Something a Little Different

My youngest son has been loving meatballs these days. He even calls the sausage on top of a pizza "meatballs." So, when I saw this recipe, I thought he might like it. He did...even though he only ate the meat. He is two, so what else can you expect? I was just glad he ate any of it!

My husband and I really liked this though. The pairing of the sausage, artichokes, and polenta isn't one I would have thought of, but it was really good. If you are looking for something that is easy to throw together that is different than what you normally make, this is a good option.

Baked Polenta with Sausage and Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tube (18 ounces) prepared polenta, cut into 1/4-inch round
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional), coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and stir in artichokes; season with salt and pepper.

In a w-quart baking dish, layer polenta rounds and spoonfuls of sausage mixture. Pour stock over top and bake until bubbling and polenta is pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 4

Nutrition information: 330 calories, 15 g fat, 21 g protein, 30 g carb, 4 g fiber.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food. You can find it here.

Notes: The only change I made was to add more artichokes than the recipe called for. This was really good!