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Quick Weeknight Dinner Recipes with Polenta
Quick Weeknight Meals Recipe Contest 2009

Two of the winning recipes from September's Quick Weeknight Meals contest included polenta! This creamy, satisfying dinner staple is one of our favorite things. Here are the four polenta recipes from the contest; have you made any of them yet?

 
 

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Recipe Roundup, Quick Weeknight Meals 2009, polenta, quick meals, quick dinners

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Comments (13)

I made this tonight but I substituted mashed potatoes for the polenta. I loved the roasted mushrooms with the potatoes - tasty. This is a good basic recipe that seems as though it would lend itself to a number of variations. Thank you for submitting it!

posted by DegenerateScholar on October 5th 2009 at 5:25pm
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LOVE polenta.
I wish I would have submitted my own polenta with mushrooms and bacon recipe.

I also like it with shrimp and corn.

posted by orchidgirl1979 on October 5th 2009 at 6:29pm
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I went to the Whole Foods last night to buy the ingredients for Jean's Roasted Vegetables on Creamy Polenta because its sounds awesome! However, the only "polenta" I could find looks like its already made in a weird tube looking thing (simlar looking to a tube of breakfast sausage). I couldn't find the uncooked polenta grains anywhere. Is the already-cooked option just as good? I'm so confused!

posted by kwhit9tl on October 6th 2009 at 7:50am
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kwhit9tl - polenta is really just uncooked, coarse cornmeal, which can be found in the bulk bins at Whole Foods. (It's cheap!) The polenta in a tube is good for quick meals when you want the polenta firm and toasted in the oven, but it's already been cooked to a firm state.

Here's a post with more info on what polenta is...
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/good-questions/good-question-what-is-polenta--088313

posted by faith on October 6th 2009 at 9:01am
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I tried the Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and it was so delicious. I substituted gorgonzola for the parmesan. This dish even converted my roommate, who was previously a lifelong mushroom hater. She has made just the mushrooms several times already!

posted by lehottomato on October 6th 2009 at 9:43am
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i made the polenta with black beans and substituted beet greens for the chard. i made homemade polenta so instead of little round disks i had sticks. i also grated parmesan cheese on top of everything and it was delicious.

posted by amyjasek on October 6th 2009 at 9:54am
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Made te polenta with roasted mushrooms last night - it was so good. Congratulations to Kasia!

posted by Sousani on October 6th 2009 at 9:57am
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I've also bought one of the Polenta 'tubes'. Can that be substituted for the uncooked polenta? Can that be coaxed to be creamy like the uncooked polenta? Thanks!

posted by streeter on October 6th 2009 at 2:42pm
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If its the same kind of polenta tube I get it says you can make it creamy again. I enjoy slicing little cakes off it and pan frying it until a little crispy.

posted by sleeping spot on October 6th 2009 at 2:49pm
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I got mine from Trader Joes, so I'm not sure if you can get it creamy again or not. Any ideas?

posted by streeter on October 6th 2009 at 4:25pm
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I made the spinach-parm polenta as a side (w/ roasted salmon and cauliflower). It was my first time making polenta, but it was so easy and so delicious, it won't be the last!

posted by kreyno4 on October 6th 2009 at 6:24pm
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to all the tube polenta people out there - honestly, skip it. it really doesn't take much longer to make polenta from scratch (look for cornmeal or even yellow grits if you aren't finding polenta in grain form at your supermarket).

i've tried the tube polenta and while it is good if you want to fry up some firm cubes of polenta, the real polenta flavor is not there. if you are trying to re cream-ify it, don't, you'll be disappointed! the real deal is the tastiest, and honestly is pretty hard to mess up!

posted by kasiav on October 6th 2009 at 8:03pm
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i usually make my own polenta and just have some firm stuff on hand in the fridge for slicing and frying or baking. but, i do appreciate ready-made polenta in tubes. i keep some in the pantry when i need a really, really quick and filling meal.

you can buy stuff labeled 'polenta' or you can make it from regular cornmeal. you can make it creamy with milk and butter or you can make it thick with water. you can add frozen or canned corn or chiles. it can be mexican, italian, caribbean, whatever. it's always delicious.

posted by bobbiek on October 7th 2009 at 9:57am
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