Polenta

While my son and his family (vegan and gluten free) were here I fixed homemade polenta. We loved it! It was easy! Why haven't I fixed this before?
I know why; I'd read that you had to stir it constantly on top of the stove for a very long time to make it. I don't like to do that so I don't make things that require that amount of dedication. First I had a mishap making some corn bread; it was a strange recipe but basically I made polenta with regular cornmeal with sugar in the water. It was supposed to cool before turning it into cornbread but when I got back to the kitchen it was gone....eaten completely by my sons; well maybe only one son. So the next day I made a double batch so they could eat it AND I could try the corn 'puffs' bread recipe. The recipe did not puff but they ate the corn cookies anyway and I learned I could make polenta. I started looking for coarse ground cornmeal and saw this:

In the cereal aisle, not the baking aisle with the other cornmeal. I bought 2 bags and made it that night. I used the recipe on the bag; 3 parts water 1 part cornmeal, some salt and I added some garlic powder. I cooked 3 cups of cornmeal and should have fixed more for 7 main dish servings.) After cooking on the stove for 5 minutes! Stirring occasionally! I dumped it into 2 loaf pans and let it cool. When cool (really it is better if it is cool completely, it is easier to slice cool, but I had to work with it warm the first 2 times I made it...planning ahead really helps) slice it and fry it. Let the pan and oil get nice and hot before adding the polenta. (I've used olive oil, vegetable oil, and peanut oil...all good although I liked the olive oil the best. The polenta bubbles and pops when it is boiling and then the oil spatters....the stove is not still a mess; I promise!)

 The crispy bits are the best on each slice. I served it with our new favorite spaghetti sauce;

with a side of onions and mushrooms. (You're right not all the kids like mushrooms and onions but Roger and I do, I did not fix the mushrooms the first night, a can of green beans worked fine for a group of kids.)

You can add cheese if you want. It is verrrry good.

I know I haven't blogged much lately but we are doing well. I've tried some new recipes, read some new cookbooks and done some quilting. School starts Monday and I'll have more time to blog. Why do 2 kids take up so much time? I know I have a hard time settling in with my own projects when I keep thinking about what they are doing and what I should be getting them to do.....