Roasted Pear Salad

I found this Roasted Pear Salad in Publix Grape Magazine. It's very similar to this salad that I've been making for years.


ROASTED PEAR SALAD

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

Mix in a small jar and shake it up to mix. This dressing covers 2 side dish salads generously. (Publix says it covers 4 salads, I don't think so.........)

Salad:

Lettuce
Roasted pear slices (directions below)
Crumbled blue cheese
Pecans, chopped

Place lettuce on plates or in bowls. Top with pears, blue cheese, pecans and dressing.

Roasted Pears: Line a baking pan with foil. Place peeled and sliced pears on pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix it up and spread out on pan. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.


We had this salad with Seared Scallops and Seasoned Cheese Grits.

Pan Seared Scallops with Seasoned Cheese Grits

You can make this meal in under 15 minutes, maybe less... And it's so good.

The scallop recipe is so easy, I don't list any amounts for you. Use as many scallops as you want for how ever many people you are serving. The grits recipe serves 2 to 4 depending on serving size.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

olive oil (enough to barely cover bottom of pan)
sea scallops
Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Dredge the scallops in breadcrumbs. Add scallops to the pan, cook 2 to 3 minutes. Turn scallops and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until done.

Note: I buy frozen sea scallops from Publix. They come in a 24 ounce bag (6 to 8 servings). I just take out and thaw the amount that I need.

SEASONED CHEESE GRITS

2/3 cup quick-cooking grits

2 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese

2 tablespoons cooked bacon pieces

1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add grits and bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients; cover and let stand 1 minute.

Note: For cooked bacon pieces, I use the ones that come in a little pouch, like Hormel brand. (I use a store brand) Heat them up first in a small skillet to get them crispy.

Soy Orange Scallop Saute

SOY ORANGE SCALLOP SAUTE

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound sea scallops
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Sauté first 4 ingredients in 2 tablespoons hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until tender. Remove from pan, and keep warm.

Sauté scallops in remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat 6 minutes, turning at least once, or until done. Remove scallops from pan, and keep warm.

Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, orange zest, and next 3 ingredients to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook over high heat about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in butter and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce until well blended. Serve immediately over vegetable mixture and scallops.

Yield: 4 servings

You can use bay scallops in this, too. Reduce the cooking time to about 4 minutes instead of 6. I didn't add the white wine this time since I wasn't opening a bottle to drink.

Scallops....Yum

I have been trying lots of new recipes since I'm doing the Weight Watchers thing. This is part of what I made on Friday night. It was sooooo good. And so easy!

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Dredge the scallops in breadcrumbs. Add scallops to the pan, cook 4 minutes. Turn scallops and cook 3 minutes or until done.

Another new favorite that is even easier than the scallops:

OLD BAY STEAMED SHRIMP

1/2 cup cider vinegar or beer
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails on
cocktail sauce

In a medium saucepan, mix vinegar, water and Old Bay seasoning. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Gently stir in shrimp, get them all coated with seasoning, then cover. Steam for 2 or 3 minutes, just until shrimp turn pink. Drain well. Serve immediately or refrigerate if you want to serve cold. Serve with cocktail sauce.