Amy - This is my variation on a dish I had in old Quebec. Mine's better!  Fear not, no calories will be lost by eating this dish! 
Quote: Mussels with White Wine Sauce & Parmesan
(Copyright 2007 by Bill Oehler, Regina, Saskatchewan)
(serves 2 as a meal or 4-6 as an appetizer)
Ingredients:
• 2 lbs (1 kilo) mussels (or clams)
• 2 T rendered bacon fat
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped & then mashed
• 1 T white all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups white wine (oaked chardonnay preferred, (i.e., Lindeman’s Bin 65)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35% fat)
• ¼ cup parmesan (ground)
• 4 T fresh parsley or chervil
• 1 loaf of fresh French bread, sliced or torn
(Recipe can be doubled)
Preparation:
The key aspect of this recipe is to end up with a sauce that is thicker than water and contains big flavors though not so much as to overpower the mussels. Thus, the reduced wine adds flavor not more liquid; similarly the heavy cream versus half & half or milk. The final trick that prevents this from being too thick is adding the mussels and covering the pan. As they cook, the mussels release their juices and this keeps the sauce at the correct consistency once you perform the final stir.
1. Start wine in a separate wide pan or skillet (the wider the pan, the quicker the evaporation) at the same time that you begin cleaning the mussels or when you begin to cook the onions. To retain the maximum flavor of the wine, it must be heated at the lowest possible temperature that maintains a simmer. Reduce wine to ½ cup (approximately 15-20 minutes, re-measure frequently) and set aside. (750 ml takes about 30 min.)
2. While the wine is reducing, wash mussels in large bowl using cold water, scrubbing vigorously with brush and change water several times, de-beard mussels, and discard any that are cracked or open. Some open ones are still alive and will close with the scrubbing, so make your decision after scrubbing, not before. If they don’t close, they are dead and must be discarded. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt bacon fat over medium-high heat in a large pan with lid (i.e., soup pot, saucier pan). Do not let it smoke!
4. Add onions and cook for approximately 5-10 min. depending upon your preference. If you cook to the minimum, onions will stay white, while to the maximum time they will start to turn brown. Each flavor is good but different.
5. Just prior to finishing onions, add garlic and cook for 30 sec.
6. Stir in flour with wooden spoon until it is combined thoroughly.
7. Add cream and parmesan and continue cooking on medium heat until the mixture starts to boil.
8. Add wine and stir until combined thoroughly.
9. Add mussels, stir in thoroughly, turn heat to high, and cover for 2-3 minutes, but no more as they will toughen.
10. Remove lid, stir thoroughly, remove all mussels that remain closed (they are dead and must not be eaten), add parsley and stir once more.
Serve in large communal bowl, with French bread on the side.
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May be too similar to what you just made, but I wanted to share this.