in which Pinterest makes me more marketable

It's no secret that I am no cook. I can bake just about anything but cooking is an entirely different playing field. In all my life, I can probably count on one hand how many times I've been able to actually whip up a meal... and eat it. I went through a quick phase a few years ago where I started collecting cookbooks because I really wanted to learn. Which is funny because you would think that having that experience of living on your own would mean learning how to cook but the sad truth is that my boyfriend did most of the cooking when we lived together. The only thing I cooked that came out decent was tilapia, which I just smothered in breadcrumbs.

But then came Pinterest. 

Pinterest is, hands down, my saving grace. As many other women know, Pinterest has taught me to style my clothes, style my (non-existent) childrens clothes, plan where to travel, plan my (also non-existent) wedding, decorate my future home, attempt DIY projects and COOK! And the last one is pretty important to me because it's part of my quest to bettering myself as a whole. A woman has got to know how to cook even the simplest of meals. Plain and simple. 

That delicious looking meal up above is an orzo scallop salad. Just to paint a picture of how little I know about the art of cooking, I spent about 20 minutes in the rice aisle at the grocery store looking for orzo. I was going by the picture on Pinterest and correct me if I'm wrong but orzo looks like rice, am I right? After checking-- and rechecking-- the rice shelves, I took out my phone and tried to search for where I could purchase the elusive orzo and then it popped up. Oh, it's pasta?! It's pasta! You idiot! So yeah, the orzo was only an aisle away from where I was standing. 

The recipe is actually really simple. And for those of you that are seasoned cooks (haha, pun intended?) then it will take you the 20-25 minutes cooking time that the recipe calls for. If you're like me, then it may take you 20-25 minutes plus another hour. But hey, baby steps. One thing worth noting: I absolutely HATE mincing garlic. Other than that, this bad boy wasn't so bad :) 

Orzo Scallop Salad 

1/2 oz orzo (cooked according to directions on package)

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 cup of cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 orange bell pepper (diced)

1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata olives

1 cup of arugula

1 lb of scallops

While the orzo is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium- high heat. Saute the garlic for about 2 minutes. You just want to make sure you saute it until it's fragrant. When it's fragrant, go ahead and add in the tomatoes and peppers and cook about 5 minutes. The tomatoes and peppers should begin to char. 

Combine the orzo, tomato, peppers, arugula and olives with the remaining olive oil and vinegar. Season it with a touch of salt and pepper for taste. 

In a non-stick pan, sear the scallops over high heat. You can choose to grill the scallops too as an alternative. After 2-3 minutes, flip the scallops over to cook the other side but be careful to not overcook. No one likes hard scallops. Top the orzo salad with scallops and ta-da!