Today I opened the freezer and saw the bag of scallops I bought from Target the other day, and decided that whatever I cooked tonight, it would feature scallops. Which I have NEVER cooked with before.
So when cooking time came, I looked up scallop recipes to see what matched the ingredients I had in stock, and found this, which I modified:
Ingredients:
6 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken in thirds
(I used angel hair and didn't break it.)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
(I didn't measure the salt.)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
(I didn't measure the paprika.)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
(For some reason, I rarely add pepper to anything.)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
(I didn't measure the garlic powder.)
1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
(I don't know how much sea scallops I actually used.)
1 tablespoon butter, divided
(I used 4 tbsp butter. And some olive oil. Ha!)
Cooking spray
(See above. No cooking spray needed.)
1/4 cup water
(See above. No water needed.)
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced spinach leaves
(I didn't measure the spinach.)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
(I didn't measure the lemon rind.)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
(I didn't measure the fresh lemon juice.)
4 lemon wedges
(I didn't include lemon wedges.)
I added some cut up prosciutto.
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Meanwhile, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder evenly over scallops.
Heat half the butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add half the scallops to pan; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until done, turning once. Remove scallops; set aside and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and scallops.
Add water to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat; add pasta, spinach, lemon rind, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss gently. Divide evenly among individual serving plates. Top with scallops; serve immediately with lemon wedges.
I followed the directions as general guidelines, and combined everything in the end and guess what. It was HEAVEN. It was soooooooo good. So good in fact that this will now become a family staple. In the future, I think I will also throw in a few capers, and some artichoke hearts, just for good measure.
No pictures, but I promise you. This is worth trying out! Dinner was ready in about as long as it took for the water to boil and the pasta to cook.
How the world views artists and designers...
Yesterday I read an interesting article written by a lawyer about graphic artists providing free work for contests. Basically, the idea is that someone needs a logo, so instead of hiring a designer, they host a contest, awarding a monetary prize to the design they choose. The article author talks about how you would never do something similar to a lawyer.
Murray and I have encountered similar things, like acquaintances asking for free work from us. I liken this to doctors. You would never go up to a doctor that you kindof know and say, "Hey, I'm due for my annual woman's exam. I know this only takes about five minutes to do. Could I pop in and get this done [for free] sometime this week?" (Heck, I hope you wouldn't ask that of a doctor that you know well, either!) There are times that I have asked nurse friends advice (thanks, Sarah!) but again, they are friends, and I'm asking advice. People can similarly ask advice from me, which I'll happily give for free, according to the amount of time I have to dedicate to it.
Today, (funnily enough, the day after reading the linked article) a former client emailed me about an opportunity to create a logo. I could submit my design along with two other designers, and the winner would receive payment of $100.
Fortunately, I'm booked for the next couple months.
But still. I know that the client wasn't trying to insult me, and probably thought that he was presenting me with a pretty good opportunity. But this client happens to own a restaurant. How would he feel if I told him that I'd be visiting his restaurant tonight, another restaurant tomorrow, and a third restaurant the next day, and I would award payment to the best meal!
Why do you think that some people undervalue an artist's or designer's work? Is it because our jobs are seen as fun? (A lot of the time they are.) Ideas?
Murray and I have encountered similar things, like acquaintances asking for free work from us. I liken this to doctors. You would never go up to a doctor that you kindof know and say, "Hey, I'm due for my annual woman's exam. I know this only takes about five minutes to do. Could I pop in and get this done [for free] sometime this week?" (Heck, I hope you wouldn't ask that of a doctor that you know well, either!) There are times that I have asked nurse friends advice (thanks, Sarah!) but again, they are friends, and I'm asking advice. People can similarly ask advice from me, which I'll happily give for free, according to the amount of time I have to dedicate to it.
Today, (funnily enough, the day after reading the linked article) a former client emailed me about an opportunity to create a logo. I could submit my design along with two other designers, and the winner would receive payment of $100.
Fortunately, I'm booked for the next couple months.
But still. I know that the client wasn't trying to insult me, and probably thought that he was presenting me with a pretty good opportunity. But this client happens to own a restaurant. How would he feel if I told him that I'd be visiting his restaurant tonight, another restaurant tomorrow, and a third restaurant the next day, and I would award payment to the best meal!
Why do you think that some people undervalue an artist's or designer's work? Is it because our jobs are seen as fun? (A lot of the time they are.) Ideas?
Gulliver Loves...
Today Gulliver is having one of those extremely independent days where he just plays all around the living room and kitchen by himself. I've only had to interfere once this morning when I heard that he got some corningware (breakable) dishes out of the cupboard. And he didn't cry when I took them away. That must mean that Gulliver is in a VERY good mood. So let's check in on Gulliver, shall we?
Gulliver Loves...
...The corner kitchen cupboard, where he found chocolate chips the other day. I was working at my computer on the dining table, just barely unable to see him, and suddenly things got quiet and I could hear smacking.
He is his mother's son.
...The yellow couch. Still. Gulliver easily spends about 50% of his living room time playing on the yellow couch now.
...Eggs and cheese. And yogurt still. And cheese by itself. And bananas. (More on bananas later in this post...) But sometimes Gulliver won't eat these things, and I don't know why. Because as soon as he actually TASTES it, he'll gobble it up. Like this morning, when I tried to feed him cheesy scrambled eggs. He wouldn't open his mouth to taste it. I finally had to hold his head still and shove it in. Barbaric, I know, but for the record, he was actually laughing while I did it. And as soon as he got a taste, then he gobbled up all of his eggs. Until, that is, he was done, which he communicates by violently flinging his food onto the floor. Thanks, Gulliver.
