Kielbasa & Veggie Polenta Bake

When I was in Maine I was introduced to Turkey Kielbasa. I should of known such a thing existed right?! So since mid October I have been searching the meat counters at my grocery store, growing increasingly frustrated - turkey sausage, chicken sausage, veal and beef and pork oh my, but no turkey kielbasa. Then this past weekend it struck me "There is a Breakfast Meats section....they wouldn't put it there would they!?" well... as I am sitting here after eating some kielbasa deliciousness I can tell you they would put it in the breakfast meats section. I think it tastes the same as the traditional kielbasa, just less greasy which is always a benefit. This recipe was inspired by a post I saw on Pinterest for a vegetarian polenta dish, obviously I have modified it for the veggies I like and well I added meat. I know I enjoyed this and think you will too.

I highly suggest making the polenta the night before - it takes 10 min and will set up over night which will save you a lot of time the next day.



Kielbasa & Veggie Polenta Bake: Serves 4-6

3-1/2C Water
1C Cornmeal
1/2tsp Salt
1TB Butter
2tsp Olive Oil
2C Zucchini - Chopped
1C Onion - Chopped
1 Bell Pepper - Chopped
7oz Turkey Kielbasa - Sliced
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
15oz Tomato Sauce
2TB Tomato Paste
1tsp Dried Basil
1/2tsp Dried Oregano
6oz Mozzarella Cheese - Part Skim - Shredded
Salt & Pepper

Step one, we need to make the polenta. Again I really suggest making this the night before because it needs a solid hour - two hours to set up before baking. Start by putting the water in a sauce pot and bring up to a boil, begin whisking the boiling water and slowly pour in the cornmeal while continuing to whisk. Once all of the cornmeal is in the pot reduce to a simmer and add the salt and butter and continue to cook and stir until the polenta has turned very thick - so thick that when you stir you can see the bottom of the pot because the polenta doesn't fall back into place immediately. Once cooked pour into a greased 13x9 dish and spread the polenta out so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Place in the refrigerator and let it cool completely and set up - this can take a bit of time, so either make a few hours before cooking or the night before. I made it the night before, covered and just left it in the fridge until I was ready to make it.

Okay, so fast forward...the polenta has set up and it is time to move on with our recipe! Place the polenta in a 450° oven for 20-30 minutes until it starts to get crispy on the top. While it is baking we can make the really tasty part! In a large saute pan place 1tsp olive oil over medium heat and add the kielbasa. Cook for 5-7 minutes allowing it to crisp up a little bit, remove to a bowl on the side. In the same pan over medium heat add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil with the garlic and cook for 30 seconds and add the zucchini, onion and bell pepper to the pan with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes until they soften. Add the kielbasa, tomato paste, sauce, basil and oregano and cook for another 5 minutes allowing the sauce to thicken up and reduce slightly. Remove the polenta from the oven and pour the vegetable mix over the top then cover the casserole with the mozzarella cheese and place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes until nice and melty. Remove from the oven and let it set up for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
7 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings