CAPRESE POLENTA BAKE

With cold weather approaching (rather quickly if you ask me) comfort food starts making a comeback into our family meals.  Comfort food usually means calorie laden and rather heavy.  Over the week-end I tried to play around with a little bit comfort and a little bit healthy and created this flavorful Caprese Polenta Bake.  We grilled some steaks and served this bake with an Arugula & White Bean Salad w/ Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe to be posted soon).  You get the comfort from the creamy, cheesy polenta and the healthy from the fresh grape tomatoes and basil. This was my last ditch effort to create a little something "fall" with the last flavors of summer. It turned out perfect, made my kitchen smell wonderful and got a lot of "OH's and AH's" when it was taken out of the oven!!!

INGREDIENTS: 

-  4 cups Chicken Broth (32 oz.)

-  3 cups water (can add extra to thin out polenta if needed)

-  1 tsp. Pasta Sprinkle Seasoning (can use a mixture of dried basil & oregano)

-  2 cups Dell'Alpe Instant Polenta

-  2 tsp. tomato paste

-  1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

-  1/8 tsp. salt

-  fresh ground black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

-  2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)

-  1/2 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes

-  2 TB. fresh basil

-  1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

-  sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In large saucepan bring chicken broth, water and spices to a boil   Once boiling add polenta.  Turn

     heat down to medium and continuously stir with a wooden spoon.

3.   Add tomato paste and parmesan cheese. Stir until smooth.

4.   Spray 8x8 baking dish with Pam.

5.   Scoop half of the polenta mixture into dish and spread evenly.

6.  Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella to the top of polenta.

7.   Top with remaining polenta mixture.

8.   Sprinkle top with remaining cup of shredded mozzarella.

9.   Place halved tomatoes, cut side up, to the top of the cheese.

10. Add chopped basil to top of
tomatoes.

11. Drizzle top with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

12. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.

A Good Luck Meal For The New Year!

Funny story....a few months after I started dating my now husband we celebrated New Year's Eve and New Year's day together.  On New Years Day he looked at me and said "oh man, we need to make saurkraut and kielbasa today!"  My first reaction..."WHY?"  He went on to tell me that his mom always made saurkraut and kielbasa on New Years Day for good luck.  This to me was slightly strange coming from a family with the last name of "Francesconi" !  Sure a big bowl of pasta and meatballs would make more sense...but a crock pot full of saurkraut, kielbasa and pork?  That did not sound like an italian tradition to me.  BUT....I thought it was the cutest thing ever that he wanted to keep up the traditions that his parents created.  We called his mom, got her recipe and made this good luck meal for the New Year!  Now, years later, we make it a must on our New Years Day menu....I call it "Grandma Sconi's Saurkraut and Kielbasa". 

This meal will literally melt in your mouth.  It is slow cooked in a crock pot for 4 to 6 hours.  You can serve it with mashed potatoes, potatoe pancakes or pierogies.  It creates a juice/gravy that is to die for!  I have never been a saurkraut person...but as soon as I tasted this recipe...I was hooked!


GRANDMA SCONI'S SAURKRAUT & KIELBASA 

• 32 oz. saurkraut (drained and rinsed)
• 2 lbs. boneless country style pork ribs
• olive oil
• 1 apple - peeled and cut into thin wedges
• 3 garlic cloves sliced thin
• 1 onion - peeled and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 lb. polish kielbasa sausage ( cut into 4 inch pieces)
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Salt and pepper all sides of the pork.  Heat about 1-2 TB. olive oil in a frying pan.  Brown pork on all sides.
2. Add drained and rinsed saurkraut, browned pork, kielbasa, white wine, chicken broth, garlic and onion to a crockpot.  Add fresh ground pepper and mix well.
3. Slow cook in crockpot for 4 to 6 hours stirring occasionally.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes, potatoe pancakes or pierogis

Roasted Lemon & Rosemary Chicken

I don't think there is anything better than the smell of a chicken roasting in the oven.  Roasting a chicken is super simple, very delicious and you can get at least two meals out of it (depending on the size of your family).  I roast my chicken with some lemons and some fresh rosemary.  To accompany my Roasted Lemon & Rosemary Chicken I threw together some ingredients to make a wonderful pan gravy, some Roasted Rosemary & Olive Oil Potatoes and Fresh Green Beans with Shallots & Bacon.  This meal is so easy to make, but it takes like you slaved over it in the kitchen for hours!

*Photo Courtesy of Fine Cooking