Ingredients:

1 lb scallops. The big kind. I used flash frozen Trader Joe's scallops, lovingly defrosted.

1 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms.

1 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots.

8 to 10 fresh asparagus tips

5 cloves garlic. (Crushed with the flat of a knife and minced by same.)

A little fresh ground pepper.

Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Soup in a box (or equivalent)

Tablespoon of Balsamic glaze (Trader Joe's)

Macadamia nut oil (because of its high flash point and large percentage of monounsaturated fat). Olive oil can be substituted.

Saute the mushrooms on high heat in the Mac oil until they are browned but not burnt. Put them aside on paper towel on a plate.

Add more Mac oil to the pan and saute the shallots until they are brown.

Saute the garlic in a second pan on medium heat. Don't let it get brown. Just get it started to get rid of the raw garlic flavor.

Restore the mushrooms to the first pan with the shallots and turn the heat low. Add enough of the Butternut Squash Soup to start a sauce but not enough to make it soupy. Add the asparagus tips. Stir as often as it needs it. Season with fresh ground pepper. Add the balsamic glaze. If the mixture seems too dry add some more Butternut Squash Soup and a little water. Keep cooking it down.

Add the scallops to pan number two with the garlic and saute them together. Season with fresh ground pepper.

Test the scallops. Don't overcook them. Before they are quite fully cooked remove them from the second pan and add them and the liquid that has come out of them to the first pan with the shallots, mushrooms, and asparagus tips. Raise the heat enough to start cooking off any excess liquid. Test the scallops. The idea is that they should be just barely cooked. They are delicate things and you don't want to dry them out and turn them to rubber or chalk. If you catch them at the instant their very middles have just turned from raw to barely cooked you've got it right. When you are satisfied that the scallops are done spoon them out of the pan onto a plate and continue to reduce the liquid in the first pan until it has a nice saucy consistency. Add the scallops back to the pan and stir everything together.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a plate and enjoy. I eat it as is. I'm sure it would go well with your favorite pasta.