I like mussels, and not just because they’re awesome, but because they force you to enjoy them.  Imagine the scarf action that would accompany a bowl of mussels sans shells.   You’d probably eat twice as many and enjoy them half as much.  Thankfully, shelled mussels give you the time to chew patiently between each perfectly rationed bite.

The simplicity of staple restaurant apps continues to surprise me.  Less than ten minutes of prep and even less time to cook – really??  The mussels were just about ready to be removed from heat when I realized I hadn’t even unpacked the asparagus from my grocery sack.  Luckily asparagus cooks quickly as well.

Eatingwell.com has once again provided the foundation for a simple, rock solid dinner.