party

It’s official.  Cam, Luke, Greg, and the rest of the Cardiac Cats are totally trying to kill me.  That game, y’all!  I just can’t take it!  It was a super stressful second half, but thankfully we’re moving on to the next game and we’ll be hosting the Angry Birds here again in Panther Nation for another home field advantage.  I hope I survive.

Because it’s Monday.  Because I had several cardiac arrests, a blood pressure emergency, and a head explosion yesterday, we’re starting out this week with beer.

As if I need a reason.

We actually have beer-steamed mussels a lot.  They’re cheap, fast, easy and delicious.  Seriously, a pound at the Publix is usually only about $4.50.

Add beer?  Yes, please!  Mother Earth Brewing is located in Kinston, North Carolina and makes some great craft beer.  How can you not love a brewery that brews beer with sustainable practices and whose motto is Peace, Love & Beer?!?!  I know, right?  These are clearly my kind of people.

Any-hoo, I normally like to include the actual beer bottle or can in some in the photos with food I cook with the beer, but I didn’t this time because this was dinner and no one wants to eat cold and grainy mussels. Bottom line?  The Weeping Willow Wit bottle had already made it to the recycling bin and I wasn’t going back to get it or dinner would be cold.  At least I think Mother Earth Brewing would be proud that I recycled their bottle. 🙂

Any-hoo again.  I tend to get distracted and digress.  These mussels are garlicky and delicious with the floral notes from the Belgian-style Weeping Willow Wit.  If you don’t have Mother Earth where you are, just use your favorite Belgian – a tripel would be awesome.

You could serve them as an appetizer, toss them over pasta with some parmesan (which is what we did and don’t judge me for mixing cheese and fish – I give it an A-OK if it’s parm and pasta is involved), or just hoard them all to yourself with a big piece of crusty bread.

Until next time friends.  In the words of the cool peeps at Mother Earth Brewing, I wish you Peace, Love & Beer.

I also wish you a $700 Amazon gift card, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway!!!! (CLOSED)

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Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Steamed Mussels

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 12 ounce bottle Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Belgian-Style Wit Beer
• 1.5 pounds mussels
• 1/4 cup chopped basil for garnish optional
• 1/2 pound angel hair pasta prepared and optional
• Parmesan to taste, optional

Instructions

1. Combine 1/4 cup flour with a large bowl of water - enough to cover mussels by a couple of inches
2. Add mussels and soak for 20 - 30 minutes
3. Scoop mussels out of flour water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander, discard flour water
4. Scrub mussels and remove the weird hairy beard things by using a towel to grab and pull it off, discard any that don't stay closed
5. Melt butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium heat, add garlic, and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes
6. Transfer mussels from bowl to Dutch oven
7. Add beer, cover, and cook on medium low until mussels open, 8-10 minutes, discard any that don't open
8. Serve over pasta garnished with parmesan and basil if using