Friday Dinner

Today is Thursday, which means tomorrow is Friday. (Forgive me for sounding like Rebecca Black just then.) Friday is the day that I weigh in, which means I go hungry all.day.long. Then, post weigh-in, I eat my apple with crunchy peanut butter and drink thirty-two ounces of water in one fell swoop. So basically, Fridays suck balls. But Friday night is when I make dinner. I start planning the meal on Monday and have practiced cooking it in my mind to perfection by the time I buy the groceries after I leave work on Friday. I started doing this a few months ago in an effort to cook more and reward myself for a week of healthy eating. I also read "My Life in France" and it inspired me to be brave and realize that my food doesn't have to be perfect and that every dish won't be a winner or to everyone's liking -- including mine.

This week I'm making Scallops with Basil Cream Sauce and Pasta.

I've been dreaming all week, nay, obsessing, about this lovely.

I can't wait to spin my fork around and dive in.

Here's how you make it ...

1] a tablespoon of garlic -- fresh if you're super cook, already minced and from the jar if you're me

2] 1/2 cup of white wine -- I'm using the leftover moscato

3] a chunk of butter -- like maybe 3 or 6 tablespoons 

4] combine these over medium-high until the wine cooks down and gets a bit thick

5] add scallops and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on how big your scallops are

6] remove pretty scallops

7] add 2 cups of heavy cream -- yum -- and simmer vigorously until nice and saucy

8] once sufficiently thick and creamy, add pasta and basil

Oh yeah, did I not tell you? You need to be cooking your pasta (I'm using linguine) while you're making the sauce.

9] add the scallops back in at the last minute because you don't want them to become overdone

Tra la la. Enjoy.

Here are some suggestions to pump up the recipe if you so wish it:

• add some sauteed veg like spinach or peppers
• sprinkle with red pepper flakes a la Giada
• red onion would be delightful (if you like that sort of thing)
• any fresh herb in addition to or in place of basil
• eat with crusty bread
• slice in some fresh tomato
• swap out scallops for shrimp or crab

Remember, Julia Child advises us to never apologize for our cooking, so be fearless.