Sausage and Peppers Over Grilled Polenta

For those of you who were watching America's Worse Cooks, I swear I did not copy this from last week's episode. It was already on my menu plan. When I saw that they had to make something similar, I laughed. I guess great minds think alike.

Sausage and Peppers over Grilled Polenta is great. If you have never made polenta, don't shy away. If you really are not comfortable, you can buy Polenta pre-made and just slice it and grill it. No biggie.

I love Polenta. It's a bit bland, but creamy. Almost like grits. I also love grits. Well, I'm a Northern Girl, so I don't get grits often. But I do get them every time I go to The Cracker Barrel...which isn't often because the nearest Cracker Barrel is like an hour and a half away. I love the Cracker Barrel. I love it so much that I have been known to plan vacations around The Cracker Barrel, just so we can eat there on the way to and from our destination. Shhhh....don't tell my husband.

Now, on to the dish. It's really simple.

First, you start with a cup of Cornmeal.


Whisk it into a pot of one cup of salted water.


When it's all mixed in, turn on the heat and add 2 cups of boiling water.



Whisk, whisk, and whisk some more and it will get thick, thick, thick. Once it resembles apple sauce or your arm resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger's arm, it's done. It should be real thick. Turn off the heat.





Pour the Polenta in a lined pan. I used a square Pyrex and lined it with parchment paper. You can use wax or plastic wrap. But I hate plastic wrap. I end up with it and then eventually throwing the whole box across the room. Plastic wrap and I do NOT get along. It's evil, I tell ya!


Anyway, smooth out the polenta, make it all even. As if you were doing a cake batter. Then pop in the fridge for about an hour. This is a great "take a break" meal. Do one half of the meal, then go sit down....watch Judge Judy....or Oprah...or run an errand....then go back to cooking.

Now it's time for the Sausage and Peppers part. First the Sausage.


You need good Italian Sausage. Whether you use Sweet or Hot Sausage is up to you. You can even use a mixture of both.

Take it out of the casing and begin to cook it in a pan. Keep breaking it up as it cooks. You want a nice crumbled look to the meat. Smells sooooo good!!! The herbs and spices in Italian Sausage....there's nothing like it. I grew up in a mostly Italian home, so this is such a homey, comfort scent to me. Makes me feel like a real cook in my kitchen.


While that's browning up, slice up a Bell Pepper. Red. Green. No matter. Do half and half if you want. Throw that in the pan with the browning, crumbled Sausages.


Slice up an onion and add that to the pan.


Add some minced garlic. Toss and mix. Now all the flavors are starting to come together. Your kitchen should be smelling awesome.


When the meat is cooked through and the Peppers and Onions are cooked down and tender, transfer it to a bowl and keep warm. Leave any grease in the pan.

Here comes the part that's going to make you look like such a know it all in the kitchen. You are going to take the Polenta out of the fridge, turn the pan over carefully onto a board, and remove the Polenta. It should come out like a cake.


Then you are going to slice the Polenta into rectangles. Or squares. Or even use a round cookie cutter if you really want to get all fancy dancy. With a spatula, you are going to transfer your slices of Polenta (do a couple at a time) into the pan with the Sausage grease. You are now grilling your Polenta.


Do each side for a few minutes, then plate up. Two Polenta "cakes" topped with a couple of spoonfuls of that Sausage and Peppers mixture.

Oh. It. Is. So. GOOD!! The Polenta comes to life with savory flavorings of the Sausage and the sweet onions.


This is probably one of my favorite dishes that I've made in a long time. Such a great comfort food.