Another Damn Cooking Blog

I was so tired and sore this afternoon. Lots of traveling and stress, and my poor knees…I’m having them both replaced, and it can’t happen soon enough. Then my hips need to be replaced. I wish I could get my spine and hands replaced, but alas…they haven’t quite figured out how to do that. Yet.

So I had to do something really easy. I mean *really* easy. I also had to make something that everyone could (and would) eat. We were 4 tonight: the 14 year old can eat anything, but she prefers lots of cheese. Cheese on everything. Nothing too spicy, nothing too “weird”. The 10 year old can’t eat gluten, and isn’t crazy about red meat. (Unless it’s fried salmon. I mean, who wouldn’t eat fried salmon?) D can’t eat gluten or dairy, so cow milk cheese isn’t an option for him.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 24 oz jar of your favorite homemade or store bought pasta sauce
• 1 cup corn meal
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 3/4 cup diary free cheese (we prefer a soy and rice cheese mix)
• 1 T olive oil

While browning the ground beef in a medium pot in olive oil, mince the onion and garlic. When the beef is almost done, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until opaque. Add tomato sauce and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Bring 3 cups of water and the salt to a boil. Add the corn meal, and whisk continuously  on low for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the nutritional yeast, and pour the cornmeal mixture into a large, greased casserole dish.

Spoon in the beef and tomato mixture over the polenta.

Sprinkle cheese over the whole thing.

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Get a glass of wine and enjoy. 🙂