Name: Mussels with Cream, Fennel, and White Wine
Yield: Makes 6 first-course servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter; 1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb; 2 shallots, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 teaspoons fennel seeds; 1 1/2 cups dry white wine; 1/2 cup whipping cream; 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded

"My profession as a real estate agent requires a lot of my time," writes Edi Meadows Morrissette of Westin, Florida, "so it helps that I am lightning-fast in the kitchen. I cook every day, and on the weekends I sometimes make three meals a day. I accomplish that by following my main cooking principles: (1) do a lot of prep work, and (2) keep the kitchen well stocked. For example, at holiday time I might chop onions in advance or bake bread the day before company arrives. And since I converted the bedroom next to my kitchen into a pantry for extra storage, I know I'll always have the right ingredients at my fingertips."

Use crusty French bread or the roasted garlic cheese toasts to soak up the fennel-flavored juices.

Recipe notes

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