Pesto Pasta w/ Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pesto Pasta w/ Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 Jar of Store-bought pesto

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 small jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil (diced)

2 large chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 pound pasta (I used cavatappi)

Salt & Pepper

Onion & Garlic powder

Parmesan cheese

EVOO

Directions

Boil pasta. Season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper. Heat a large skillet with some evoo in it. Add chicken and cook until browned. In a small pan add 1/2 cup heavy cream. Once heated, add jar of pesto and combine. Once pasta is cooked & drained add the pasta back to the large pasta pot. Add heavy cream & pesto mixture and toss to combine. Add sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and a handful of Parmesan cheese. Serve.

Giant Rainbow Cookies

Giant Rainbow Cookies

adapted from: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/07/giant-rainbow-cookies/

Ingredients

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of salted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup mini m&m’s

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold in the m&m’s and chocolate chips.

Divide the dough how you choose (1/4 cup portions for 18 large cookies or 2 tablespoon portions for 36 smaller cookies). Shape each portion into a ball with your hands then pull each ball into two equal pieces. Turn each half so that the rough side of the half (what used to be the inside of the ball) faces upwards and then squish both halves together. Place the dough rough-side up on a baking sheets. If you’re doing large cookies, I’d leave about 2 inches in between each.

Bake for 12-15 minutes (large cookies) or 8-12 minutes (small cookies) or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Do not over bake. Let cool completely then dig in!

Chicken Chorizo "Stoup"

Chicken Chorizo "Stoup"

adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-chorizo-and-tortilla-stoup-stew-like-soup-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1 pound chicken tenders

Salt and pepper

3/4 pound raw chorizo sausage

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

6 small red potatoes, diced

2 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans

2 teaspoons hot sauce (I used Cholula Hot Sauce)

1 quart chicken stock

1 sack tortilla chips

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

Garnishes: chopped scallions & cilantro

Directions

Preheat medium soup pot over medium-high heat.

Chop tenders into bite-size pieces. Wash up, then season chicken with salt and pepper. Take chorizo out of casings. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken to pot. Lightly brown chicken 2 minutes, then add the chorizo and garlic. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes, then add peppers, onions and potatoes. Cook 5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, and hot sauce. Add chicken stock and bring soup to a bubble.

Preheat broiler.

Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender 15- 20 minutes. Ladle soup into shallow bowls and top each bowl with a generous handful of crushed tortillas and cheese. Melt cheese under hot broiler. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.

BBQ Chicken Braids

BBQ Chicken Braid

adapted from: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/04/barbecue-chicken-pizza-braid.html

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

BBQ Sauce

Cooked, Diced Chicken Breast

Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

Red Onion, sliced thin

Cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Place a silpat mat (or large baking tray) on the counter and coat with cooking spray and sprinkle the top with a bit of flour. Roll (or spread) the dough out on top of the silpat mat into a rectangle. Drizzle a bit of sauce on top of the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Spoon some of the barbecue sauce down the center of the pizza dough, add slices of chopped mozzarella to the sauce followed by the chicken, cilantro, and red onion. Note: Don't use too much sauce or your pizza braid will be a bit soggy.

Cut even slits on both sides of the filling with a pizza cutter. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Once you have completed the braid carefully place the silpat mat onto a baking sheet. 

Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Steak with Avocado Sauce & Wedge Salad

Steak with Avocado Sauce

adapted from: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/grilled-steak-with-avocado-sauce.html

Ingredients

2 New York Strip Steaks

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Oregano

Salt & Pepper

1 Avocado

1/3 cup cilantro

1 lime, juiced

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons evoo

1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

Sprinkle steaks with a little oil and all seasonings. Heat grill pan. Grill 5-6 minutes per side. Serve with avocado sauce on top.

For the avocado sauce. Put avocado, cilantro, juice from 1 lime, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of evoo, and red wine vinegar into a food processor and combine. Serve on steak.

Wedge Salad

adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wedge-salad-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup blue cheese crumbles

1 shallot, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Parsley, finely minced

Salt & Pepper

Bacon crumbles

Tomatoes, cut into wedges

Directions

Combine mayo, buttermilk, blue cheese crumbles, shallot, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Serve on top of iceberg wedges with bacon crumbles, blue cheese crumbles, and tomatoes. Serve cold.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

adapted from: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/05/baked-buffalo-chicken-pasta/

Ingredients

1 pound pasta (I used shells)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4 ounces grated monterey jack cheese (I used half a brick) + more for topping

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

for garnish: 3/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheesePreheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Directions

Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Spray a baking dish (9 x 13 is fine, I used a round 4-inch deep dish) with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix throughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro.

