Citrus Soy Scallops

Serves 4

Too many people overcook scallops and it's time to stop. If you overcook yours, I'll have to come over and knock you in the head. You simply need lots of heat and little time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 lb large sea scallops
• peanut oil

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except scallops in a glass or ceramic shallow bowl.
2. Mix well and add scallops.
3. Marinate 5 minutes each side at room temperature. If you marinate scallops too long, they'll get mushy.
4. Transfer scallops to a plate and reserve marinade.
5. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large saute pan over high heat until hot and almost smoking.
6. Add scallops (cook in batches if necessary to keep from being too crowded) and saute quickly until seared brown and just cooked through - about 2 minutes a side.
7. Remove from pan.
8. Add marinade to pan and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
9. Drizzle scallops with sauce.

Artichokes

It's easy to forget about these prickly, goofy-looking things in the supermarket. But they're so good you shouldn't - they make a great appetizer. Sometimes we have them right with the rest of our dinner. Don't forget about the artichoke hearts after...

Ingredients

• 3 artichokes (my family almost eats 1 each)
• 1 1/2 lemons
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 stick of butter

Directions

1. Cut the stem off the bottom so they sit flat, and about 1 inch off the top of each artichoke
2. Cut the point off each leaf, to keep you or your guests from getting poked
3. Place artichokes in large steamer with about about 3 inches of water below, or put them in a large pan with water about halfway up each choke
4. Cut one lemon in half, and squeeze both 1/2's over artichokes
5. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer covered for about 45 minutes, or until you can pull off a leaf quite easily
6. Remove from water, cool & serve with all three dipping sauces - yes all three
7. Dip 1 -Melt butter in small pot - so simple, so right
8. Dip 2 -Mix half the mayo with curry powder and mix well
9. Dip 3 -Mix other half of mayo with basil, garlic and juice from half of a lemon

Chef Colin's Leeks & Pears

Serves 2

Colin Colville is the Executive Chef at Fred and Mary's in Big Bear. A Scottish Chef creating California cuisine - go figure. But it's unbelievable, and if you're ever in town you must stop in. In fact, it's enough of a reason by itself to go to Big Bear.

Ingredients

• 2 leeks
• 2 firm pears
• 2 - 1/4 inch thick slices Roquefort cheese
• Creamy garlic or Caesar dressing
• Butter
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Pea Shoots and chives

Directions

1. Remove leafy end of leek as well as root end leaving enough intact so it doesn't fall apart
2. Place leeks in heavily salted boiling water 20 to 30 minutes
3. Slice three, 1/4 inch thick slices off each pear
4. Remove leeks from water and slice lengthwise
5. Place 3 tablespoons butter in each of 2 pans and saute leeks (cut side down) and pears for approximately 4 minutes, or until leeks are nicely browned
6. Spoon 2 tablespoons dressing in the middle of each plate
7. Overlap leeks in an X on top of dressing on plate
8. Cover with pears and top with cheese
9. Place some pea shoots and chives on top
10. Colin would now drizzle with a balsamic reductions - but we can just use balsamic
11. He'd also use a chive oil, but come-on now - we're just regular people. Plus, if you get this far, you won't notice anyway.

Garlic Cheese Fries

Serves six... I think

Inspired by viewer Ken - no one who eats these doesn't like them.

Ingredients

• 1-28 ounce bag shoestring french fries
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. Cook fries according to package directions
2. Combine butter, and garlic in a small pan and simmer over low heat
3. Place cooked fries in large bowl and drizzle with butter mixture
4. Toss well, adding parsley & cheese making sure all fries get mixed well
5. Sprinkle with salt and serve

BLT Dip

Makes 2 cups

All your favorites - in a dip. And the best part is that it's served in 'L' like a bowl. Save some bacon for the top.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire
• 10 slices bacon, cooked, crispy & crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, cored - seeded & diced
• 1 head lettuce

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except tomato & lettuce - this can be made in advance and put in the refrigerator - save a little bacon for the top
2. When you're ready to serve it, cut 1/3 off the top of the head of lettuce, and scoop out insides - you're making a bowl
3. Add dip to lettuce bowl and top with diced tomato and bacon

Sesame Noodles

This is so good either alone or as an accompaniment. In fact, it's a perfect match for the Asian Scallops - see recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter - creamy is best
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound lo mein or linguine
• 1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed & strings discarded
• Chopped peanuts for garnish

Directions

1. Combine soy, vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, ginger, and chicken broth in a small saucepan
2. Simmer and stir until it is thick and smooth and let cool.
3. Cook snow peas in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about a 2 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.
5. Cook noodles in boiling salted water - do not overcook.
6. Drain and then rinse noodles under cold water.
7. Drain again well and transfer to a bowl.
8. Add the snow peas to the noodles and toss both in the sauce.
9. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

(Spicy) BBQ Chicken Pizza

Makes one 12 inch pizza

Make this with a deli roasted chicken. I mean you can cook your own, but why would you? The spicy chili sauce is optional - but shouldn't be.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 8oz) cooked shredded chicken
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, approximately
• 1 pre baked pizza crust
• 1 cup - shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, optional
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix cooked chicken with the BBQ and chili sauces
3. Spread chicken over crust and top with red onion and then the mozzarella
4. Bake 10-12 minutes until top starts to brown and get bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Pesto Garlic Bread

Makes 1 baguette

Does this really need an introduction?

