Baby, It's Cold Outside!

The most frequent sound I've made over the past several days is "Brrrr!" The usually temperate South is locked in a cold weather pattern that belongs more in Siberia than a region known for peaches and beaches. But, the strange cold snap does present an opportunity I rarely get--a chance to make cold-weather comfort food!

I love what I consider cold-weather dishes, the kinds that require hours of simmering on the stove top or roasting in a hot oven. These are the kinds of foods this North Carolina girl doesn't make in the summer for fear of boosting the internal temperature of our house and making our AC unit whirr round the clock. Scratch-made chicken and pastry, mouthwatering beef stews, and massive pots of fiery chili all fall into this realm. These are dishes that take hours of love to perfect but reward you with memories of meals bubbling away in Mom's kitchen as you warm indoors after romping in a rare eastern NC snow.

Tonight, I'm making my favorite cold-weather meal, one my mom never made but would have loved had she experienced it. I discovered Ragout of Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta just over a year ago in Southern Living magazine, and it's been a favorite ever since. Warm creamy polenta provides a stick-to-your-ribs sensibility while prompting that nostalgic feel with its similarities to the Southern staple of grits. The mushrooms, thyme, and port in the ragout evoke a deep, earthy flavor reminiscent of a hearty beef stew, minus four hours of cooking time, which means I can enjoy this even after a day at the office.

There's a slight possibility of snow tonight, but I won't mind watching flakes fall as I'm enjoying a big bowl of polenta and mushrooms. With any luck, this will be one of those dishes my kids associate with rare snowy days in NC 20 years from now.

Welcome to The Unpackaged Family

What is The Unpackaged Family?
Simply put, The Unpackaged Family is a blog to chronicle our family's journey from a reliance on processed convenience food to more homemade, fresh, and unprocessed choices. As a mom, my desire is to make nutritious, delicious, and fairly quick meals regularly for my family without using processed or artificial ingredients while ending my dependency on packaged convenience food for go-to dinners.

Who is Melissa?
I am a working wife and mom to two boys in North Carolina. From an early age, I've felt my most creative in the kitchen, and my idea of a relaxing weekend usually includes preparing a huge meal for our family. Of course, I'm not always in the kitchen; I also love reading, playing Rock Band with my kids, and watching hockey as often as possible.

How can you get involved?
Blogs are more fun with interaction, so please post comments or email me with any comments or questions. If you have delicious ideas I should try, let me know: buchanan dot melissa at gmail dot com.

Welcome to The Unpackaged Family! Thanks for reading and being involved.

--Melissa