Caramelized Chicken w/ Mushroom Sauce & Grilled Herb Bread

Caramelized Chicken w/ Mushroom Sauce

adapted from: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/03/caramelized-chicken-with-mushroom-sauce-and-grilled-herb-bread/

Ingredients

4 thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 onion, chopped

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup white wine

salt and pepper

Directions

Season the chicken breasts (make sure they are very thin or slice them thin!) liberally with salt and pepper. Add the flour in a bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour – you want a very thin and light coating on the chicken. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. While the chicken is browning, chop the onion and get out your mushrooms.

Once chicken is done cooking (after about 7-8 minutes total), set it aside on a plate. Turn heat down to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter and onion. Saute for 1 minute. Add the remaining butter (2 tablespoons) and mushrooms. Stir and saute for 6-8 minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Add in wine to deglaze the pan and stir well to remove brown bits from bottom of the pan. Add chicken back in with the mushrooms.

Grilled Herb Bread

Ingredients

1 loaf bread (I used sourdough)

Herbs (I used basil, parsley, and thyme)

1/2 stick butter, softened

2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Preheat broiler. Slice bread. Combine the butter with herbs & garlic. Spread onto bread. Broil until butter is melted and bread is toasted. Serve alongside chicken.

Greek Chicken Burgers w/ Tzatziki Sauce

Greek Chicken Burgers w/ Tzatziki Sauce

adapted from:http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/04/04/greek-style-chicken-burgers-with-tzatziki-sauce/

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken breast

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil

2 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

pinch of black pepper & salt

Tzatziki Sauce (recipe follows)

Romaine lettuce

1 tomato, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

4 hamburger buns

Directions

In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, lemon juice, oregano, basil, olives, green onions, garlic, feta cheese and black pepper & salt. Thoroughly mix. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Grill over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. To toast the hamburger buns, place buns face down on the top rack of the grill and toast. To assemble the chicken burgers, spread tzatziki sauce on top and bottom bun and layer with lettuce, chicken burger, tomato, and red onions.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled & seeded, diced very fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon oregano

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.



Strip Steak with Balsamic-Onions, Shrimp Scampi, & Roast Potatoes

Strip Steak w/ Balsamic Onions

Ingredients

2 New York Strip Steaks

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 large onions

1 tablespoon evoo

Directions

In a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of evoo on medium-low heat. Add onions. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. After 10 minutes of cooking add balsamic vinegar. Cook another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and slowly cook onions until steak is finished.

Season steak with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat grill pan. Grill steak 4-5 minutes per side for medium/medium-well. Serve with balsamic-onions on top.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

1/2 pound shrimp

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon butter

Salt & pepper

Parsley for garnish

Directions

Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a saute pan. Once melted add garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of white wine. Reduce wine. Add shrimp. Cook until shrimp is pink. Garnish with parsley.

Roasted Potatoes w/ Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 small bag of baby Yukon gold potatoes

Salt & Pepper

Onion & Garlic Powder

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons evoo

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt & Pepper

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Place potatoes in a baking dish. Sprinkle with evoo, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper, and minced garlic. Mix with fingers to coat all sides. Bake 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender.

In a large bowl mix together sour cream, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Place in refrigerator until potatoes are finished. Serve along side potatoes.

Jalapeno-Lime Roast Chicken

Jalapeno-Lime Roast Chicken
adapted from: http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/archives/4016
Ingredients

1/2 stick butter at room temperature

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced finely

3 tablespoons red onion, diced finely

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Salt & pepper

2- large chicken breast, bone & skin on

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together butter, jalapeno, red onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt & pepper. Place half of the mixture underneath the skin of the chicken and the other half on top of the chicken. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes. Rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes

1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and diced finely

2 tablespoons red onion, diced finely

2 tablespoons cilantro

Juice of 1 lemon
Directions
Mix ingredients all together in bowl. Serve on top of chicken.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Cake

adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/one-bowl-chocolate-cake-iii/Detail.aspx

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 - 3/12 cups confectioners sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, melted

Directions:

Melt butter. Add cocoa powder to butter and stir together. Alternate between confectioners sugar and milk mixing in between until all is incorporated.

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Chicken Souvlaki

adapted from:http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-souvlaki-with-tzatziki-sauce-10000000698653/

Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into (1/2-inch-thick) slices

 Cooking spray

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 garlic clove, minced

 

Directions

To prepare souvlaki, combine the first 5 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini, alternately onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers.

Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add skewers; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once.

To prepare tzatziki sauce, combine cucumber, yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 garlic clove, stirring well. Serve the tzatziki sauce with souvlaki.

**I served this with a greek salad and grilled flat bread**

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

adapted from: http://annies-eats.net/2010/09/17/red-velvet-cupcakes/

Ingredients

For the cake:

2½ cups cake flour

1½ cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1½ cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:

8oz. cream cheese

5tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.)

Bruschetta Chicken w/ Bruschetta Linguini

Bruschetta Chicken

adapted from: http://thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/2009/04/grilled-bruschetta-chicken.html

Ingredients

2 large chicken breast

1 cup Sun-dried tomato dressing

2 plum tomatoes, diced

Fresh Basil

1/2 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to broil.

Marinade the chicken breast in sun-dried tomato dressing for a couple of hours. When done marinading, grill chicken breasts. Put chicken on a cookie sheet. Place tomatoes on top of chicken, followed by basil, and topped with mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in oven and broil until cheese is melted.

Bruschetta Linguini

Ingredients

1 pound linguini

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup EVOO

Salt & Pepper

Italian Seasoning

Fresh Basil

Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguini according to package directions.

In a large skillet place evoo. Once heated add garlic and onions. Cook until translucent. Add drained diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a dash of italian seasoning. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Add white wine and cook for 10 minutes. Once linguini is done, add it to the sauce and cook until pasta is coated with sauce. Add fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread

Ingredients

1 loaf of ciabatta bread

1/2 stick of butter, softened

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt & Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to broil.

Cut ciabatta loaf in half. Place on cookie sheet. Place in oven till the bread starts to toast. Remove from oven and set aside.

Put softened butter into a bowl, mash with garlic cloves, salt & pepper. Spread onto bread. Sprinkle with parmesan and shredded mozzarella and place back in oven until cheese is melted.



Feta and Gruyere Macaroni & Cheese

Feta and Gruyere Macaroni & Cheese

adapted from: http://annies-eats.com/2010/04/05/shrimp-feta-and-fresh-herb-mac-and-cheese/

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta shapes

10 oz. feta cheese, crumbled and divided

½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, divided

5 tbsp. butter, divided

4 tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well; set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F. In a small bowl, combine a handful of the feta, 2 teaspoons of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the butter, melted. Toss with a fork to combine; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to form a paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until light golden brown. Whisk in the milk. Continue to heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes. As soon as the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining feta, Gruyere, remaining parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pasta; toss well to coat.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 2½ or 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumb-feta mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Greek Chicken Thighs

Greek Chicken Thighs
adapted from: http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com/category/greek/

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil, divided

1-2 shallots, sliced into thin rings

1 clove of garlic, minced

6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

Dried oregano, to taste

Handful of grape tomatoes

Small handful of kalamata olives, sliced in half

1/2-1 lemon juiced

1/4 cup white wine

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)

2 tbsp feta cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1/2 tsp of olive oil in an OVEN SAFE skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently until soft and tender (about 2 minutes), add garlic and cook for an additional 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and turn the heat up to medium high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano to taste on each side. Once the pan is very hot, add the seasoned chicken breast to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown on one side, flip the chicken and add the grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, shallot and garlic mixture, lemon juice, white wine, and half the parsley then season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and the feta cheese. Serve with couscous.

Scallops Provencal & Garlic Rice Pilaf

Scallops Provencal

Ingredients1 lb. fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black peper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
½ cup minced shallots (about 2 large)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2-3 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, halved

DirectionsIf using bay scallops, leave them whole.  If using sea scallops, cut them in half horizontally (or, leave them whole and cook a bit longer).  Season the scallops with kosher salt and black pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling.  Add the scallops to the pan in a single layer.  Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on one side without moving.  Then turn and brown lightly on the other side.  This should take about 3-4 minutes total (closer to 8 minutes for sea scallops left whole).

Add the rest of the butter to the pan with the scallops and let it melt.  Add the shallots, garlic, and parsley to the pan and sauté for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops.  Add the wine to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as necessary.  Serve hot, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the scallops.

adapted from: http://annies-eats.net/2010/01/25/scallops-provencal/

Garlic Rice Pilaf

Ingredients2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 375° F.  Have ready a covered casserole dish.  In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 45 minutes.  About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

adapted from: http://annies-eats.com/2009/09/23/garlic-rice-pilaf/