Day 37: Gourmet The Julia Way

Menu:
Coquilles St. Jacques A La Provencale
(Scallops Gratineed w/ Wine, Garlic and Herbs) JC

Roasted Red Peppers w/AFeta Wedge On A Bed Of Lettuce PE

Mashed Potatoes w/Wine Sauce PE

Toast w/Marmalade PE

I have never made scallops before and found them to be very easy to make. The sauce that was over them was actually easy too. It didn't require thickening any cream. The dinner tonight was a lighter fare because we have eaten a lot of steak and heavier meals lately and I need to give the scales a break and go easy on the food for a bit. Michael and I both have had scallops before mostly at Chinese restaurants where they tend to be kind of overcooked. The ones I made today turned out very soft and juicy and flavorful. If you follow Julia's instructions she definitely has your back when you are cooking.

The mashed potatoes were basically the way my mom always made them just milk, butter, salt and pepper added. I didn't fancy them up this time because I wanted to focus on my scallops. Mashed potatoes aren't really something you can make ahead. Rather than put gravy on them I used the wine sauce due to it's thick consistency and flavor. The scallops and potatoes were both white so I needed to jazz it up some. What to do, what to do?

I had just purchased roasted peppers from a specialty store yesterday. They were marinated in oil and herbs. I sliced them and laid them over lettuce. It gave the plate some drama don't you think? The marinade was intense so I thought the feta cheese would help tame them down a bit. What do I know, the salty cheese probably enhanced the strong vinegar taste. I also just bought a jar of marmalade for a recipe I'll be making soon. I was very anxious to try it so I made toast for our bread this evening. The marmalade was great. I served this meal with a white wine as Julia suggested.

Facts:
Day 37 of 100 (No 365)

Pounds Lost: 2
Pounds Gained: 3 (('m stuck)
Happiness Level: 70% (I let things grate on my nerves. The cooking is helping a lot with that though.)
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Easy meal really.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (It looked fabulous to me)