"Wowza!" Does that phrase ever pop into your mind?

How about "Gadzooks!" or "Eureka!"? Are these the explatives that fall from your lips when faced with something so perfectly and so unexpectedly delicious?

Well, I bring this up because I have got an "Egad!" recipe for you today. Orange & Rosemary Prosciutto-Wrapped Grilled Shrimp.

One bite and you will join the chorus in "Hallelujah!".

The simplicity of their preparation makes them all the more fantastic. The fact that they are finger food makes them not just delicious but fun.

I love finger foods and make a point of bringing you frequent posts featuring them. Because there is something about finger food. It seems both sophisticated and mischievous. Finger food is party food and I am sure that is where the allure stems.

I have a simple summer meal for you. Seared Scallops with Succotash.

It's a great warm weather dinner because it takes advantage of super sweet summer corn while it’s at its best. Besides there is no oven to turn on and very little hanging over a hot stove involved. The scallops are seared a mere 4 or 5 minutes. The succotash just a few moments longer. It could even be made ahead and served at room temperature. Further simplifying the preparation.

But I think its best served warm, with a cool and crisply acidic chardonnay. Which is no bother because two people working in tandem can get this meal on the table in 8 minutes flat, once the prep work is done.

Still, just because this is a quick cook meal does not mean you can get sloppy about the details. I am quite finicky about scallops.

Scallops should be served rare, if you cook them all the way through you are destroying their delicate nature. An overcooked scallop is a rubbery waste of money. But just because I won't submit to an overcooked scallop does not mean I want it undercooked or improperly cooked either. In fact I like quite a bit of crunchy crusty searing on my scallops.

I was recently treated to an amazing meal at McCormick & Schmick’s as part of a blogger appreciation evening. And I gotta say it’s this blogger who really should be telling Mc & Schmick’s just how much I appreciated that wonderful meal.

Because we were wined and dined on nine amazing courses (plus an amuse bouche!) as well as sake and 7 appropriate and thoughtfully paired wines!

There was so much to enjoy about the evening, including the company of other LA area bloggers – some of whom I had met before as well as several new friends too. So again, my appreciation goes out to the restaurant because meeting my web-based, food-obsessed kindred is always a great way to spend the evening in my opinion.

However what I am most appreciative about is the learning experience the evening presented for me. Yes, I said learning. I doubt they considered that this to be an educational affair, but it certainly was for me. I was introduced to a new fish, one I had never enjoyed before. The fish was part of the second course, which was a trio of creative sashimi tastes.

One of the selections was called Kono Kampachi Sashimi with Avocado and Truffle. It was a luscious fatty fish served with fresh avocado slices simply dressed with a drizzle of soy sauce and a few aromatic drops of truffle oil. I must say– truffles and fish is a new experience for me. So I filed that information away, and made the trek home– fat and happy!