...Walking. Gulliver can now walk around, albeit a little wobbly at times. He can walk from one end of the living room to the kitchen. He still crawls sometimes, but is walking more and more.
...His hammer toy from IKEA. He doesn't use the hammer yet, but he can push the posts through with his hands or other blocks.
...Phones. He will take my iPhone, put it to his ear, and say, "ohh?"
Gulliver says...
"No." He doesn't mean it, though. My favorite is when he says it when he does something that has traditionally caused us to tell him no. I also like it when he repeats it after he's heard me say it on the phone. No. No. No. It's unbelievably cute.
"Stop." He pronounces it "tap." This and No are words that I think he learned from Murray.
"Banana." This is my current favorite, because he doesn't just SAY banana. He sings it. It's always done in his sweetest most sing-song voice. "Nanana! Nana! Nanana!" So so adorable. When Murray took him to the grocery store recently, he saw the banana table and started saying it: "Nanana! Nanana!"
"Yogurt." He says "Gogur."
So, as you can see, we have an adorable son who keeps on growing up!
Proper Pride
Remember my dead half front tooth? Well back in November I got the work done for it to get a crown so that the tooth was stronger and so that I no longer had a dead, two-toned front tooth. And after I got my temporary crown (while they made a proper one), Murray and I got insanely busy with work, which is why I'm finally getting the permanent crown put in now, only 4 months later.
Last time, they had to take off my cap and then chisel my remaining tooth down to a nubbin onto which they could cement a crown. None of this hurt of course because I have had a root canal on that tooth. When I was left alone in the room before they fetched my temporary crown, I was tempted to take an iPhone pic of my leftover smile. But I was too afraid of what I might see. So I didn't.
Today, the removed the temporary crown and fetched the new crown, again leaving me alone in the room, giving me the opportunity to snap a quick picture.
Again, I chickened out.
They tried out the new crown only to discover that it was the wrong shade. They gave me a hand mirror so that I could see that it was the wrong shade. They tool out the crown and left me alone in the room with the hand mirror.
I was all alone.
Did I dare steal a look?
I lifted the mirror and smiled at myself, and what I saw was basically the most horrific, hill Billy version of myself I have ever seen, so horrific in fact that I could only endure it about half a second before I quickly lowered the mirror and tried to purge that awful image of myself forever from my brain.
And still, the question remained. Do I snap a quick picture of this to share with the Internet? I generally don't hold back with the very unflattering images I snap of myself. (Go to murrayterrenodeamore.blogspot.com and find the one where he compares me to a gorilla.)
In the end, I didn't have the courage. Sorry, Internet. There are just some things that shouldn't be shared, and hill Billy nubbin teeth belong to that category.
-- Posted from my iPhone, with apologies for any typos.
Last time, they had to take off my cap and then chisel my remaining tooth down to a nubbin onto which they could cement a crown. None of this hurt of course because I have had a root canal on that tooth. When I was left alone in the room before they fetched my temporary crown, I was tempted to take an iPhone pic of my leftover smile. But I was too afraid of what I might see. So I didn't.
Today, the removed the temporary crown and fetched the new crown, again leaving me alone in the room, giving me the opportunity to snap a quick picture.
Again, I chickened out.
They tried out the new crown only to discover that it was the wrong shade. They gave me a hand mirror so that I could see that it was the wrong shade. They tool out the crown and left me alone in the room with the hand mirror.
I was all alone.
Did I dare steal a look?
I lifted the mirror and smiled at myself, and what I saw was basically the most horrific, hill Billy version of myself I have ever seen, so horrific in fact that I could only endure it about half a second before I quickly lowered the mirror and tried to purge that awful image of myself forever from my brain.
And still, the question remained. Do I snap a quick picture of this to share with the Internet? I generally don't hold back with the very unflattering images I snap of myself. (Go to murrayterrenodeamore.blogspot.com and find the one where he compares me to a gorilla.)
In the end, I didn't have the courage. Sorry, Internet. There are just some things that shouldn't be shared, and hill Billy nubbin teeth belong to that category.
-- Posted from my iPhone, with apologies for any typos.
Things I Hate
I'm generally a very positive person, but for a while now I've been wanting to post a list of some things that I hate. Sorry in advance for any offense! Remember, I don't hate people. Just some things.
Halloween lights and other outdoor Halloween decorations, esp when set up in September. Halloween does not equal Christmas.
People who don't understand how to use roundabouts and who get mad at you when you're yielding to the car that has the right of way.
People who break traffic rules out of politeness to you, gesturing for you to go when it is not your turn and when it is not safe to go.
The font papyrus.
Blinking lights in a dark room.
Any bedroom electronics that have bright LED lights that are constantly on, or unnecessarily bright alarm clock displays.
Rancid dish rags. (This should probably be number one.)
The term "brain fart."
The awful feel of cotton rubbing against itself, or dry hands on glass.
Welp, that's all I can think of for now! To be continued, I'm sure!
-- Posted from my iPhone, with apologies for any typos.
Halloween lights and other outdoor Halloween decorations, esp when set up in September. Halloween does not equal Christmas.
People who don't understand how to use roundabouts and who get mad at you when you're yielding to the car that has the right of way.
People who break traffic rules out of politeness to you, gesturing for you to go when it is not your turn and when it is not safe to go.
The font papyrus.
Blinking lights in a dark room.
Any bedroom electronics that have bright LED lights that are constantly on, or unnecessarily bright alarm clock displays.
Rancid dish rags. (This should probably be number one.)
The term "brain fart."
The awful feel of cotton rubbing against itself, or dry hands on glass.
Welp, that's all I can think of for now! To be continued, I'm sure!
-- Posted from my iPhone, with apologies for any typos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)