McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Sweet, tender scallops need very little cooking. In fact, to remain delicate and flavorful, they should be cooked only a few minutes over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold them in one layer without touching. The result will be a crusty coating while the inside remains juicy.

Saffron Vegetable Pilaf

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup frozen, chopped onion

1/2 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

Although he struggled at The Masters, before that Tiger Woods' recent win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla., brought joy to him, his many fans and, most importantly, television advertisers. Woods' 30-month victory drought in official events finally ended and the news media heralded the return of red shirts and fist pumps on Sundays.

GREENBRAE, Calif. -- Most of America still may not know what slacklining is, but the millions watching Madonna perform during halftime at the Super Bowl saw the increasingly popular sport in action, thanks to Andy Lewis.

Lewis performed acrobatic tricks and danced on the low, trampoline-like line during Madonna's show. The line was strung between two posts in front of the stage, where at one point Lewis received a kiss on the cheek from the pop star.

"It was pretty good," Lewis said of the experience. "I definitely loved the chance to go and work with her."

Celebrate the New Year with fillet of beef in a cognac mustard sauce, roasted potatoes and asparagus. It's a simple, elegant meal that takes only 30 minutes to make.

For this meal, I cut the tenderloin into steaks and saute them in a skillet. The sauce only takes a few minutes to make in the same skillet.

To shorten the cooking time for the potatoes, I use canned potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. They take about 10 minutes to brown under the broiler. The asparagus can be placed on the same baking tray as the potatoes.

The Army-Navy football game has a little something for everyone. Purists see it as a true contest among "student athletes." Old-schoolers love the triple-option running game. The patriots among us savor the pageantry and pre-game march-on. And, of course, CBS television likes filling an empty Saturday date after the advertiser-friendly SEC games are over.

But whatever the viewpoint, the game is inarguably a chapter in a storied American sports rivalry. The matchup on Saturday in the Washington Redskins' home stadium will be the 112th between the two service academies since they began playing each other 121 years ago. Hmm. What happened in the other 10 years?

Excessive game violence and fan rowdiness caused a five-year hiatus, 1894-1898. Death of a player, 1909. The War to End All Wars, 1917-1918. Interservice bickering over player eligibility rules, 1928-1929. You know, normal football stuff.

The exciting flavors of Chinese cuisine are captured in this five-spice stir-fried pork. Five-spice usually consists of ground cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. It gives a pungent flavor to this quick dish.

The pork is accompanied by noodles and greens made with bok choy, a mild vegetable with a crisp, white stalk and dark green leaves. It can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets and can be eaten cooked or raw.

The secret to wok cooking at home is to make sure the wok is very hot -- the oil should be smoking. Add about half the meat and wait several seconds for the wok to regain its heat before adding the rest.

This meal contains 521 calories per serving with 27 percent of calories from fat.

Helpful hints:

* Chinese or Napa cabbage can be used instead of bok choy.

* White vinegar diluted with a little water can be used instead of rice vinegar.

* Dried Chinese noodles or angel hair pasta can be used instead of fresh or steamed Chinese noodles.