Two recipes - Polenta Lasagna and Carrot Casserole

Thanks to my friend Sonja for turning me onto polenta and sharing this recipe with me.

Polenta Lasagna

Ingredients:
Tomato sauce
Polenta (I used the kind with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic)
Basil
Vegetables (optional - I used red Swiss chard and black olives)
Cheese (I used Monterrey Jack)

Instructions:
Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of your dish to prevent sticking. Spread a layer of polenta (you can soften it in the microwave first). Add a layer of sauce. Sprinkle some basil on the sauce. Add the vegetables (which should be cooked a bit first to prevent crunchy vegetables in the lasagna). Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and melty.



This was my first time cooking with polenta (which is corn meal mush). It was easy to use and quite tasty. Reminded me a bit of grits, but more flavorful, especially in the lasagna. I was also excited about the meal because it was entirely organic, except for the black olives. And Jody and Ava liked it as well. I love it when my meals are a hit. ;)
While I was at Vitamin Cottage today, I also bought some polenta with green chiles and cilantro in it and will prepare some sort of Mexican meal with that one. Mmmmm. :)

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The next recipe I got online (somewhere??), but modified it a great deal, so I kind of consider it an Amy original. ;) Unfortunately, I don't have pics of it, but it was very tasty and enjoyed by all three of us. :)

Carrot Casserole
Ingredients:
8 C sliced carrots
1 large onion, diced (Since I didn't have one at the time, I left it out)
Quorn "meat"balls (Looove the Quorn products in this house)
Veggie crumbles (I used Morningstar Farms)
A few shakes of garlic powder
1/2 jar tomato sauce
1 T butter
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1 1/2 C grated cheese (I used cheddar, but I think just about any would do)
1/2 C fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and place in a 2 qt casserole dish. Cook "meat"balls and veggie crumbles in the microwave. Season with a bit of garlic powder. Cut the "meat"balls into smaller pieces. Stir in onion, butter, cream, salt, pepper, "meat"balls, veggie crumbles, tomato sauce and cheese. Mix well. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 50 min.