George's Bank Scallops Sauteed with Garlic and White Wine

Looking for a super-fast yet elegant and delicious dinner? These scallops are delicate and satifsying. I normally do not use frozen seafood, except shrimp, but have found a few products at Trader Joe's that actually have the taste and texture of fresh. Their frozen New England sea scallops were touted as George's Bank scallops in their flyer and I believe they are. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator for best results and cook them with a little olive oil, garlic and white wine. I served them with Trader Joe's fresh green beans with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. We used some of their 7 grain bread to mop up the luscious white wine sauce. Serve with the same wine. I recommend a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc and many can be had for under $10, especially those from New Zealand. I used a Domaine du Salvard 2005 Cheverny from the Loire Valley in France, about $12 and well worth it.

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen Trader Joe's New England Scallops, defrosted
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 cup good white wine, such a Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon or no/low oaked Chardonnay
• extra virgin olive oil
• Trader Joe's sea salt
• pepper
  

Preparation:

1. Defrost scallops overnight in the refrigerator. I always place inside a ziploc bag just in case.
2. Remove defrosted scallops from bag and blot dry on paper towel lined cutting board. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper on one side only.
3. Preheat a 12 inch skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Chop garlic and set aside.
4. Add about 2 tsp. olive oil to skillet and tip to distribute oil evenly along bottom. Using tongs, place scallops one by one into pan, seasoned side down, without crowding them. If you crowd them, they will steam instead of saute and not get a golden color and crunchy texture. When they are golden on one side, after about 2-3 minutes, flip them over and add the garlic. Cook until golden on the second side, another 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook!
5. Remove cooked scallops from skillet and place in a serving bowl; cover to keep warm. Immediately add wine to skillet, turn heat to high, and stir to deglaze pan (incorporate browned bits).
6. Reduce wine to almost 1/3, then pour over scallops and serve. Bon appetit!
   

Sweet Potato Frites

The latest Trader Joe's flyer had a few new interesting products in it that I decided to try out. The first one is sweet potato fries found in the freezer case. They are not the same ones they had before. I remember they were quite tasty but cooked up a bit mushy. Not the case here. These are real frites. They must have been blanched in hot oil to give them their beautiful crunchy texture, but the fat content on the label doesn't support that. Low fat, low GI (glycemic index) fries! They even passed the kid test with my extremely picky boys so I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that they are not only kid friendly but also kid safe! If you like spicy fries, sprinkle these with a little cayenne or black pepper and add a touch more sea or kosher salt because they're a bit bland for adults. They made a tasty and crunchy addition to sauteed organic spinach and sauteed chicken breasts seasoned with Penzey's fajita blend. My older son asked me to serve these from now on. Hmmm. I had been making mine from scratch, minus the blanching in hot oil.

Feeding the Whole Family

Feeding the Whole Family is a cookbook by Cynthia Lair that provides simple vegetarian recipes for families who want to eat a meal prepared with fresh, whole foods. I just love her Red Bean & Quinoa Chili recipe. What's quinoa you ask? I've been eating this ancient Incan grain, pronounced Keen-Wah, for many years because it's easy to cook, has a light texture and nutty taste, is an easy substitute for rice, and has the unique benefits of being a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids. And it's high in iron and low carb to boot. It's a SuperGrain so eat up! Cook it in the rice cooker or on the stove top just like rice.

Cynthia Lair's Red Bean and Quinoa Chili (adapted)

The cinnamon in this dish gives it a natural sweetness that I love. Buy her cookbook and you won't be sorry.
Preparation time: 1 1/2 hours, 30 minutes if beans are pre-cooked.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
• 1 large green, red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water and drained
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn (I like Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn)
• 1-2 cups organic tomato sauce
• 1 cup water

Optional garnish
A few tablespoons of grated cheese

Preparation:

1. Drain soaking water off beans. Place beans in a large pot with cumin and water; bring to boil. Simmer over low heat, covered, until tender (50-60 minutes) or pressure-cook using 2 cups water (45 minutes). If you want to buy canned beans, use 3 cups' worth and rinse before using.
2. Heat oil in skilled on medium heat. Add onion, salt, garlic, pepper, and spices; saute for 5-10 minutes. Add rinsed quinoa and stir in. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water to onion/quinoa mixture. Simmer together 20 minutes. Add cooked beant to other ingredients; simmer another 10 minutes. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of grated cheese if desired.