“The difficult is what takes a little time; the impossible is what takes a little longer.”
– Fidtjof Nansen, Norwegian polymath
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
We celebrated our daughter’s birthday this week. I have to laugh at the little lemon bar standing in for her cake… but it was what she wanted. She is 100% Norwegian, so it seems only fitting to have the quote of the week from a Norwegian. I admit I didn’t know of him before, but Fridtjof Nansen was the very first Arctic explorer, scientist, Nobel Prize winner and celebrity who engineered the peaceful secession of Norway from Sweden! We were treated to a great performance by our granddaughter (she is the carrot top) and her fellow musicians in the Eclectic Ensemble at Roseville High School. She is a freshman, and is getting serious about playing the viola.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I have been planning to make scallops for a long time… finally made this recipe by Casey Elsass from delish.com this week. My body loves it.
TUSCAN BUTTER SCALLOPS
- 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, thawed if frozen, side muscle removed
- Kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 7-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained, cut into strips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Arrange scallops in an even layer in skillet. Cook until gold brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until opaque all the way through, about 2 minutes more. transfer to a plate.
In same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cook onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add basil and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Add cherry tomatoes and cook until starting to burst. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cream and Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove skillet from heat and add spinach. Stir until spinach is starting to wilt. Add scallops and any accumulated juices and stir to combine. Top with parsley.
