1.2.11

Felicitation!


I turn 39 this week. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to me. Once I get started it's hard to stop with that song. I'm happy to be another year older. I have a lot to be happy for. My one sadness is that my dad won't be celebrating with me this year. But I know that he is out there somewhere sending me his love. I have a loving family, lots of wonderful friends and a fairly sunny disposition. Plus I look exactly my age. Not one day over. Not one. So really there is not much to complain about. I got pretty lucky with my life so far.

My goal this 39th year is to be healthy and strong. Let me rephrase, be healthy and strong with a reasonable amount of wine and ice cream mixed in. No need to get pious in my old age.

Another reason to celebrate is that it's been a year since Annie and I started our blog. So allow me this "Yeah Blog! We rock!". And thanks to everyone who reads us. I hope you've enjoyed it so far.

One more note, my cousin Diane has this blog and her 17 year old daughter Haley (my second cousin) wrote a post about what high school is really like. Check it out, she did a great job.

I've never made the recipe below. All seafood is Jess' domain. This one is delicious and I request it at every special occasion. I'll be having it this week.

Grilled Sea Scallops with Green Onion Relish and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
from Bobby Flay's Grill It!

20 sea scallops, muscle removed
1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces bacon, diced
2 green onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely diced
1/4 apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in pan. Add bacon and cook until crisp about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a bowl and mix with green onions. With bacon fat in pan, increase heat under pan. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add vinegar and sugar, bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in mustard and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat your grill to high. Brush scallops on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place scallops on teh grill and grill until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to platter, drizzle with warm bacon vinaigrette and top each scallop with some green onion relish.










3 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Alysa.

    Love from Mary Ann & Jim

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Birthday my "little" cousin. How is it that all my cousins whom I remember as babies are now in their 30s and 40s? That would make me...definitely lie about my age.

    I know this is a little late, but thanks for the shout-out for my blog and Haley's post. I'm so proud of her...and can't believe SHE is going to college in a few months!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Squim Squiddle Dee DumFebruary 23, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    This post is actually about the dish itself.
    In a word, WOW.
    A whole new world of flavour.
    Got a half pound of double-smoked Polish Bacon from Benna's deli and followed the recipe, ingredients-wise to a tee. I only had 10 big scallops, so the ratio was a little heavy on the greasy bacon. Wait a minute, did I just say that? I'll kick my own ass later.
    Also it was too cold outside to grill, so I blasted the scallops on the stovetop in a cast iron pan, which worked great.
    Here's where I added my own flair: Sauteed zucchini and tomato with some of the fresh thyme and olive oil served the whole kit and Kaboodle on a big bed of mixed greens in a light vinaigrette.
    Amazing warm salad - all that extra "bacon relish" was very welcome.
    I'm sorry bacon, I'll never speak ill of you again.

    ReplyDelete