What's for dinner....Scallops

I was just on the east coast and cooked this for my family.  We had an amazing seafood night (pics to come).  This, however, is a great go to dish for entertaining.....it looks pretty, all professional and fancy, and tastes so good, you're friends will be impressed. Promise.

To get a good sear on the scallops two things must happen....

They must be DRY.  When I get them home from the store, I place them on a plate between paper towels. This gets all the excess moisture out of them.  This, my lovelies, is a key step. Also make sure they aren't super cold. Set them out for a few minutes.
Second, the pan must be hot.  Cold scallops in a cold pan equals no good. No sear. No carmelization. Don't do it.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place in the pan that's been drizzled with olive oil. Sear for a minute or two on each side. 

 Meanwhile have you potatoes or parsnips or cauliflower boiling in water for you mash base. This time I used potatoes and a few parsnips. Mash, add butter, cream....all the good stuff. Season. Potatoes love salt and under salted mashed potatoes are blah. Keep salting, keep tasting. For really smooth potatoes like you see at restaurants, use more butter and blend with a mixer, handheld or upright.

For mushroom topping......chop mushrooms into tiny pieces. Any mushrooms work, I like to use a few different kinds for texture.....brown button, shitake and oyster but use whatever. In a hot pan with a bit o butter and olive oil add chopped garlic and shallots. Add mushrooms.

Don't stir around. Let them brown. . Now, you can skip this step if ya want less calories but it adds a bit of richness and who the hell cares..... add a bit of cream (FYI I did not use cream in these pics). Sprinkle with chopped parsley and a drizzle of truffle oil and top the scallops with the mixture.

Now listen...."Oh my god, you're such a good chef, this is amazing , best scallops ever" etc.

My Thanksgiving.....

marinating the turkey breast the night before

stuffing butter under the skin

making gravy

pretty bird

butternut squash roasted with rosemary

Pasta Class at The New School of Cooking

Making pasta dough myself has always been a hit or miss process as I am self taught through reading books.  Wanting to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, I wanted to take a class to get the dough right every time.  This class was super fun, informative and made the process pretty foolproof....and of course now I NEED the Kitchen Aid mixer pasta attachment. Hello family members and boyfriend!  Christmas is coming wink wink!

Here's what we made:

Leeks and shallots were sauteed and added to a cream sauce

ricotta, chard filling for ravioli

Fresh rolled out pasta sheets

Butternut squash filled and topped with rosemary brown butter sauce. Heaven. 

making raviloi

filled with mushrooms in a pancetta, pea cream sauce

filled with meat (pork and sirloin)

So fun to make. Even more fun to eat.

The New School of Cooking
Culver City, Ca
click here for website

Another easy dinner with stuff ya have lying around in the fridge.....Chicken Parmesean

Surely, if you read my blog, you know I hate following recipes.  I have learned to cook by tasting as I go, adding what I have or what I like and experimenting. Yes, experimentation....don't be scerrrred.

This chicken parm recipe requires no recipe AND it can be made in about 15 minutes.  (Did I mention Chicken Parm is Ryan's favorite food? Yep, it is.) Best of all, I didn't have to shop for any of the ingredients, they were in my pantry. Except the chicken...duh.


If you read my blog, you know I don't like to waste food and I try to repurpose it if I can.  I always turn my  old bread into breadcrumbs before it molds but is too hard for sandwiches.  Having breadcrumbs around is handy for so many things....if you didn't read the post,  check it . If you don't have breadcrumbs, try and keep Panko in your pantry. Panko is a fine Japanese bread crumb that gets really crispy.

I also always have tomatoes canned from the summer  (or from the store)  in my pantry to make a quick sauce.

All ya do is......
1. Pour the chopped tomatoes from the can into a skillet on med-hi heat
2. Add chopped garlic and a drizzle of olive oil
3. Add fresh or dried basil
4. Add salt and if you like spice like I do, cayenne or chili flakes
TASTE
5. Add a pinch of sugar or two if you think it needs a hint of sweet ( I love slightly sweet with a hint of heat)
Turn heat down and let simmer for about 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

TIP:
Listening to opera while cooking Italian food makes it taste MUCH more authentic as well. Promise.

   Then set up a dipping station.  Beat an egg for the egg wash, a flour station and a breadcrumb station.   Can't remember the order of what to do first?  Just remember : FEB.  Like the month.

Flour. Egg. Breadcrumb.
Pound out the chicken breasts so they are thin and cook quickly.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Flour the chicken breasts lightly. Dip in egg wash. Coat in breadcrumbs.
Place in a hot skillet with canola oil. DO NOT use olive oil. It burns too easily. Other oils, canola, peanut, vegetable etc have a higher smoke point. Olive oil is great for a quick sautee but not this.
Since the chicken is thin, it shouldn't take long to cook.  Once breading is brown and crispy, flip.

Now coat the chicken in your delicious, home made sauce  and sprinkle some mozzarella on top of that.  You can pair with spaghetti with is the usual combo or simply like I did with some arugula topped with sea salt and balsamic.