Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

I was looking for something quick to make for a last-minute cookout with neighbors and I didn't want to stop at the grocery store. Instead, I stopped into the Cross Street Market on my way home and the selection there can be a bit limited. I decided on the scallops from the local fish monger and cut bacon from the butcher. I'd never gotten bacon that way before and it was kind of neat to get it wrapped in the butcher paper.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

1 lb. Jumbo Scallops (about 8)

1/2 lb. cut bacon

1/2 cup of white wine

1/4 cup melted butter

2 TBSP. chopped scallions

salt and pepper

Rinse the scallops in cold water. Marinate the scallops in the wine, melted butter, chopped scallions and salt and pepper for 30 minutes. Microwave 4 strips of bacon at a time for about a minute each until partially cooked. When the bacon cools slightly, wrap a strip of bacon around each scallop and fasten with a wet toothpick to hold in place. Pour the marinade back on the bacon wrapped scallops and soak until ready to cook. Grill or bake at a medium heat for 10 minutes on each side to make bacon crispy.

Here's a look at some of the other goodies we had on the grill tonight. The cookout included italian sausage, italian seasoned chicken breast, asparagus, yellow squash and baked beans. Dessert was strawberry shortcake. Johnnycakes are hoping to have more summer cookouts with friends and neighbors throughout the summer.

South Baltimore Restaurant Review: Beach Bums Cafe and Deli

Johnnycakes and I got to try a "not so new"and "not even so new to us" but "new" restaurant in Federal Hill today. We had a delicious lunch at Beach Bums Cafe and Deli at 1038 Light Street.

We had been to Beach Bums many times over the past few years for their yummy ice cream and shakes after dinner or just for a treat. They usually have some interesting ice cream flavors such as fried ice cream and chocolate gold. More recently, we had noticed a sandwich board on the sidewalk or signs in the window advertising various sandwich varieties but we had never had much inclination to try the food. The concept of food at the ice cream shop just didn't "click" with us.

We started to hear some positive feedback about the food at Beach Bums and their extensive menu and large portions. Today seemed like the perfect day to try a new lunch spot after a morning spent at the gym and laying poolside.

The little storefront is small and awkward inside, particularly because of the ice cream display case but the decor is cute and definitely has the beach feel to it. Additional seating in the back takes care of any overflow issues in the small dining area in the front.

We were surprised at the extent of the menu. They have a huge variety of sandwiches that range from turkey clubs, shrimp salad submarines, veggie sandwiches, lunch meat combos, chicken sandwiches, Reuben's and Rachel's. To make things a little more interesting, most of the sandwiches have a cute little name attached which may or may not provide a description of the actual food, such as the veggie "Bahama Cooler", ham and cheese "Swisster Twisster" or BBQ chicken "Texas Twister".

I ordered the "Pigs on the Wing" which I was a huge serving of chicken salad made with almonds and bacon topped with tomato on wheat toast. The portions were daunting but it was so tasty I had to restrain myself to only eat the half. Johnnycakes didn't go for one with a cute name but ordered a delicious tuna salad submarine with a huge serving of bacon on top. His election to have hots on the sub made it extra spicy and gave it a very unique flavor. I liked it so much that I'm going to have to try it with hots next time. Each sandwich was served in a basket with potato chips. A drink cooler has a nice variety of not so common drinks. A diet soda drinker, I was delighted to find a Dr. Browns diet cream soda.

The service was very quick and friendly despite a steady influx of customers. To put it simply and in the words of a young guy who walked in with his friend "Damn, I guess we're not the only ones on to this place anymore".

Prices ranged from around $5.00 to $9.00 depending on the item but I think the huge portions make up for any extra cost. Our bill, with drinks and tax, came to $15.96

I think Beach Bums popularity will only continue to grow, especially since the good food and large menu selection makes you want to come back for more. I want to try the Turkey Breast Rachel next time with coleslaw and 1000 island dressing.

We'll definitely be back to Beach Bums Cafe and Deli to try other dishes and for some creamy ice cream. Lucky for us, the photo above shows the leftovers we have waiting for us in the fridge!

Blackened Honey Pork

Despite a time crunch and some pressing domestic duties, we managed to crank out a nutritious and delicious dinner in Couple of Cooks style.

We enjoyed a crispy and sweet pork tenderloin, grilled yellow squash and zucchini and baked potatoes topped with a store bought guacamole sauce. Oh, and don't let me forget a garden salad as an appetizer with carrots, cucumbers, beets, croutons and Kraft Asian Sesame dressing (It's really good!).

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

2 TBSP. honey

2 TBSP. Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. thyme

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

1/2 TBSP. Olive Oil

Coat the tenderloin with the marinade and refrigerate for at least a half hour before grilling.

