Scallop Pasta Puttanesca

I have to confess that I temporarily lost the urge to blog about cooking since my sister passed away in May.  I guess I used to write as a way to share my recipes with her - we would always discuss cooking, restaurants, and food ideas because she had traveled and lived in so many parts of the world, and also been a great hostess so she always had fantastic advice to give.  These past couple of years she had a complicated diet, as a result of her illness, so we would talk about getting around that problem and coming up with recipes that would work for her.  Anyway, I know she would have enjoyed this dish, pasta was always a favorite and it is very simple to prepare.....

Ingredients

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup chopped Italian parsley (reserve a handful for garnish)

4 cloves thinly sliced garlic

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3-4 sliced Crimini mushrooms

1/4 cup Italian green olives

2 tblsps olive oil

1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes (or to taste)

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 red wine

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp sugar

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 lb sea scallops, sliced in half

1/2  lb (1/2 box or package) pasta (angel hair is nice with seafood)

Saute the onion in the olive oil, in a large skillet, until golden 

Add the mushroom,saute until golden

Add garlic, tomatoes & parsley, & chili flakes, saute until soft (don't burn the garlic!)

Add tomato sauce, red wine, balsamic vinegar, sugar, & olives
Simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the past.

As you cook the pasta, add the scallops to the dish and simmer

Serve and garnish with parsley, and grated fresh Parmesan, if you like.

Dance as though no one is watching you,
Love as though you have never loved before,
Sing as though no one can hear you,
Live as though heaven is on earth.

Old Irish saying