant! I had originally intended to grill them up, but time got away from me and I realized the eggplant was about to go bad and I needed to use up the eggplant fast. And so, after a simple Google search, I found myself at eggplantrecipes.net with this recipe for Eggplant Parmigiana Soup: Ingredients (I halved this recipe and it still made about 8 servings!) 1 cup Olive Oil 6 Onions, chopped 6 cloves of Garlic, minced 6 Eggplants, peeled and cubed into 1" pieces 12 cups Fresh Chicken Broth or Stock 6 cups Tomato Juice (Here, I just used a mixture of tomato juice and some leftover marinara sauce) 1 1/2 cups Parsley, minced 1 1/2 tablespoons Thyme 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt 1 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper Garnish : Mozzarella cheese (I also added fresh parsley. Last time I used fresh basil but I didn't have any on hand today.) Preparation : The right tool makes all th...

With almost 40 years of cooking experience, I've decided to share my (new!) kitchen with you as I use recipes as a template, foraging through my kitchen to see what I have and what I could possibly substitute. I grew up with a cooking mom who never decided until 5:30 at night what she felt like and then would bring recipes to life from the frozen status. In fact, when I was first married in California, I had to call her to find out how to cook a roast from a defrosted state because I only knew how to cook food from the frozen state. Also, as a newlywed I discovered that there are two ends to a turkey and the smaller one is where they store that little wax bag of guts. Unfortunately, I didn't make this discovery until halfway through the cooking time of the turkey... I cooked as a child and teenager and one memorable dinner that I prepared with my family included instant mashed potatoes where I learned the difference between the "small t" and the "big T" when...