Italian Style Meat Sauce with Polenta

I've been craving a good feed of Italian food. I knew I had some tomato sauce in the freezer, so I gassed the original plan for last night's dinner menu and succumbed to my weakness. I love Italian flavors and pasta - well, any kind of carb is tops on my list which isn't necessarily the best choice for a woman my age. Oh well!

The pre-made marinara made quick work of the meat sauce, as I simply added it to some sauteed onion and browned ground chuck and freshened up the spices a touch with red pepper flakes, dried Italian seasoning and fresh chopped basil and oregano.

Rather than cook a pot of rigatoni which would have been wonderful by the way, I cooked up a mess of cheesy polenta that brewed over low heat and managed to become creamier as the Big Guy and I sat and each shared our day.

Along with a tossed salad, dinner was immensely satisfying and the polenta a nice change from the usual pasta - so nice in fact, we each had seconds. I can tell you one thing I know for sure - I'm not going anywhere near the scale this morning. Was it worth it? You bet!

Italian Style Meat Sauce with Polenta (adapted from myrecipes.com)

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound lean ground beef (I used ground chuck)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 cups prepared marinara sauce

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped

 

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Crumble beef into pan and cook, stirring often until beef is no longer pink. Add red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook stirring often for 3 or 4 minutes until you can smell the seasonings, then add the marinara. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Add basil and oregano just before serving.

 

Cheese Polenta:

1 cup coarse ground polenta

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish (I used Italian 4 cheese blend)

Place chicken stock, milk, Italian seasoning and salt in a medium saucepan and heat to boiling. Slowly whisk in polenta and return to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and cook stirring often for 20 to 25 minutes or until polenta is done. Stir in cheese, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve with meat sauce on top. Garnish with cheese. Serves 4. Download Italian Style Meat Sauce with Polenta

A year ago - Pork, Port and Prunes

 

 

 

Comments

[Lea]

June - because of your love of polenta - I recently tried polenta here at home - Sweet William refused to eat it - said it was too much like grits - which he can't stand. I LOVED IT! I have since made it again - just for me and my sister when she came over once - as a side dish! She loved it! OOOHHH - I bet that polenta and chicken livers would be great together - hehehehehe... Ideas - you give me ideas!

[June]

Lea - so help me! I give you ideas and you're giving the Big Guy WAAAY to many in return. Quit it would ya'? LOL

[Big guy]

Don't listen to her Lea. Keep them coming!

[Lorraine]

There is nothing better than a plate of cheesy polenta topped with anything, but the doctored tomato sauce sounds great and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

[June]

It was Lorraine, and a nice change from pasta although I could never get sick of pasta anyway. Sure wish I could. LOL