Caroline Dines

After digging for our dinner, I had worked up quite an appetite. We started the evening off with some Riesling, provided generously by my great-aunt.

I brought some Chili Lime Spiced Mixed Nuts from Trader Joe’s. These were bought with my Dad in mind but I think the rest of us enjoyed them as well.  While they were a bit spicy the fire didn’t last and it was balanced nicely by the lime flavor. Overall they reminded me of a really delicious Thai food dish. A definite must try!

We also munched on the old standby: Chips and Salsa. However these chips were the Spicy flax variety from Trader Joe’s. The salsa was another TJ’s purchase, just the original chunky salsa which I seem to like best when the chip really has a standout flavor like these.

While happy hour had commenced on the porch, the clams and mussels were busy steaming. Of course there are many methods of cooking mussels, (and clams for that matter) but tonight we opted for the simplest possible: just water! I believe these were steamed for about 5 -10 minutes. Just enough time to allow the shells to open up.

My pre-dinner plate. Notice the Swedish Meatballs in the background. Not sure how well clams, mussels and meatballs pair together but I wasn’t one to complain since I loved everything that was served.

Me: Happy as a clam (eating my clams!)

A closer look at the mussel. I ate my clams and mussels plain. I opened the shell and dipped them in the broth that they were cooked in just to be sure I wasn’t eating any grit. I went without the melted butter since I really wanted to taste the food itself. Did you know that mussels are an excellent source of selenium, and vitamin B12? They are also very low in fat but high in protein. A great choice if you don’t need the butter!

I was still hungry for more when the real dinner was served. This is classic fare for the island. Swedish Meatballs (we cheated and bought Ikea brand) with gravy, Lingonberry jam, Island potatoes, and summer squash, zucchini and tomato sauce all cooked together.

I can’t believe I still had room for this but I did; my grandmother’s lemon cake topped with whipped cream and two scoops of light ice cream on the side.

After this big meal all I could do was sit and read. This wasn’t a problem though since I am trying desperately to finish my book (which I love) so I can go see the movie before it leaves the theaters!

We did manage to take a short walk later on just to stretch our legs and take in the beautiful night.