A Mexican Polenta Dish

According to Jim, this was a homerun so I had to blog it! 

This was my first time trying to create something Mexican like with polenta and I must saw it was quite tasty!

First I whipped up a batch of polenta adding 1.5 cups of cornmeal to 5 cups of boiling water using a whisk while pouring to prevent clumps. If you have never made polenta before you simply stir it until the bottom of the pan is clear when you move the spoon over it. It can take approximately 15 minutes. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of the following: chili powder, salt and black pepper to spice it a little.

Then this is spooned into a 9" x 11" pan, smoothed out and left to cool. Then the oven was set to preheat at 350f.

For the topping I diced up the following:

1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cups of frozen corn (thawed)
3 tomatoes
a bunch of jarred jalapenos (I bet fresh would be great too but the jarred are a staple in our house. The more you use the spicier the dish will be)

Then I tossed the veggies with with approximately 3 tablespoons of avocado oil along with 1/2 teaspoon of each of the following: chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. Once the veggies were evenly coated they were spread onto the polenta.

Lastly I covered this with tons of shredded cheddar cheese. Then baked for 30 minutes (broiling the last 2 minutes or so to brown the cheese).

This is a fun one to play around with ingredients. No measuring required except for the polenta! I tossed black beans over the leftovers making a great addition.

Well I hope I have inspired you to try something new in the kitchen. Thank you for stopping by! ~Val

Polenta Dish

Earrings Studs

I love this earring studs set for Fall. Particularly the leopardskin jasper and the unakite. These are set on stainless steel. Available in my Etsy shop!
Polenta Dish

It had been a while since I made something with polenta so it was time for more of this comfort food.

For this one, I cooked up the ground corn in water and added a little butter and olive oil to make it creamier. I also used salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to add flavor. This went into a 13 x 9 pan to cool and set while I went out to run errands.

The toppings were simple!

I tossed the mushrooms and bell pepper first to soften. Then tossed in the spinach until it wilted. Lastly the chickpeas were added to warm up.

Then the toppings were put on top along with the best part....goat cheese!!! Such an easy dish that is so healthy.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a fabulous week ahead! ~Val

This Week's Blog Post

Mother of Pearl and Calcite Together!

I love this mix of beads for summer! Included are mother of pearl, white shell and calcite along with copper. 

Very sunny like! I am a sterling silver kind of girl but mix it up from time to time with copper! This set is available at Miss Val’s Creations.

Polenta Dish

This was delicious! 

We started with a layer of polenta and added sliced portabella mushrooms and feta.

Added sliced tomatoes and asparagus which had been sautéed in olive oil.

Then added green bell pepper and zucchini which was also sautéed.

We finished with another layer of polenta and feta.

Then we baked it at 350 for a brief time and it was perfection!!!

Lasik Surgery

I have been wearing glasses and contact lenses since my childhood. It really stinks because I can not see anything without either. It is bad. For years I have wanted to have lasik surgery. At first I waited thinking the costs will drop. Well, they never did! 

A couple of years ago I scheduled a consultation, but I chickened out after watching a video that prepares you for the worst. Everyone I know who has been through it had no problem. My mom had her eyes done 11 years ago and is only now needing reading glasses!

So I finally went for my consultation and have the surgery scheduled in June. I am so excited! I barely make it as a candidate because my prescription is so strong. I just make it within the parameters where the surgeon will do it! Of course the anxiety will build until this is done but I have a huge feeling that it will be one of the best things I will ever do for myself in my lifetime. I have dreamed about waking up and being able to see. This dream is going to come true. :)

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your week ahead. ~Val