Since we are in Utah, state of bad restaurant dining, we decided to prepare a favorite meal at home. We would start with fancy hors d’oeuvres and then have a scallop dinner. In preparation we skipped lunch so less guilt would be involved.

I made two types of crostini – 1. Tomato, onion, and basil 2. Chicken liver pate with Thai pickled vegetables. My dinner contribution would be small so I tried hard on the hors d’oeuvres.

On the left are chicken liver pate and Thai pickled vegetables crostini and on the right tomato, onion, and basil

I made the pate myself from actual chicken livers. I am not impressed with the quality of the livers from Harmon’s and if I made these again I would buy my chicken livers somewhere else. I also pickled the carrots, onions, and cabbage. The tomato crostini were much easier.

John fried the scallops after coating them with seasoned panko breadcrumbs and fried them outside in our electric wok. I know fried food is taboo but we don’t do this often and scallops are a very low calorie protein. I steamed new potatoes and broccoli and mixed up some Fish Market tartar sauce.

Fried scallops with steamed new potatoes and broccoli

It was a delicious birthday celebration. What, no birthday cake you ask? Nope, we are not sweet eaters. I would rather spend my time making hors d’oeuvres rather than dessert.