Johnnycakes deserves all the credit for tonight's feast. All I did was cook two mini Russet potatoes in the microwave until soft. He accidentally let the pork get a little crispy because he was talking to some neighbors while the meat and squash were on the grill. Before he knew it, the tenderloin was charred and blackened on one side. It didn't matter thought because we both thought the smoky, crispy, charred flavor enhanced the sweetness from the honey marinade. We seasoned the cooked meat with some salt and it was extra tasty.

The veggies were pretty straightforward. I had extra guacamole sauce from the taco dip I made on Sunday and thought it might be fun to try on the the potato. It was a good idea because it gave it a little extra zip and it's always fun to try something new!

Happy Birthday to Butters!

Today is my 28th Birthday! My thoughtful friends helped me celebrate on Sunday with this delicious chocolate peanut butter ice cream (!) cake from Coldstone Creamery. The cake was pure decadence! The cake was a total surprise to me because we were all gathered to celebrate another birthday.

Our friend was celebrating her 3oth birthday. In style, I might add. This beautiful delight from Coldstone Creamery was a red velvet cake with a graham cracker crust topped with strawberry and vanilla ice cream.

These cakes were fabulous and very pretty to look at! I highly recommend the cakes from Coldstone Creamery. As many of us know, their ice cream ain't bad either! Yum....

Stuffed Cheeseburger Pitas

Tonight's dinner was a variation on a classic. We grilled cheeseburgers and stuffed them in pita bread.

I had set out the ground beef (Laura's Lean ground beef, 96% fat free) to defrost this morning with the intention of making spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. When I got home from work, Johnnycakes had a different idea.

Still excited about the new grill, Johnnycakes wanted to make cheeseburgers. We didn't have any hamburger buns but we did, however, have frozen pitas in the freezer. We were both open to the idea of cheeseburgers and so we set out to make a tasty dinner minus traditional hamburger buns.

The mushrooms I had planned to use in the spaghetti sauce were soon combined with chopped onions and wrapped in foil and grilled along side the formed cheeseburger patties. We had some leftover sliced black olives and decided to finely chop them and combine them in the hamburger patty with some ketchup and spices. The olives helped to keep the burgers moist and add a special flavor after cooking.

In true Couple of Cooks fashion, Johnnycakes really took the lead on tonight's dinner by grilling the burgers and topping them with reduced fat cheddar cheese. He also chopped the "fixins" to stuff in the pitas such as lettuce, tomato and the grilled mushroom and onions. He was both the brains and brawn behind tonight's dinner.

The final step was only to top the tasty burgers with mayo, ketchup and mustard which are the standard toppings for cheeseburgers. Pickles completed this classic all-American summertime dish.

Lemon Chicken with Lots of Veggie Sides

Tonight's dinner was definitely a nutritionist dream. Our plates were loaded with veggies thanks to the preparation I did on Saturday and some fresh items we had in the fridge.

We had a small garden salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, tomato slices, cucumber slices and topped with beets and a store bought low fat raspberry vinaigrette dressing. In addition, we ate beet greens soaked in lemon juice and olive oil, which I topped the chicken with. On top of all these vegetables, we also served mashed turnips. I added some low fat Swiss cheese to the mashed turnips to make them a bit more appealing. This was the first time either Johnnycakes or myself ever had turnips so butter, milk, salt and a little cheese was a welcome addition.

We also prepared a delicious lemon chicken breast. I pounded the chicken with a meat tenderizer to flatten the meat and poke holes in it for the lemon flavor to seep in. I marinated three chicken breast for an hour in the juice of one fresh lemon, some lemon pepper seasoning, two sprigs of fresh rosemary and salt and pepper. Johnnycakes grilled them in the backyard on our new grill until fully cooked.

The meat was soft and flavorful thanks to the little extra time we took pounding and flattening the meat. The veggies were a welcome treat and very filling. We both couldn't finish our entire meals and we felt great and healthy after all the vegetables. I also loved the way all the colors looked together on the plate.

A Pretty Picture

I thought this made a pretty picture because of all the colors. This taco dip was definitely not a culinary masterpiece or even much to write home about but I liked the way the red, yellow and black looked together.

Taco Dip

15 oz. can of refried beans

12 oz. guacamole sauce (real guac would be much better)

12 oz. sour cream mixed with 2 TBSP. of taco seasoning

8 0z. salsa

16 oz. shredded 4 cheese shredded Mexican cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

4 oz. can of black olives

Layer in order listed above. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.

This was a variation of a couple of different taco dips I make. I sort of improvised based on what I had available. I made this for a birthday party and it's always popular.