Fun Things To Do With Scallops

On the Birthday....
Thank you for my birthday wishes...

Unconventional gifties this year: My dad let me tear up my car payment check for the month, which was awesome. My mom gave me some $ so I can paint my apartment (Yup, after starring at paint swatches on my walls for the past 3 months, she finally enabled me to do something about it). Finally, nothing says 26 like an impulsive buy, so I went on ahead and got myself a pair of purple leather cowboy boots on eBay. Yup, it was a party over here for 26, boy.

Missing In Action...
My camera has mysteriously disappeared. I know it's in my apartment somewhere because I DO know it made it home from the bar on Saturday... but completely MIA for the moment being. Bummer, because I wanted to show you my progress on Aline (first front is done, with some "creative waist shaping"), The finished kitty bed, and almost-completion of Arden's Easter sweater. I also made a kick-ass dinner last night that I wanted to photograph before I chowed down... but my hunger took over before the camera was located so sorry.

Speaking of the Recipe

Sea Scallops in White Wine with Tarragon / Horseradish Potatoes.


Ingredients:
6 Sea Scallops (about 1/2 pound)
1 Potato
1/2 cup + extra splash white wine
2 shallots
2 T. Butter, divided (I used Smart Balance and it turned out fine)
1/4 c. Milk
1 T. Horseradish (more or less to taste)
1 + 1/2 T. Dried Tarragon
1 T. Whipping Cream

Pour yourself a big glass of red wine. Remove cat from kitchen.

Skin the potato and chop into pieces. Boil water in a pot and add salt, then potato. Boil until mashable.

Chop shallots. Heat wine over medium heat and add shallots, simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat.

Mash potatos, add 1 T. Butter, Milk, Horseradish, and 1/2 T. Tarragon. Keep warm on stove.

Add 1/2 T. butter to a skillet. Salt and Pepper the scallops, the sear until brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to a wide, shallow bowl.

Add a splash of wine to the to pan where you cooked the scallops (DO NOT RINSE) to deglaze. Add wine/shallot mix, Whipping Cream, 1/2 T. Butter, and 1 T. Tarragon. Stir to combine, transfer scallops back to pan and simmer for 1 minute.

Add potatoes to the bowl you had the scallops in, place the scallops on top, then pour the sauce over the entire plate.

Serves 1 for dinner.

Today in History

1755 Rufus King, framer of US constitution
1887 Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, San Jose CA, actor (Keystone comedies) [He was from San Jose?]
1909 Clyde Barrow, bank robber (of Bonnie & Clyde fame) [I was Clyde for Halloween one year.... who knew?]
1911 Joseph Barbera, animator (Hanna-Barbera)
1940 Bob Mackie, Monterey Parks Calif, designer (Streisand, Cher)
1943 Jesus Alou, baseball outfielder (SF Giants)[GO GIANTS!]
1944 Patti Labelle, singer (Phoenix, Tasty, Chameleon) [Somebody Loves you Baby...]
1946 Lee Oskar, Denmark, rock harmonicist (War-Why Can't We Be Friends) [The Rock Harmonica is totally the new Jazz Flute]
1962 Star Jones, attorney/TV hostess (NBC, Inside Edition) [should I go to Payless to celebrate?]
1970 Lara Flynn Boyle, Davenport Iowa, actress (Donna Hayward-Twin Peaks)

1991 "Les Miserables," opens at Auditorium Theatre, Chicago
1987 1st Soul Train Music Awards: Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross
1981 "Nightline with Ted Koppel" premieres on ABC
1980 Capitol Records releases some rare Beatles tracks [I knew today was a GREAT day!]
1967 University of Michigan holds 1st "Teach-in" after bombing of North Vietnam
1962 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards perform as Little Boy Blue and Blue Boys
1958 Elvis Presley joins the army (serial number 53310761)
1955 Tennessee Williams, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" opens for 694 performances
1930 Planet Pluto named
1924 Greece becomes a republic
1898 1st automobile sold
1883 1st telephone call between NY & Chicago
1837 Canada gives blacks the right to vote
1603 Scottish king James VI becomes King James I of England

March 24th, 1980: Delia was born in Fresno, today making her 26 years old. Her mother had this to say:

"26 - my oh my - how the time flies by. You were actually born just a few minutes ago 26 years earlier - You were so anxious to get out in the world - I barely made it to the hospital! - and you've been going strong ever since!!. Thank you for all the joys you have given me - I'll try to forget about all the headaches and grey hairs!"

Thanks, mom ;).

Happy as Pi

Happy Cat
Here is my "oh my god did I really knit that in 3 days?" project, the infamous Pi for Viva.

I was skeptical that she would actually sleep in this, because 1) I have purchased her a bed before which she has not touched to this day and 2)Apparently my armpit and/or head is much more comfortable. So imagine my surprise when I turned around and saw her snuggle up into the pre-felted version as soon as I cast off. WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH VIVA!?!?

2 hanks of the recycled Manos, size 11 needles. This was one of the projects that went to San Jose with me a couple weeks ago, along with TSTWND.

Convo. between me and an old co-worked from SJ State:
"Hey Delia, what are you making this time?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you"
"Try me?"
"A cat bed"
(...)
"Yeah, that's a little wierd"

Overhead at my place: I'll leave my toys wherever I damn well please. And that left over ball of Manos? Mine. Oh get that look off your face, it makes you look old, like 26 or something....

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Edited to Add:
On the subjects of cats, I HAD to lift this photo from my girl Kaci and publish it here. This is her cat Lola, who is Viva's BFF. No words, just look.

Viva would effing kill me if I tried to put a knit dog sweater on her.