Fried Chicken and Cheesesteaks

I love mussels. I love them even more when I can get a frozen package of two pounds of cooked mussels in their shell for 4.62 at the Super Walmart. (If you are using fresh mussels, please read my instrustions and precautions here ) To heat the already cooked mussels: Boil a pot of water, and heat the mussels in their inner plastic bag. For the yummy, yummy sauce: Heat pot over medium heat, add 3-4 tablespoons olice oil. Chop about 8 shallots (or 1 large onion), and add them to the pot. Chop 3-4 cloves of garlic, throw them in too. Add a few tablespoons of butter, some salt, pepper and a cup of white wine. Add two tomatoes, diced, or one can of diced tomatoes. Then you need to add broth. I used the seafood broth concentrate from Penzeys mixed with more wine :) Open the mussels and add them, with the liquid in their bags, to the mix. Serve with a crusty baguette!

A week or so ago we did a little clam boil with friends. I layered corn on the cob, sliced kielbasa, with live clams and mussels. I added a little white wine and a little water, and then cooked it until the all the shells popped open*. We made a grand old mess while we enjoyed the feast. But the best part was the next day. I started with a simple roux - 1/2 a stick of butter went into the pan with about 1/4 cup of flour. I stirred this frequently over medium heat until it was a toasted-nut scented paste. To this I added seafood bisque concentrate, and then about 8 cups of water but if I didn't have that on hand I would have used low sodium chicken broth. I added about a tablespoon of half-sharp paprika as well. I cut the kernels off the leftover corn cobs, chopped the kielbasa into smaller pieces, and picked all the remaining clam and mussels from their shells. My sister arrived while I was making the soup, so I opened a can of clams from my pantry and added them as well (along wit...