Anniversary dinner: Risotto and seared scallops

Many couples go out for dinner for their anniversary. The husband and I celebrated last night by making our own:

A white wine risotto with seared scallops, wilted spinach and steamed asparagus:

It's actually not that hard to make a risotto. I made it for the first time last night.

White wine risotto
1 cup Arborio rice (it's a short grain rice)
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion minced (I chopped mine and then used a Pampered Chef slap chop)
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken based DIVIDED into one cup measures (I use Better Than Bouillon as they have reduced sodium)
2 pinches Kosher Salt
Cracked Pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons  dried parsley (Next time, I intend to use fresh)

In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat and saute onions. Add rice and mix for two minutes, until it is well mixed and translucent.

 Add wine, salt and pepper to the mix and cook until the wine has absorbed into the mix. Now, here is the fun part. You ladle ONE CUP of the base at a time and mix it until it is absorbed. All told, it takes about 25 minutes.

After that is done, you add the cheese and parsley and mix well.

Set aside and prepare yourself.

Seared Scallops
One pound of sea scallops
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
2 teaspoons butter (seriously)
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces baby spinach

Wash scallops and pat dry. Salt and pepper the scallops.

Heat a cast iron skillet on high, add the butter and oil. Place the scallops in the pan -- make sure they do not touch -- and have them form a nice sear. This will take about 1 1/2-2 minutes.

After they have seared, turn them over and cook an additional 2 minutes. They are cooked fully once they are slightly translucent in the center.

Remove the scallops to a warm plate and have place the spinach in the hot pan. Salt and pepper it to taste.

Steamed Asparagus
This is a standby favorite in our household. We eat it often and it is so easy to make.

1 pound of asparagus
Butter to taste
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Kosher Salt

Snap off the hard ends of the asparagus and toss them in the trash (or composter). Then, snap the asparagus in half. Set top half of the asparagus aside.

Set steamer basket (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Steamer-Basket/dp/B003E6NPUE) over medium-high heat and cook bottoms for four minutes. Add tops, and cook an additional three minutes.

Remove immediately. Top with butter, salt and pepper.

To plate it
Place 3/4 of a cup of risotto on the center of a plate.
Cover the top of the risotto with a layer of spinach.
Place four scallops on top.
Set the asparagus on either side.

We served this with Black Box Pinot Grigio, and were thrilled.

For desert we had 1-year-old wedding cake and Italian Coffee. Yum. Seriously, our cake was good a year later.