Post #7… that means just two days left of Cabot Creamery Collective cheesy goodness.  But, have no fear, you WILL  get two more days’ worth of delicious cheesy goodness, brought to you Cabot cheeses.  Like today’s recipe.

Today we’re going to be cooking with one of my favorite ingredients in the world as we make:

Cheesy Polenta

Now I know, polenta is not exactly everyone’s favorite thing to eat.  However, I am willing to be that many of the polenta haters out there have only had the stuff that is sold premade in little plastic tubes.

Piffle I say!

True polenta you make yourself bears as much resemblance to the stuff in the tube as the sun does to a yellow crayon drawing.  The only way to make polenta is to pour it into some boiling water and stir it yourself.  You’re family with thank you and your tastebuds will thank you.

Of course, add some Cabot Horseradish cheddar and your family and tastebuds will REALLY thank you.  Ready to make it?

Horseradish Cheddar Cheesy Polenta

To make this dish happen, you are first going to cook the polenta with cheese in it.  Then, once the poltenta is done , you are going to mold it and bake it in the oven with more delicious Cabot cheese on top.

You will need:

• 3 cups cream
• 3 cups stock
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 cups polenta
• 1 package Cabot horseradish cheese, shredded
• Butter or non stick spray

In a high sided sauce pan or even a soup pot, add the cream, stock, pepper, and polenta.  Stir until the polenta starts to boil.

Then add 3/4 of the package of Cabot horseradish cheese to the polenta and continue to stir with a long spoon since polenta bubbles and is a little like napalm when hot.

Next, stir frequently until the polenta is done.  You don’t need to constantly stir it if your pot is wide enough, so this would be a good time to be cooking some nice veggies or sauteing some chicken.  Whatever you do, don’t leave the stove.  You might forget to the stir.

Now, cooking time is going to vary.

The package of polenta I had said 30 minutes.  Mine was done in less than 10.  I don’t know who to believe anymore.

All I know is that the polenta needs to be (according to the package) VERY thick.  I was muscling the spoon through the polenta with more than a little force and that’s when I knew it was time to get it off the heat.

Once off the heat, if you want, you could sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the polenta and have a great meal.

OR you can get fancy.

Preheat the oven to 350.

I used a little butter to grease a shallow bowl and filled it with polenta.  I let the polenta sit there for about 10 minutes so that it took the shape of the bowl and then flipped it over.  Out popped a perfectly formed mound of polenta.  I topped that with the rest of the cheese and put the whole thing on a greased cookie sheet in the oven for about 12 minutes so that the cheese got melted and slightly brown.

And that’s cheesey polenta.  Enjoy!