Breakfast Treat

Sometimes there is nothing like a rainy day. Instead of feeling guilty because the outside is glorious and calling your name, you can spend time nesting indoors. Today was one of those gray days so I felt inspired to spend time in my kitchen. On the menu: a very special baked polenta dish. The steps for the polenta were many so getting a jump on it early in the day guaranteed the meal would be ready to go for dinner even if I ended up busy with another project later on. Stirring a warm pot of polenta is nearly as good as therapy, with delicious results far more rewarding than the therapist's bill.  If you haven't tried it, you certainly should. As I stirred, the half a grapefruit I ate for breakfast was not quite satisfying my hunger, so I snuck a small bowl of polenta and topped it with a poached egg. Creamy goodness!

Stay tuned for part two of this story...the amazing baked polenta dish I served for dinner. For now try making some polenta. It's extremely versatile and can be topped with just about anything you like. Serve it fresh from the pot or chill it so that it will hold its shape. Once solid you can cut it or slice it, bread it, bake it, layer it with other ingredients like lasagna, or really anything you can think up. Be creative.

Basic Polenta

Step 1: Season the pot- I used 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and lightly sautéed one minced shallot, two finely chopped green onions and two cloves of minced garlic.

Step 2: Add the broth or water- I used 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 2 cups water.  Bring the liquid to a boil.

Step 3: Whisk in the polenta- Pour 2 cups of coarse cornmeal into the boiling liquid in a steady stream, stirring with a whisk.

Step 4: Simmer- Lower the heat to medium low and stir frequently for 25-35 minutes, or until the polenta has thickened.

Step 5: Add cheese- Sprinkle the polenta with 1/4-1/2 cup of grated cheese, typically parmesan. For today's recipe I used smoked gouda instead of parmesan.

Fun Fuel

If you're a Jack Johnson fan, when someone mentions pancakes then you probably start humming the tune for Banana Pancakes. Indeed, every time I make pancakes the song is playing in my mind. The lyrics make me smile as I, too, wish we could sleep in and pretend like it's the weekend. Brian can take down a healthy stack of pancakes. I, on the other hand, have never really been enthusiastic about pancakes, the Jack Johnson song aside. The old fashioned recipe laden with white flour, white sugar, milk and even lard seems so unimaginative. Add to that loads of butter and syrup and the whole mess becomes more than a bit unhealthy too. It certainly does not leave you feeling supercharged and ready to take on the day, more like checking out for a long nap...

To my delight and surprise, I recently tried a multigrain pancake recipe from The Runner's World Cookbook that left me feeling very energetic and also at peace with the ingredient list. The good news is that they weren't a flat, rubbery pile of whole wheat either. Thanks to an extensive list of batter and topping ideas in the book I was inspired to try mine twice-baked. I mixed leftover mashed potatoes, thyme and shredded cheddar cheese into the batter and was so happy with the delicious result! I made a giant batch so I could enjoy some hot off the skillet, and then freeze the rest for quick recovery snacks after running. I particularly appreciate those delicious recovery snacks! Both fast and easy, they are a nice alternative to some of the other snack foods available.