using your mussel

Do you ever look at a pile of dishes, laundry, homework, and lists of "things to do", and wonder how you'll get through the next hour, much less the rest of the day?

Then you just pull up your sleeves, use a little ingenuity, muscle, or just take a deep deep breath, you plow through your work, and get it done?

Motivation comes in different forms.  Sometimes we need to treat ourselves once in a while to help us move forward. Nothing feels like a better treat to me, than a nice meal, with a glass of wine.  A "fancy" restaurant meal, either at a restaurant or simply made at home to feel like you're treating yourself at the end of the day, can help you muscle through the trenches and cross the finish line.

Garlic Wine Mussels with Pasta

(adapted from Mario Batali's version)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or butter
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock.
• 2 pounds small mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 pound fettucine (box of 450g)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons salt.

2. In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions,  and cook until light golden brown, about a minute. Add the wine/chicken stock, raise the heat, and bring to a boil, then add the mussels. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all of the mussels have opened, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente; drain well.

4. Add the pasta to the pan with the mussels and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.

Pour yourself a glass of wine, light some candles, and serve.  

{Attending these beautiful  parties...A Beach Cottage, At the Picket Fence, Nifty Thrifty Things}