Playing @ in the Kitchen

Simple Scallops
# of scallops you want to serve
Orange marmalade
A slice of bacon, crisped and crumbled

Get the skillet going and the fat you're going to use near-smoking heat. Sear the scallops, flip them and sear again, then turn off the burner and let the scallops sit in the pan. Searing is all well and good, but scallops need the heated "rest" to cook all the way through.

Plate them, "butter" them with the orange marmalde and sprinkle the bacon bits over them and serve.

Of note: our black cat "Minuit" loves the scallop muscles and your cat might, too.

Wasabi-Turkey Sandwich
a ciabatta roll
Wasabi-sesame dipping sauce (shake the bottle like a dog with a rabbit)
Deli-sliced turkey
1 slice red onion, finely chopped
2 or 3 slices of salami
Bread and butter pickles as needed

Split and toast the roll. The instant they come out of the toaster oven, be ready with your dipping sauce. Squirt it on the hot bread and spread it out with a knife.

Put the chopped onion on one slice of bread, cover with the turkey, salami and pickles. Put the sandwich top on and smush the bread down hard. It will be somewhat drippy, true, but I liked it so much I made me one the next day.

New at the supermarket (not Trader Joe's for once!) Litehouse Freeze-dried Red Jalapenos. Keep the jar on the counter - there's nothing in it but freeze-dried jalapenos.

They're good-sized pieces and I think they need to be included with "wet" dishes, like chile, soups or sauce. Or you could mince them and not worry about hitting a hard piece when you don't expect it. Lighthousefoods.com Product of Germany?! Since when do Germans know about jalapenos???