Baked Cheese Polenta With Swiss Chard Food

BAKED POLENTA WITH SWISS CHARD AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 2-quart glass baking dish. Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, then chard; cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Uncover; stir until any excess liquid in skillet evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring 3 1/2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually stir polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk ricotta and eggs in bowl; whisk in 1 cup hot polenta. Stir ricotta mixture into polenta in saucepan. Spread half of polenta mixture in baking dish. Spread half of chard mixture over. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining polenta, chard, and cheese. Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

BAKED CHEESE POLENTA WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then stir in Swiss chard stems; pour in a couple tablespoons water and cover pan; cook the stems 2 minutes; Remove the cover and mix in the Swiss chard leaves; Cover the pan again and cook until the leaves wilt, about 3 minutes; Remove pan from heat and let cool, uncovered.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F; spray a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Combine the chicken broth, water and salt in a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and SLOWLY drizzle in the cornmeal, WHISKING all the while with a wire whisk.
• Continue to cook and whisk the polenta until it is the consistency mashed potatoes, about 5 minutes; whisk in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, the 1 tablespoon butter, and the Mozzarella cheese.
• Spread HALF of the polenta into the baking dish; Spoon on Swiss chard and distribute it evenly on top of polenta; Drop on small spoonfuls of the sour cream over Swiss chard; spread it out with back of spoon.
• Spoon on the remaining polenta and spread it out; Sprinkle on the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (the casserole may be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance, bring to room temperature before baking).
• Bake the polenta for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top and sizzling, DO NOT overcook it because you want to retain its creamy interior.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH CRISPY BACON AND CHARD

Steps:

• Add the milk and heavy cream to a medium saucepan and bring to a low boil, stirring constantly so the milk doesn't scorch. Whisk in the polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in a big pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the bacon to a medium pan. Turn the heat to medium high and cook, flipping once, until the bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the shallot to the pan and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the chard and a big pinch of salt and cook until wilted but still crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in a shake of hot sauce if desired. Chop the bacon, add it to the greens and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
• Add a big pinch of black pepper to the polenta and stir. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the butter. Transfer to a serving plate and top with the greens in the center.

BAKED CHEESE POLENTA WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then stir in the Swiss chard stems. Pour in a few tablespoons of water and cover the pan. Cook the stems 2 minutes. Remove the cover, the mix in the Swiss chard leaves. Cover the pan again and cook until the leaves wilt, about 3 minutes. Toss occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool, uncovered.
• To make the polenta preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2 1/2quart shallow baking dish and set it nearby. Combine the milk, water, and salt in a mediumsize saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to mediumlow and slowly drizzle in the cornmeal, whisking all the while with a wire whisk. Continue to cook and whisk the polenta until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes and tears away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, the 1 tablespoon of butter, and the mozzarella cheese.
• Spread half the polenta in the baking dish. Spoon on the Swiss chard and distribute it evenly. Drop on small spoonfuls of the sour cream and spread it with the back of a spoon. Spoon on the remaining polenta and spread it out. Sprinkle on the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. (The casserole may be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
• Bake the polenta for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top and sizzling. Do not overcook it because you want to retain its creamy interior.

CHARLESTON CHEWIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly, then add the brown sugar, almond and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Stir in the egg.
• Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, then fold the mixture into the brown sugar mixture. Fold in the pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until set around the edges but still loose in the center, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then sift confectioners' sugar on top. Cut into 16 squares.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil.
• Add the salt and slowly stire in the polenta.
• Stir constantly to avoid lumps.
• After mixtures begins to thicken you can stir less frequently.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes or until very thick.
• Pour into a greased loaf mold or bread pan.
• Allow to cool in the refrigerator overnight.
• Cut into 1/4-inch slices and layer like tiles in a baking dish.
• Pour the butter or oil over the top and then the cheese.
• Bake in 375º oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and all begins to brown just a bit.

ROASTED SWISS CHARD WITH FETA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
• Toss the chard stems and onions in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and spread onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chard stems have softened and the onion is starting to brown on the corners, about 15 minutes. Toss the chard leaves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the leaves over the stem mixture, then scatter the feta cheese over top.
• Return to the oven, and bake until the stems are tender, the leaves are beginning to crisp, and the feta is melted and golden, about 20 minutes.

CHEATER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in the ziti, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the sausage. Cook and stir until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the pasta, spaghetti sauce, and Alfredo sauce. Transfer the mixture into a large baking dish, and top with the Italian cheese blend.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.