Nothing warms your soul like a bowl of hot creamy polenta. This is the ultimate winter comfort food that is surprisingly easier than most think.
2021! We made it!!!!
Even though I know nothing really changed overnight, it just feels like a better, more hopeful new year! Of course I started writing this post on Wednesday morning and by Wednesday afternoon was witnessed the horror of an angry mob of Trump supporters storming the capitol. Did law enforcement treat this act of domestic terrorism in the same way peaceful protesters were treated this summer, no. Did our President step up and do something about it, not at all. Instead he stood by inciting, applauding and praising. It was a truly sad and shameful display of what hate and lies is capable of in the United States.
On a more positive note because we need all need it, YES GEORGIA YES! From a girl who grew up right next door in Texas, I want to thank Georgia (and of course Stacy Abrams) for getting out and voting for change, for diversity and for flipping the Senate!!!!
Ok back to this… It’s funny, almost every year I have big plans to make a list of intentions for myself for the new year. This time it’s different. With the dumpster fire that was 2020 I decided to throw my usual list of intentions out the window and just focus on 3 basic mottos. Like a little mental mantra to recite to myself. And I’m feeling pretty good about it so far.
Be kind to myself.
Be kind to my friends.
Be Brave: Try new things.
That’s it. That sums up what I hope for myself in the new year. To love myself a bit more, be a better kinder friend and put myself out there.
Looking ahead, it’s the start of a new week with lots of new school happenings for our household. A new longer school schedule both at school/virtual for my oldest, homeschool for my little one and as of about a month ago, I decided to finally buckle down and teach my kids Spanish. Vamos!
I’m excited in a strange way for the actual start of winter in the Twin Cities. Snow is here and I’m pumped! I’ve finally grown to love the snow and it’s possibilities. Snow play, sledding, snow shoeing, hopefully skiing this year, and of course the cozy charm of a hot mug of cocoa in front of the fireplace after. I am feeling positive about this winter. It also helps that I vowed to leave my negativity back in 2020.
Food wise, we are loving the cozy winter meals. One of our favorites that we just made after an absence of about a year was creamy polenta! Oh my, we were missing out. Creamy polenta is the perfect hearty warm pillow for hearty red sauces with roasted veggies or meat, braised or saucy beans, braised greens or even beef (or veg) roasts.
Polenta gets a bad reputation in my opinion for being so difficult and time intensive. But in reality it is all about a little attention and stirring love.
The way we like our Polenta is with half water and halve milk. We have made polenta with both dairy and non dairy milk (oatmilk) and both are absolutely creamy and delicious.
As for the topping, you aim for something flavor packed and preferably saucy. I’m talking hearty red sauce either with roasted veggies or meat/lamb/ sausage, mushrooms in wine or butter sauce, braised greens with a soft egg on top, or even balsamic cooked peppers.
Our last 2 polenta meals were both very different and very delicious. The first was polenta topped with salsa alla norma or a roasted eggplant in tomato sauce. The second polenta was topped with sausage, a soft poached egg and blue cheese crumbles. Both uncomplicated and flavor packed.
4 as a side
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups water
- 2.5 cups milk (dairy or oat milk are the 2 we like to use)
- 1 cup medium or coarse cornmeal/polenta (we link Bob’s Red Mill)
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil to taste
Instructions
- Add water and milk to a large saucepan. Turn to high heat and slowly add cornmeal while whisking.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then lower the heat stirring every so often until polenta starts to thicken. Make sure to scrape the bottom as you stir. Cook and stir for about 25-35 minutes. Taste for salt. Lastly stir in olive oil or butter.
Notes
Recipe can be made vegan by using vegan butter or olive oil and making polenta with non dairy oat milk.
Photo via Sandra Valvasorri. Check out her Mushroom Bourguignon Recipe too!
Originally posted 2021-01-09 17:13:05.
Bethany says
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