Polenta

A few years ago I was unfamiliar with polenta. Now it's one of my go-to quick dinners. In Italy, polenta is an alternative to pasta, bread, or rice. Made of water, corn meal, and seasonings, it's traditionally and tediously cooked with a great deal of stirring. But you can buy a pound and a half of pre-cooked polenta for two bucks at Winco. It's in the deli area near the cheese and summer sausages.

There are many ways to use polenta; one way I'd like to try is in a chili pie. Pizza-style is the way I usually prepare it. Think pizza in a skillet with a different kind of crust.

1 Polenta log :)
Olive oil
Marinara sauce or pizza sauce
Pizza toppings (peppers, mushrooms, onions, basil)
Shredded mozzarella

Cut the polenta into 1/2" slices. Fry in a little olive oil on med-hi heat until golden brown. Turn and layer with pizza toppings, sauce, and cheese. Cover and cook until sauce is heated through and cheese is melted. This time I didn't have any pepperoni or salami on hand, but that's always a hit with my kids. I usually serve this with a salad and it really does feed my family of four.