How to Boil Water: Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce with Buttery Angel Hair Pasta with Parmesan Cheese

Well, look at me - two nights of cookin' in a row. And tonight we had use some meat? Fish? Shellfish? Regardless of what it is, we had it. And why did I chose this meal? Because the picture looked good. That's pretty much as basic and simple as it is. So here we go.

Ingredients:
Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce
1 large lemon
1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon butter, divided
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Buttery Angel Hair Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
4 ounces angel hair pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Scallops with Lemon-Basil Sauce
Finely grate lemon rind, reserving 1/4 teaspoon. Squeeze lemon, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Pat scallops dry with paper towels

Sprinkle scallops with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Melt 2 teaspoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm.

Add wine and reserved lemon juice to pan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits with bottom of pan. Combine water and cornstarch; add to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until sauce beings to thicken. Add reserved lemon rind, remaining 1 teaspoon butter, remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and basil. Remove from heat. Serve over scallops.

Buttery Angel Hair Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Combine cooked pasta, cheese, and butter; toss well.

A couple things. The scallops may not have looked cooked but they are. The spaghetti was delicious. Cooking meat of any kind, including shellfish, makes me very very nervous. Rob doesn't actually like scallops, which might I say is the first thing that he has ever flat out said he doesn't like. Oh, and mine looks nothing like the picture.