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup pesto, store bought
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 long sour dough baguette

Directions

1. Heat broiler
2. Mix butter with pesto
3. Slice baguette lengthwise and spread with pesto butter then sprinkle with parmesan
4. Place under broiler until brown and bubbly but watch to keep from burning
5. Remove from oven, slice and serve - or remove from oven and run like hell to another room and eat it all by yourself

"Whatever" Spring Rolls

Makes 10

Once you know how easy it is to use the supermarket readily available spring roll wrappers, you can make them with whatever you want - chicken, crab, lobster or just more vegetables. You're totally in the driver's seat.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whatever - cooked chicken that's been shredded, crab meat, chili - it's up to you (ok, maybe not chili)
• 4 ounces bag-ready mixed coleslaw, the tri-colored kind without the dressing
• 4 tablespoons 'your favorite' spicy Asian stir fry sauce
• 10 large spring roll wrappers
• White and Black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Heat wok until almost smoking, then add 1 tablespoon oil
2. Add coleslaw & 'whatever' and stir fry until coleslaw is slightly wilted - about 1 minute
3. Stir in sauce and remove from heat - let cool slightly
4. Place one wrapper on the counter, with a corner pointing at you
5. Put approximately 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper
6. Fold the nearest corner of the wrapper up covering the filling
7. Fold in the two sides and finish by rolling away from you and moisten the very end with a dab of water to help stick
8. Brush tops very lightly with oil, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake at 375 until lightly brown
9. Cut on diagonal and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Pizza

Makes 1-10" Pizza

You can use a pre-made pizza crust for this - but 'ready to use' dough is a better way. Lots of places now sell the dough all ready in a bag - all you do is take it out and shape it - and it's killer.

Ingredients

• 1/2 ball pizza dough, or 1 pre-made pizza crust
• 8 slices ready bacon, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup lettuce, shredded
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium and shape dough into circle
2. Brush lightly with olive oil
3. Place oiled side down on grill, and cook until lightly browned
4. Lightly oil top and flip over
5. Add 1/2 the cheese, tomatoes, bacon and then remaining cheese to top and close lid
6. Allow bottom to brown lighlty and for cheese to melt a little
7. Top with lettuce, cut & serve

Smokey Asparagus Sticks

Makes 24

If you're looking for something great to stir up the 'blue hairs' at a snotty society event - this could be it. Finger food at it's finest...

Ingredients

• 24 Asparagus
• 12 large slice Black Forest Ham, cut in half
• Fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Directions

1. Cut off the top 4 inches of each stalk to use (keep the rest for something else, just don't ask me for what
2. Wrap each stalk tightly with a piece of ham and line up side by side in two rows of twelve
3. Spear each set of 12 stalks with 2 long wooden skewers
4. Lightly oil flat grill or spray bbq and heat to medium
5. Grill skewered stalks until nicely browned on each side and remove
6. Carefully pull out sticks, hit with a little fresh ground pepper and serve with horseradish

Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche

How great is a little pre-dinner ceviche? Really great.

1/2 pound scallops, cut into a small dice

1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined & cut into a small dice

Juice of 6 limes

3-6 serrano chiles (depending on your heat tolerance), seeds/membrane removed and cut into a tiny dice

2 vine ripe tomatoes, de-seeded and diced small

3 avocados, diced small

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup diced green onions

1/4 cup finely diced English or Persian cucumber

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Potato/tortilla chips for serving

• Put scallops, shimp and lime juice in a medium bowl

• Mix well anmd pat it down so the lime juice covering the shrimp & scallops - cover and refrigerate overnight

• The next day, add all remaining ingredients, mix well and season to taste with salt & pepper

• Serve with some kind of crunchy chip to spoon the ceviche onto

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Makes 12

You're probably tired of me telling you that there are things you should keep in your freezer for last minute appetite supression. Scallops are one of them because they freeze really well and defrost quickly. Sea scallops are the big ones and bay scallops are the little guys - this recipe uses the big boys.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sea scallops, defrosted
• 12 slices 'ready bacon' - the already cooked and ready to go kind
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 long metal skewers - or 2 long wooden ones
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat bbq or grill pan on high
2. Wrap each scallop with a slice of bacon and skewer - 6 to a skewer, make sure they stay tightly wrapped
3. Spray bbq or grill pan with non-stick spray, and lay down the skewers - don't move 'em
4. Let them get cook for 2-3 minutes until really good grill marks develop, then flip over
5. Brush top with sauce and grill 2nd side about 2 more minutes or until that side looks equally as cool
6. Remove and brush just cooked side with sauce
7. Put on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving

Roasted Yellow Pepper Pizza

Serves 4

Great color, great taste and you get it together in about 2 minutes. What's not to like?

