I went grocery shopping a couple days ago and found Polenta in the pasta isle and thought, "Gotta get some since I have this really great Polenta recipe in one of my Pampered Chef cookbooks!"  Of course, I couldn't find it today but honestly, wasn't really looking for it very hard.

My oldest decided to bring a friend home after school so I had to come up with a really simple to make snack for them.  Being unable to find my recipe in my cook books, the next best option was the Internet in search for an easy Polenta recipe. 

My other main ingredient I have is meatballs.  Seems like we always have meatballs at my house.  

First thought was BBQ Meatballs in the crock pot but I realized I didn't have any BBQ sauce.  So then I remembered my Polenta in my fridge and it hit me, Polenta and Meatballs.  Sure, why not, can't be that hard. 

Well, the truth is, there are so many recipes out there for a Meatball and Polenta Casserole out there that require things I just didn't have in my house.  Then I came across this recipe and decided to fix it.

I must say my "snack" was a success as my son's friend went for 4 helpings of it.  I just have to share this yummy recipe with you.

BTW, if you never had Polenta, you should try it.  It is very delicious and just goes with everything.

Meatball and Polenta Casserole

1 (16 ounce) package refrigerated prepared polenta
1 (32 ounce) package frozen precooked Italian meatballs
1 (10 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
3/4 cup water
1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

1 Cut the polenta into 12 slices, making each slice about 1/2-inch thick. Line bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish with polenta slices.
2 Place the frozen meatballs on the polenta.
3 In a bowl, combine soup, water, mushrooms, seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Pour over the meatballs.
4 Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.

 

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 

BTW, in case you don't know what Polenta is; Polenta is a popular food dish that has long been common in Italian and other European cuisine, but has recently gained attention in the United States as well. It is made from ground cornmeal, which is then boiled in water to create a porridge-like substance. Depending on the variety, it can be ground either coarsely or finely, and may be made from either yellow or white cornmeal.

 

The Polenta I found was already cooked and actually in the same of packaging format as roll sausage.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

What You'll Need

1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 soup can water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into strips
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

How to Make It

• 1 Stir the picante sauce, soup, chicken, corn, beans, water and cumin in a 4-quart slow cooker.
• 2 Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
  
• 3 Stir the tortillas, cheese and cilantro into the cooker. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Serve with additional cheese, if desired