Polenta with Corn and Thyme

When I was a little girl, I remember many times waking up to find my dad standing over a large pot, its contents steaming away as my dad would whisk it into submission.
"What'chya make'n?" I'd ask in a sleepy daze.
"Cornmeal mush." He'd reply with a smile. "Watch." he'd say with excitement, "the fun part is about to begin."
Quickly I would push a chair up next to him and scramble up to see my dad work his magic.
"See this?" he'd say, showing me a small cup of yellow cornmeal.
"Yeah."
"This little cup is about to make a whole pot full of cornmeal mush! Just watch."
I held my breath as I watched my dad carefully pour the cornmeal into the pot. The contents bubbled and boiled, breathing its hot breath across my face. It smelt of sweet corn and milk. And before I could ask what was in the pot, the mixture began to thicken and grow. As it hissed and plopped loud bubbles against the walls of the pot, I watched as it doubled, tripled, and quadrupedal in size. I was amazed.
"There," my dad said proudly, "that looks about right. Here. Have a taste and tell me what you think."
After blowing on it a few times, I took a bite and was amazed at the creamy, warm, sweet taste of cornmeal mush.

My first exposures to cornmeal was a unique one. Most people have it in the form of cornbread. But I was one of the lucky ones. I grew up eating cornmeal mush for breakfast quite regularly. It was a cheap and delicious way to make a large breakfast without breaking the budget or sacrificing flavor. As an adult, I learned that it was basically a combination of yellow cornmeal, water, milk, butter, and sugar. That was it. But I loved it. And to this day, I still enjoy watching the magic of the cornmeal mixture thickening and growing in the pot. For that very reason, I enjoyed making this polenta recipe. It has the texture of cornmeal mush and is basically made in the exact same way except that, rather than being a sweet dish, this one is a savory one. Now I can have my delicious cornmeal mush in the form of breakfast and dinner!

It is amazing how far these few ingredients will go. From just half a cup of yellow cornmeal, I was able to feed my entire family! With its warm creamy texture, and its sweet and savory flavor, this recipe makes for some great comfort food. And for me, it will always remind me of those early mornings, watching the magic of cornmeal and how it can grow into an entire meal.

Polenta with Corn and Thyme

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup canned, or frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
garlic salt and ground pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. (Reserve other tablespoon of butter for later use.) Add corn and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is warmed through. Add whole milk and water and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in yellow cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and creamy, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter (reserved from earlier) and grated Parmesan. Season with garlic salt and ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

I reek of Seattle. I have pale skin that will burn even in the shade. When I go to a coffee shop I often order something like a grande triple shot, no whip, no foam, soy milk, skinny cinnamon dolce latte. I like to play my acoustic guitar at open mic nights in some mom and pop cafe. If it is 60 degrees and sunny, I will wear shorts and sandals and a big warm sweat shirt. I like to do art on my free time. I am guilty of having sat in a cafe with my laptop while attempting to write a story. I can spend hours in a book store or at an organic farmers market. I have a blog. And about 95% of the year I spend indoors out of the rain.

But every now and then my Californian roots show their colors.

The majority of my family on both my mother and father's side grew up in California. Because of this, I have found that a lot of my family's eating habits reflect that of the California area. Although I grew up in the Northwest, an area riddled with seafood, we usually avoided seafood due to my mom's severe shellfish allergy. So, consequently, I was raised on the food my parents grew up with. A lot of it was Mexican style cuisine since we lived in Southern California, close to the Mexican border. And in our household there was one item in particular we always had stocked: avocados. Given that avocados grow best in a warm weather climate, they can be found practically everywhere in California. Because of this, everyone in my family grew up eating them regularly. There were times I remember my mom slicing an avocado in half, handing me a spoon, and letting me just eat the avocado right from its rind. 

Naturally, being an avocado lover myself, I immediately fell in love with this recipe. It celebrates the flavor of avocado while keeping the dish light and refreshing. It would be great for a picnic lunch, or as a cold dish on a hot day. It is a quick and easy meal to make which is always a plus in my book! And for me, it was a taste of home.

Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 avocado, diced small

1 1/2 cup purple grapes, halved

3/4 cup avocado dressing (recipe posted below)

coarse salt and ground pepper

4-6 large slices sourdough bread, toasted

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, shallots, avocado, grapes, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve on toast.

Avocado Dressing

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 cup buttermilk

1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and light-green parts only)

1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water

coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)