Ingredients

• 12" precooked pizza crust
• 5 ounce tub goat cheese
• 2 ounces arugula leaves, the ready-to-go kind is easiest
• 12 ounce jar roasted yellow peppers
• 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Drain peppers
3. Spread goat cheese on crust, cover with arugula and spread peppers, over the top
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until beginning to brown and get crispy
5. Remove from oven, season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
6. Slice (of course) and serve

Optional: If you love red onion like I do, you can roughly chop 1/2 red onion, oven roast it for 10 minutes then sprinkle on top of the pizza with peppers.

Mini Crab Cake Sandwiches

Makes 16 little sandwiches

Two things that have always bugged me about most crab cakes - they're fried in a bunch of oil and almost always have a ton of mayo in them. Mine are baked, not fried and have zero mayo. Plus these are easy to throw together, easy to cook and even easier to eat. Who loves ya baby?

Ingredients

• 1 pound crab meat
• 1/4 cup green onion, diced small
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs, Japanese bread crumbs available at most supermarkets
• 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce
• 2 tubes (8 each) refrigerator buttermilk biscuits
• 1-8 ounce bag ready cole slaw (with the dressing included)

Directions

1. Make biscuits and cole slaw according to package directions and set aside
2. Heat oven to 400
3. Mix crab, onion, soy, panko and chili sauce well in a bowl and shape into 16 tight little pattys and place on greased baking sheet
4. Bake cakes until crispy brown then carefully flip, should be about 10-15 minutes each side
5. Cut biscuits in half and place one crab cake on each bottom half, add some cole slaw then top with other biscuit half

South of the Border Scallops

Makes 12

Who doesn't love a scallop? Now that I think of, a bunch of people don't. Go figure...

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup diced fresh mango
• 1/3 cup peeled and diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and dried
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except scallops and set aside
2. Season scallops with salt and pepper
3. Heat non-stick pan over high heat
4. Put in oil & when just smoking add scallops and sear each side until nicely brown and a cool little sort of crust builds
5. Put on a plate and serve with the mango salsa

Mexican Bruschetta

Makes 16-20 pieces

This could also be called a 'Mexcian Garlic bread'. Whatever you choose, just make it.

Ingredients

• 1 long sour dough baguette

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced pretty small

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Heat broiler

2. Slice baguette down the middle and brown ever-so-slightly under the broiler

3. Mix remaining ingredients and put on top of sliced bread

4. Place under broiler until the whole things begins to brown

5. Remove and slice into serving pieces

Open Face London Broilers...

Makes 16-20

The perfect cocktail party food. Cooking the beef the day before will make your life much easier...

Ingredients

• About 1.5 pounds London Broil - or any steak you like
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• Kosher and fresh ground pepper
• 1 long sour dough baguette
• 2/3 cup horseradish sauce - from the condiment aisle in the supermarket
• 4 ounces arugula leaves
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Heat grill to high
2. Rub steak lightly with olive oil, garlic and season well with salt and pepper
3. Cook until medium rare - about 5 minutes a side
4. Allow to cool and slice into very thin strips against the grain - if cooking this much in advance, seal well and refrigerate. Just remember to let it come to room temp before serving
5. When you're ready to go - heat broiler
6. Slice baguette lengthwise, drizzle lightly with olive oil and put under broiler until just lightly browned
7. Remove and spread cut sides of baguette with horseradish, then add a good (not skimpy) layer of the arugula and top with the sliced steak
8. I always give the top a final quick drizzle of olive oil and a little fresh ground pepper
9. Cut each baguette side into 8 pieces and serve

Grilled Lox & Fontina

Makes 2 sandwiches

Lox, melty cheese & red onion - what else do you need?

Ingredients

• 4 slices some kind of whole grain bread, you can use whatever you like but a multi grain will just add more flavor and isn't that what we're going for?
• 4 ounces lox
• Thinly sliced red onion
• 8 thin slices Fontina cheese
• Softened butter

Directions

1. Place 2 slices of cheese on each slice of bread, add half the salmon to 2 of them, top that with onion, then remaining cheese and finally remaining bread
2. Butter one side of bread well and place face down in a heated non-stick pan
3. Squish down a little to flatten a bit while it's cooking
4. When it's golden brown, butter the top - flip and repeat cooking until golden as well
5. Remove and cut into wedges to serve

King Crab Legs

Serves 2

This is a great opening to a romantic meal for two. Don't be put off thinking crab is difficult to deal with - it's not.

Ingredients

• 1 pound King crab legs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Cut the stick of butter in half and put each half into a small bowl - don't do anything with it yet
2. Break each leg into 2 - 4 pieces - depending on how long they are (pieces should be about 5 - 6 inches long)
3. Fold 3 paper towels in half, so they're sort of 1 1/2 paper towels long and lightly dampen with water then wrap around the crab legs (these are already cooked...we're just warming them)
4. Place the bundle in the microwave for 2 minutes
5. Remove the crab, and while you're putting it onto a platter, put the butter bowls into the crow to melt - about 30 seconds I think
6. Remove bowls and add the pepper to one and the chili powder to the other
7. Open the shells, get to the meat and dip into your favorite butter sauce (but be sure to try both before you decide)