Next time ditch the pre-made and make polenta from scratch. Trust another Laura :) it isn't too hard and tastes so much better than packaged. And if you have leftovers the polenta seizes when it cools giving you the formed version like the pre-made log. Best of both worlds!

I'm totally with Faith on this one - I love it for breakfast with syrup - also good with a fried egg.

The polenta rolls are the gateway drug - if you are like me, you will soon discover the joy of pots of creamy polenta - rolls and home-made creamy are both great experiences!

The is a dish called gnocchi alla romana. It is basically you frying them and then layering them in a baking dish and sprinkling cheese on top then baking it until the cheese melts.

I love to make a tomato sauce with Italian sausage and lots of sliced up green bell pepper and serve it over polenta (either the sliced or homemade kind).
I like to serve creamy polenta as a side dish- this week I made polenta with basil and smoked gouda and served it alongside broccoli and roasted chicken.

I always enjoyed slicing this up and frying it in the grill pan until brown and crispy on the outside. It makes a great side or snack. I've never tried it with cheese on top, but I 'm sure you could use these with dishes that have a lot of juice or sauce very nicely.

Polenta fries! Slice it into thick, steak-fry sized planks, bread them and fry 'em up. Dust them with some grated parm or romano and dip them in any sauce you would serve over pasta.

You can also slice them into rounds, and top them with a slice of cheese, a poached egg, and salsa - huevos rancheros style.

Slice it about 1 cm thick, pat it dry and fry in a pan with a shallow layer of olive oil. Once it is golden brown, remove from pan and top with parmesan and cracked black pepper. Serve with pork chops, chicken or whatever meat floats you boat. YUM. If you were really feeling crazy, you could top it with some sauteed mushrooms in a little gravy.

I like the flavored varieties. The basil one is good. It's a great side for a busy weeknight.

After you slice it, I would dust the 'rounds' in a little flour (Wondra is great for this) and then pan fry them. This way, they get a beautiful, brown, crispy crust.

I've seen them sliced and baked to be used as mini-pizza crusts and burger buns in gluten-free recipes.

Slice them then layer pasta sauce and any kind of cheese you have. I keep polenta rolls around for emergencies when there's nothing to eat in my house.

we pan sear them and top a few with scrambled eggs, salsa and avocado. It stands in as an alternative to toast and is such a great combo!

I recently had rosemary polenta (polenta, rosemary, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, salt and pepper). The main dish was a beef stew and the flavors complemented each other perfectly!

We keep a roll in the house for quick dinners. We just slice it into 1/4 to 1/2 slices and warm them up in a non-stick pan. The slices are great as a base for just about anything you'd serve with rice or pasta or potatoes. Sometimes we'll put fried eggs and sauteed veggies on top, or chili, pulled pork, chunky red marinara, beef stew, etc. Definitely one of our pantry staples!

The easiest way to use it, is to just use it as you would pasta. Slice and serve it with a sauce and cheese over the top. It's good if you have friends who are on gluten free diets.

If you want to try creamy polenta before you dive into the homemade version (it is super easy) chunk up the roll, warm up in the microwave, then beat with beaters and milk/cream until the lumps are gone. It will give you a good idea of the consistency to shoot for when making it from scratch.

Try slicing, spraying with olive oil and putting over indirect heat on the grill. Then top with any of the suggested toppings above.

Alternately, make stacks with a slice of polenta on bottom topped with a slice fresh mozzarella, slice of tomato. Bake in oven until cheese is just softened and top with fresh basil.

From scratch is so easy and tasty. The first time I bought it pre-made, this is what I did with it:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/polenta_sausage_mozzarella_casserole/

I never knew what to do with this either, but we did the "brown the edges til crispy" thing and ate it up. I want to try the home made polent now, though :)

http://munchtalk.blogspot.com/

I keep some on hand for when gluten-allergic friends are joining us for dinner. It makes great alt-"dumplings" since it's already set. I'll often warm through in the microwave, mix with some fresh grated parm, then scoop into balls to top braised pork or chicken dishes, or as others have said, serve with pasta sauces.
Agree with other posters, though - making from scratch is easy and tastes much better if you have the time.

You can use it for "polenta lasagna" -- basically thin slices used like noodles in a regular lasagna recipe. It's pretty quick, since you don't have to cook the noodles.

I agree with 2Lorah--the logs aren't as good as homemade, and fresh polenta isn't hard to make. It's great with a basic mariana sauce, or sausage and sauteed spinach.