pan seared scallops with sesame sauce

It has been quite a minute since I've been on here, has it not?  It's actually a little scary to think it's been nearly four months since my last post but feels like yesterday.  I remember being a young adult and having older adults warn me how fast life will go, the older I get.  They were not joking one. single. tiny. bit.  

I have been in my kitchen some this summer, but not much at all.  We have traveled pretty regularly, leaving out on our first trip the day after school got out (you can read about our mission trip here) and getting back from our fourth this past weekend.  In the middle of those was a jaunt up north to Indiana.  

When we visit family, you can bet we'll have a cooler, along with a bag or two, of groceries sent home with us.  It's just how family is, and this last trip was no different.  Within the load of groceries were a bag of bay scallops and box of Asian noodles (Shan Dong, to be exact).  So I set out on a search for an easy recipe to combine those two ingredients, imagining something a little sweet, savory and spicy would work nicely.  

We really, really enjoyed this dish and I LOVED the short prep time.  I believe it took me about 20 minutes from start to finish.  Super-big flavor in minutes flat?  Ladies and gentleman, we have ourselves a winner.

Pan Seared Scallops with Sesame Sauce

makes four servings
printable recipe

• 8 oz Asian noodles
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds scallops (I used small bay scallops)
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped

1.  Cook noodles according to package directions.

2.  While noodles cook, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch and red pepper flakes.  Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add scallops and cook until golden.  Turn with spatula and continue to cook until second side is golden.  Add soy sauce mixture to pan and bring to simmer, about two minutes, until sauce thickens and scallops are cooked through and have an opaque color.

4.  Serve scallops over noodles, toss, and top with scallions.

Recipe from Robin Miller, by way of foodnetwork.com.  

  

lunch on me - pork and rice stir-fry

I am a terrible lunch planner.  I mean terrible.  I always have these big ideas at the grocery store, buying wonderful ingredients, thinking I'll actually pre-prepare them so I can grab a great mid-day meal on my way out the door throughout the week.  

Then Monday morning hits.  

Three other lunch boxes are staring at me waiting to be filled, breakfast is necessary too, I suppose... Luke has gone to bed the night before with wet hair - major bed head - and there's at least one item that has found the absolute best hiding place ever, just moments before we're heading out the door.  It's at this point I stagger to the car with 49 things in my hands, none of which is lunch, and thank the Lord I work in a building with a cafeteria...  salad bar it is, one. more. time.  Or Mr. Marvin's grilled cheese with extra butter... love that guy!

But then there are moments when an aligning of the stars takes place, and I pull together something super-fast and super-easy, like this stir-fry, and wonder why in the world I don't do it more.

When we got home from our recent visit to Indiana, I pulled out a couple of pork loin chops Mom had gotten on sale.  Still frozen, I let them sit in just a little bit of Dale's seasoning and put them in the crock pot over night.  By the next morning, I had incredibly flavored meat to use for whatever.  Simple.  I stir-fried some veggies I had on hand, threw in a few flavor hits, a couple of cups of rice, stirred it all together, and bada bing!  Lunch is served.

I'm looking forward to a great weekend... a little cooler, but a lot of sunshine and a ton of baseball.  Grocery shopping is on the list as well.  I have some fun ideas in the works and a few cooking adventures up my sleeve.  I hope you're enjoying the blog as much as I am!  Come sit a spell, and bring your friends.  There's always room at the table!

Happy Friday to all!

Pork and Rice Stir-Fry - makes four servings
Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork or chicken, cooked and seasoned to taste, cut in pieces
• 2-3 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, julienned
• 1 cup bell pepper (orange, yellow, or red), sliced
• 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• pinch of crushed red pepper

~ In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

~ Add peas, peppers, and green onions, stirring until just beginning to soften.

~ Add soy sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar.

~ Continuing stirring and moving around veggies until only slightly crunchy.  

~ Add cooked meat and turn to coat.  

~ Add rice and red pepper to mixture in pan, stirring frequently until heated through.

Recipe from The Lazy Daisy Kitchen

  

cooking light, cooking right - thai shrimp cakes

I've never been a big diet person.  I don't like them at all, actually.  They're restrictive, they're trendy, and they're not fun.  Three things I don't think I am.  

I've always been fortunate to have a pretty healthy palate, which has definitely played in my favor, and somehow... for the most part... I've been able to balance a love of all the things one shouldn't eat too much of, with a sincere appreciation for most things one should.  

Out of all the cooking magazines I have historically, and currently do, subscribe to, Cooking Light ranks at the top of my list.  So, I thought it might be fun to have a reoccurring post to feature some of my favorite CL recipes.  I've titled it, Cooking Light, Cooking Right.  

The magazine has a great mix of quick recipes, edgy recipes, down-home recipes, and just plain good recipes with a lighter twist.  It's not a wipe-all-the-sugar-and-fat-out-of-a-recipe type magazine, but it is an everything-in-moderation kind of offering that gives a rather pleasant - but not in your face - nod towards healthy food decisions.  Best of all, it never sacrifices flavor for a few less calories!

Everywhere I look, I'm seeing Asian recipes.  It seems to have the covers and headlines of many food discussions, so I thought I'd try my hand at one I found in the latest edition of the magazine.  These cakes came together so incredibly fast, and John said - I quote - "This might have been the most flavorful thing I've eaten!"  

I couldn't have agreed more.

I followed this recipe to a "T" and didn't, nor wouldn't, change a thing.  Well, actually, you could add a bit more olive oil than called for, just so the cakes have enough for a quick seer/fry to help hold them together.  Don't be afraid to let them sizzle for a while.  You want to be able to successfully flip them.

I'm not sure what it is about these, specifically, that causes the immense flavor.  The ingredients fit together beautifully, and all I know is I already want more.  That's if I can beat John to the platter.  I was glad I had eaten one before I let him at 'em.  I'm still looking forward to a second.

A side of steamed Edamame with a nice sprinkling of Kosher salt made this meal on the patio at sunset a "10."  Thanks, Cooking Light.  With recipes like this, it's "cooking right" in my book!    

Thai Shrimp Cakes - makes 4 cakes
Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• 1/4 cup minced unsweetened dried coconut, divided
• 2 tbsp. minced green onions
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (or more, if needed)
• 1 lime, quartered

~ Combine 1/3 cup panko, 2 tbsp coconut, and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl.  
~ Add shrimp and stir just until combined.
~ Using wet hands, shape mixture into 4 equal balls.
~ Combine remaining panko and coconut in a shallow dish.
~ Coat balls in panko mixture, pressing to form 4 (4-inch) patties.
~ Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
~ Add oil; swirl to coat.
~ Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
~ Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe from Cooking Light

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