Mussels

This is a great quick and easy appetizer but can be used as a main dish served with some pasta.  If you over cook the mussels they can become very chewy so it is very important that you only cook them just until they open.  When buying mussels, make sure they are all closed or when touched they close right away.  Mussels are a living creature when fresh but if they get old they will start to die.


Most mussels are cultured/farmed and are  safe to eat but wild ones can be dangerous at certain times of the year.  There are times of the year when red tide occurs which is a plankton type of organism that will be in abundance and visible as a red mass.  It is typically when the ocean is warmer.  Other shellfish would also be infected and should never be eaten.   

2 Tbs............. Olive Oil
2 ea............... Tomatoes
½ ea.............. Onion
6 ea............... Garlic Cloves
½ c................ Dry White Wine
2 Tbs............. Butter
1 lb................ Mussels
2 ea............... Lemons
to taste.......... Salt
¼ c................ Julienne Fresh Basil

1. Dice the tomatoes and onion.
2. Slice the garlic.
3. Heat the olive oil and a sauté the tomatoes, onion and garlic until caramelized.
4. Add in the wine and bring to a boil.
5. Add in the mussels and cook until they open. Be careful not to over cook them.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and serve.

  

Be creative, have fun and enjoy!!!

Mom’s Mac & Cheese w/ Ham

My Mom & Dad with my sisters & I

My Mom always made mac & cheese from scratch & we loved it. She would sometimes put ham in it which made it that much better. I never tasted a box mac & cheese until I was way into adulthood. Needless to say, I don't like the boxed kind and still make it form scratch like my Mom but will often add different cheeses.

Cavitopi pasta...................................... 1 lb 

Shredded Fontina cheese...................... ½ lb
Shredded Swiss cheese........................ ½ lb
Blue cheese crumbles........................... 2 oz
Diced ham........................................... ½ lb
Yellow onion........................................ ½ ea
Garlic powder....................................... 2 tsp
Onion powder....................................... 2 tsp
Kosher Salt.......................................... 2 tsp
Tabasco............................................... ¼ tsp
Heavy whipping cream........................... 1½ c 

1.    Boil pasta and strain.

2.    Add rest of ingredients and mix well.

3.    Place in a casserole dish.

4.    Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes covered.

5.    Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes.

This is very decadent.  If you want to make it lower in fat you can replace the heavy whipping cream with skim or low fat milk which is what I do.  You can also replace the Swiss and Fontina cheeses with a low fat cheese.  The blue cheese gives a lot of flavor without a lot of fat so keep it. For you blue cheese haters, you don't really taste it. It just intensifies the flavor. Yes, you can leave it out if you just can't do it. And for those that love it, adding more can through off the balance so be careful. I also like to add a little extra cheese along with some Parmesan on top to give it a little extra crunch. Plus, I love cheese.

For those of you that are vegetarians try replacing the ham with roasted egg plant, artichokes, and roasted red peppers. 

Be creative.  If you want to replace the ham try some taco meat and use cheddar cheese in place of the blue or the Swiss cheese.

Have fun and enjoy!!!