October favorites: recipes from our readers, tested in Sunset's kitchen

Sunset, Oct, 2005 by Amy Traverso

Quick Scallops with Peppers and Corn

JOYCE HANNUM, MASON COUNTY, WA

Joyce Hannum calls herself "the queen of clean-the-fridge cooking." This simple dish is the tasty result of her rummaging. Serve with couscous, pasta, or rice.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

    3 ears corn (about 2 1/2 lb. total), husked, silks removed
1 1/4 pounds sea scallops
      Salt and pepper
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 red bell peppers (12 oz. total), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and
      finely chopped
    1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Holding each ear of corn upright in a deep bowl, cut kernels from cobs. Rinse scallops and pat dry; sprinkle lightly all over with salt and pepper.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in each of two 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pans over high heat. Add corn, bell peppers, garlic, and cumin to one pan; add scallops to the other. Cook, stirring both pans often, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and scallops are browned on the outside and barely opaque in the center (cut to test), about 5 minutes.

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3. Just before serving, stir basil into the vegetable mixture and cilantro into the scallops. Add salt and pepper to taste to both. Mound vegetables in a wide, shallow bowl; top with scallops (and any pan juices).

Per serving: 231 cal., 39% (90 cal.) from fat; 19 g protein; 10 g fat (3.2 g sat.); 19 g carbo (2.8 g fiber); 203 mg sodium; 42 mg chol.

Golden Beet and Potato Salad

ROXANNE CHAN, ALBANY, CA

Roxanne Chan puts a fresh spin on classic potato salad by adding summery golden beets and watercress.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 45 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

1 pound golden beets (1 3/4 in. wide, greens trimmed before weighing)
1 pound red thin-skinned potatoes (1 1/4 in. wide), scrubbed and cut
  in half
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  Salt and pepper
8 ounces watercress (2 qt.)
  Crumbled browned bacon

1. In a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add beets, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Add potatoes to the beets, cover again, and cook until both are tender when pierced, about 10 minutes longer. Drain and let cool. Peel beets, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, onion, parsley, horseradish, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix dressing into the potatoes.

3. Rinse watercress. Pick tender sprigs from tough stems and cut into 3- to 4-inch lengths. Arrange sprigs on a platter. Top with potatoes, then arrange beets over mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Per serving: 129 cal., 33% (43 cal.) from fat; 3.4 g protein; 4.8 g fat (1.2 g sat.); 19 g carbo (2.9 g fiber); 96 mg sodium; 4.8 mg chol.

Toasty Baked Oatmeal

ANNIS HENSON, BEND, OR

To prep this delicious breakfast dish the night before, mix the oats, baking powder, salt, almonds, and apricots in a bowl; cover and let stand at room temperature. In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and cinnamon; cover and chill. The next morning, just mix the two together, stir in the pear, and bake.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour

MAKES: 4 servings

    2 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/3 cup chopped almonds
  1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
    1 firm-ripe pear (8 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, cored, and chopped into
      1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups milk
    2 large eggs
  1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325[degrees].

2. In a large bowl, mix oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir in almonds, apricots, and pear.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and cinnamon. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to combine.

4. Pour mixture into a buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until liquid is absorbed and top is light golden, about 45 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve warm.

Per serving: 572 cal., 39% (225 cal.) from fat; 15 g protein; 25 g fat (5.5 g sat.); 76 g carbo (7.5 g fiber); 573 mg sodium; 122 mg chol.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

DARLENE WATSON, PARADISE, CA

Darlene Watson first tasted these puddings on a trip to Australia. More cake than custard, they are surprisingly easy to make.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour

MAKES: 6 servings

    1 cup chopped pitted dates
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
    1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
    2 teaspoons baking powder
  3/4 teaspoon salt
      Toffee sauce (recipe follows)
      Creme fraiche or sour cream