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Dear readers, would you please take a moment to look at this site www.gratitudeamerica.org
In collaboration with Easter Seals, GratitudeAmerica's mission is to assist communities in building local programs to support U.S. veterans, their families and families of the fallen.
The partnership will provide a central source to connect communities and veterans with the myriad of programs assisting with reintegration, employment, education, wellness and family stability, as well as options for housing, transportation and recreation. These American heroes are owed a debt we can never fully repay, but we are passionate about making a significant difference in their lives.
many thanks,
Crabby |
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Sea Star* Vacations, like us on facebook! |
the classic recipe for steamed mussels -- you know, the big bowl of mussels bathed in white wine, butter and garlic with crunchy bread for dipping all that savory broth
The quality of the ingredients matters. Buy the best mussels and good sweet butter and use a white wine you'd drink. Figure on a pound of mussels per person for a main course; this recipe serves 2, you're going to want to double it!!
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
* 2 lb live mussels
* 3 T unsalted butter
*1 cup white wine
*2 chopped scallions or 1 chopped shallot
* 2-3 cloves fine chopped garlic, fresh chopped parsley
Scrub and debeard the mussels. The "beard" is the fibrous thing hanging from one side of the tasty bivalve. Pull it off with a side-to-side motion.
In case you are wondering, a mussel is alive if it reacts. Its shell should be closed. If it is open, sit the mussel on the kitchen counter for a bit. It may close when you are not looking or tap it, If it doesn't close toss it out.
Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large, wide-bottomed pot with a lid; I use a Dutch oven. Saute the shallot or green onion until it is soft but not browned. Add the garlic cloves
Add the white wine (I'd suggest a chenin blanc or something crisp, but you can use any decent white), and bring it to a boil. Add the mussels in one layer if possible. Add parsley, but save some for garnish
Cover the pot and let the mussels steam for 3-8 minutes. After three minutes, check the mussels; many should be open. You want them all open, but some will do this faster than others.
As soon as most of the mussels are open, turn off the heat. Cover for a minute while you prepare bowls and plates.
Spoon out plenty of mussels and broth, which should be briny enough to not need any more salt. Throw out any mussels that did not open.
Serve with crusty bread, a bottle of chilled white wine -- and an extra bowl for the shells |
Happy Labor Day to all my readers!
September is our most favorite time of year at the beach, the crowds are gone, the weather is spectacular, restaurants are offering the best seafood the gulf has to offer, rates are down, and while it may be a tad early, Silver Sands is having unbelievable sales, holidays are just around the corner!
*Most Americans consider Labor Day a uniquely American experience, but Labor Day has its origins in Canada, in Toronto, in 1872 a parade was held in support of a strike against the 58 hour workweek. As a result, 24 union leaders who were responsible for organizing the event were arrested under anti-union laws.
*What's outrageous enough to spur ten thousand people to parade through NYC? A 12 hour workweek! In the late 19th century, the average working day consisted of 12 hours, the first Labor Day rally was held to support the 8 hour workday.
*Grover Cleveland makes Labor Day a national holiday Making Labor Day an official national holiday as part of his political campaign in 1894, and signed a law making Labor Day an officially recognized US holiday.
* First Waffle House opens on Labor Day *In 1955, in Avondale Estates, Georgia, the very first Waffle House opened its doors to the public. Yay waffles!
* Unofficial NFL season kickoff the NFL plays its first official season game the Thursday after Labor Day.
Have fun, enjoy today, and remember to take a break and come see me at the beach!
Crabby |
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A portion of proceeds from reservations you book thru SeaStar* is donated to animal charties. Breeders are responsible for approx. 4 million unwanted animals in shelters across the country. We can fix this starting at a local level if all of us would take some kind of action: adopt, foster, volunteer, or donate. We are so grateful to all of you who join us in protecting and defending the most loyal and loving among us. |
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LAYAWAY IS BACK! | | | | We decided to start Vaca-Lay-Away earlier this year. So many of you took advantage of this exclusive offer from SeaStar that we decided to bring it back a little bit earlier this year, It's easy:
Call us : 706.490.3992 or visit the website www.seastarvacations.net and set up a Lay Away account.
SeaStar* Vacations exclusive VACA~ LAY~ AWAY makes it easy to afford a trip to our world famous sugar sand beaches by allowing you to put it on layaway, it works just like it did when we were kids. You can book it with as little as $300.00 down, and you can plan your vacation up to 12 months in advance!
Spread The Payments Out The size of the payment and the number of payments will depend on how much time exists between the first payment on your trip and the date the final payment is due ,final payment due 45 days prior to the start of the reservation.
Plan Ahead - to get the most benefit out of a VACA ~LAY ~AWAY give yourself plenty of lead time. Plan today for the trip you want 6-10 months from now.
If the price of your chosen condo or home goes up you are protected from the price increase.
We handle the accounting, providing receipts and letting you know your balance after each payment is made. Once we reserve your vacation, you may make payments as you wish, the balance is due 45 days before your arrival. There are no fees attached to this simple way to get the perfect place and make it affordable.
See 'ya at the beach!
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