5/27/10 - Garlic Chili Scallop Noodles

I love all Asian food, but its always tricky when you order take-out. Sometimes its fast, hot and fresh and delicious.... and sometimes my favorite isn't open and I have to try some 'other' place and its eh... lets just say that was a failed test! When it was getting close to dinner the other night and I still hadn't started anything I began to visualize steamy hot bags of ginger scented goodness arriving (and no dishes to wash) but after the issue with the take out the other night (friends ordered some wings and it took forever and arrived ice cold...yuck!) I decided it might just be easier to make something up with whatever was hanging around. When I need something for dinner fast, seafood is a top contender, fast and easy to defrost and cooks up quickly.

I boiled up some water and finished defrosting some frozen scallops, while the pasta was cooking I cut up my veggies and got the pan hot and ready. I had a few different veggies on hand but feel free to toss more peppers, snow peas, baby corn, mushrooms etc in to make this dish even more delicious.

Garlic Chili Scallop Noodles
2 c whole wheat spaghetti- cooked
1 lb scallops - dried 
2 cloves garlic - smashed
2 shallots - diced
1/2 green pepper - diced
2 carrots - sliced thin on the bias
1 c broccoli florets
1" ginger - grated
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy
2 tsp garlic chili paste
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 red scallions - diced
1) cook the pasta according to directions - drain
2) In a large wok pan - heat up 1 tbsp oil and add shallots & garlic
3) Add carrots, green peppers, broccoli, ginger and 1 tbsp soy - cover to steam
4) In another small pan - heat remaining 1 tbsp oil
5) Add sesame seeds and toast
6) Once browned remove sesame seeds and place aside
7) Add butter and sear scallops
8) Once scallops are cooked, toss in 1 tbsp garlic chili paste
9) Add pasta and scallops to veggies - toss with remaining garlic chili paste, sesame oil, scallions and sesame seeds

4/4/10 - Easter Dinner....Boneless Leg of Lamb

We were with family all weekend but left early on Sunday to beat traffic, which means I made my first ever Easter dinner. With lamb on sale this week at the store I couldn't resist picking up a small boneless leg to attempt a roast. I left it to defrost in my refrigerator on Friday afternoon and came home Sunday morning hoping that everything would be ready to go (it was!). We had a friend joining us so I tried to have dinner ready by 5 pm but as always I was a off by an hour. I assumed that the stores were closed because of the holiday, so I had to throw a nice dinner together with the left overs from the week.

I was a bit perplexed when I saw that my roast was wearing this elastic girdle but quickly figured out that it was a clever way to "tie" the roast. I studded the roast with garlic and lemon before coating it in salt & rosemary which infused a lot of flavor throughout the meat. I was happy that I got the roast on the right side of med- rare/ med line and everyone was happy. I added a side of raspberry chipotle maple glazed carrots, asparagus wrapped in bacon and finally a baked potato (simple but delicious!). I also served a small salad to start - mixed greens salad topped with pear and cheese (pictured above).