Creamy Polenta with Roasted Vegetables and Turkey Sausage

Creamy Polenta with Roasted Vegetables and Turkey Sausage

adapted from Williams Sonoma

Creamy polenta is like  warm hug, smooth and creamy. If you don't have fontina use any melty cheese.

Aleppo pepper is one of my new favorite spices. It is peppery but fruity too.

Makes 3 servings                                                        9 WW points / serving

1/2 cup polenta

2 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
6 oz. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
4 oz. brussels sprouts, halved
1 1/2 tsp.. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 oz. shredded fontina cheese
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1. Preheat an oven to 450°F.
2. In a medium saucepot, bring the water and salt to a boil.
3. Stir in the polenta and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the polenta is soft and smooth, about 40 minutes.
5. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
6. In a bowl, toss the squash and brussels sprouts with the olive oil and vinegar, season well with salt and pepper
7. Spread the vegetables into a single on the lined baking sheet,; Add the sausages to the pan.
8. Roast in the preheated oven until the vegetables are tender and the sausages are cooked through, stirring once, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you finish the polenta.
9. When the polenta is soft and creamy, stir in the butter and cheeses until melted; Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Spoon the polenta onto plates; Top with the roasted vegetables and sausage.
11. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Enjoy!

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

adapted from Bon Appetit October 1994

Polenta is nothing more than coarsely ground cornmeal. It differs from grits in the type of corn that is used and the grind. Click this link to learn more.

Makes 3 servings                                                              5 WW points / serving

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup polenta (yellow cornmeal)
1 1/4 cup Homemade chicken stock or canned broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fat free milk
1 Tbsp. Parkay cooking oil spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine water and cornmeal in small bowl.
2. Bring broth to boil in saucepan.
3. Slowly add cornmeal mixture, stirring until well blended.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
5. Mix in 1/4 cup cheese, milk and Parkay; Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle with remaining cheese prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Grilled Steak with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette served with Polenta Stuffed Peppers

We are running out of grilling time in Massachusetts. We have to get the last few days in where ever we can find them.

Grilled Steak with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette
1 large shallot, sliced 

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 Tbsp & 1 tsp sherry vinegar 

1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp parsley leaves 

Salt and freshly ground pepper
Your favorite grilled steaks*
In a small saucepan, cook the shallots in the olive oil over low heat, until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shallots and oil to a small food processor and let cool briefly. Add the vinegar and mustard and puree until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top steaks with vinaigrette and serve.

* We used sirloin strip steaks seasoned lightly with Montreal Grill Seasoning 

Polenta Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Real Simple, May 2009
Serves 2
2  tomatoes, halved

1/2  onion, cut into wedges

2 long bell or poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Dash of ground cinnamon
coarse salt and pepper
1/4 cup instant polenta
4 oz frozen corn (I used corn that I roasted earlier in the season and froze myself)
1 oz cheese of your choosing*
2 scallions, minced
Preheat the broiler. Coat a rimmed foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes (cut side down), onion, and peppers on the sheet, Broil until tender and charred. Reduce the oven to 400° F. 

In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and dash of pepper until smooth. Spread half the sauce in a baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut-side up. 

In a saucepan, bring 1 1/8 cups of salted water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn, cheese, and all but 1 tablespoons of the scallions. Divide the polenta evenly among the peppers. Top with the remaining sauce and bake until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions before serving.
*I used Sartori Reserve BellaVitano because I had a little left in the fridge, It is cheese soaked in raspberry ale.