Polenta Suggestion~

[WWCarol]

When I made my polenta the other day, (1 cup polenta to 4 cups of boiling water with 1 TBS. of Better Than Bouillion, Chicken-Flavor in an 8 cup Pyrex measuring bowl; microwave on "high" for 15 minutes, stirring often in the first few minutes and then occasionally at the end)...Before I poured it into the bread pan to "set up" so I could slice it, I added a cup of SALSA! It was amazingly good!

Now, I figure, I could add the salsa at the beginning, using it to make the 4 cups of liquid~

Also, I got a hint off the WW board: I'm going to add my whole wheat couscous to Lipton's Onion Soup Mix in boiling water (Core) instead of chicken broth...I'll let you know how it turns out, and tastes~

[AdamandEve]

Where do you purchase the dry polenta? Is is called something different?

I like the idea of the lipton soup mix and couscous. My husband really doesn't like the taste of it so I don't get to cook it up as much as I like.

Eve

[Rachelle]

So this is probably a silly question - is polenta core? I thought my food companion said it wasn't - please confirm! If it is then I am going to start cooking it as well.

Rachelle.

[WWCarol]

Polenta is definitely Core! :D

I think it can also be called "medium grind" or "coarse grind" cornmeal~

To the southern Buddies~ Are grits (Core, also) the same thing as polenta?

It's yummy. Kind of like comfort food. You can also add a WAP and stir in a Laughing Cow or Light Velveeta or Tostito Con Queso (cheese sauce) to make "Cheesy Polenta"~

[jillwbee]

I've only had the polenta in the roll that they sell in the "healthy food" section of the produce department. I love it and really need to learn how to make my own.

[Rachelle]

Awesome - and thanks for the suggestions!

Rachelle.

[WWCarol]

Jill~ In the microwave? It's as EASY to make as bulgar! :D

[jillwbee]

Great~I'm on it! :headover:

[bookwoman]

I'm Italian and have never made polenta! I've always been afraid it would be really hard to do. OK WWCarol, I'll give it a try.

[oystergirl]

grits are NOT polenta--grits are made from hominy corn--a totally different tasting corn...i also get my polenta premade at trader joes--but this recipe sounds GREAT---i also love to cut rounds of polenta, and then put a spoonful of vegetarian baked beans (core) and salsa on top--a great accompaniment to scrambled eggs. you can even use those non-fat refried beans instead of the baked beans if you want a more mexican flavor--shredded soy cheese on top and you would think you were at a mexican restaurant!!!

[WWCarol]

Oystergirl~ Sad news... :sobbing: The 2005 Complete Food Companion UPDATE (you have to ask for it at the meeting) says, "These are NOT Core Foods: Page 6, Beans, baked, vegetarian, canned."

Sorry to be the bearer of the news. :p

It was the removal of "oat bran" that made me sad.

:bcbsalute

But you've still got FF refried beans! :)

[oystergirl]

!@#$%^&--thats not fair! lol---oat bran too--well, i only have the beans occasionally as a treat--so i will count the points and worry not--as for the oatbran--how do YOU count those points? or do you tweak? cause i also make cordys oatbread and your baked oatmeal....

[WWCarol]

((((whispering))) Some would say I tweak... :p

But by the time you figure the amount of oat bran per "piece", I figure it's negligible.

Also, they removed oat bran in the midst of the no-baking-on-Core-fury that eventually subsided.

For me that issue was resolved with: Core + Core = Core (which WWs has said is "true"). AND, baking is one of many cooking methods (on the stove, in the microwave, grilling, etc.) available to us to heat/and or/cook our Core recipes. There's nothing inherently "bad" about baking! :eek:

Also, any food, Core or non-Core, that is a trigger for you should not be on your Core food list! That's just common sense~ :angel

[oystergirl]

ok..wink wink carol...and thanks for your input....i understand the trigger thing and feel that people who do have issues with baked goods would do well to stick to the party line--i have always been able to eat just one cookie--but give me a bag of doritos and i am a maniac--we are all different...;)

[WWCarol]

So true...so true~ :)

[HappyBunny]

Another idea for cous cous:

I guess this would be core....(no?)
Add a little chopped onion, chopped fresh mushrooms, a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, and a vegie bullion cube to the water and simmer until the onion and mushrooms are a little soft. Then take off heat and add cous cous. It's very good.

[WWCarol]

To the top for DJW

[WWCarol]

For Lynn to see how I make polenta...the easy-sneezy way! ;) :D

Maybe it's the kind/length of cooking? Mine has always "firmed up" after getting out of the microwave. I pour it into a pie pan, or a loaf pan and then I can "slice" it soon after. Overnight in the fridge really solidifies the deal~ :bcbsalute

[wwlynn]

Thanks Carol, and I see you are using the 1-4 ratio with good results! I'll have to try again! I love my polenta whether it's mushy or firm, but I would like to get it firm, with the nice crusty outer layer and creamy inner part like I remember growing up! I'll have to try it in the microwave or maybe just cook it longer on the stove!! With my last batch, mixing in roasted veggies and some romano cheese was good, I ate it topped with chili for lunch today!

[wwlynn]

Well I went and made myself a big bowl of polenta in the microwave--wwcarol technique--and it looks good!! What an easy way to do it!! 1 cup cornmeal, 4 cups water...I was a purist, nothing else (should have at least put some salt in). Put it in a big pyrex bowl for 15 minutes on high and the neat thing is you don't even have to stir and you don't get lumps in it!!!! Dumped it in a loaf pan and you could see it was already getting some skin! (almost as good as pudding skin?) and it will definitely thicken up! THANKS CAROL!!!!:buddysmoo I even love the SMELL of polenta cooking! Thank goodness it's core!

[WWCarol]

You're welcome, Lynn! :)

No volcanic "plops"! No messy stovetop. No tired arm from stirring forever :p ...Pretty neat! :D

I'm glad it's firming up for you~

I love the smell, too. It's comfort food, for sure~ And I didn't even have it as a child. Just started making it when Charski posted her "Cheesy White Polenta" recipe on BCB a few years ago~ :bcbsalute :kiss:

[wwlynn]

My only problem with polenta is stopping myself from eating lots of it at once! tonight I sliced my loaf of polenta sprayed a pan with oil, laid out the polenta and spray it with oil and baked it for a while (not sure how long) til it got crusty...wow, that's just the best! The hard part besides not eating too much of it, was waiting for it to get brown (not snitching it sooner), and then not burning my mouth eating it!! Next I'll try mixing some things into it before I let it get firm...thanks again Carol...this simple method is terrific!!!!

[WWCarol]

I'm glad it worked for you, Lynn! :bcbsalute