Having just gotten back from Europe, I called Mollie up on the phone to check-in and just chat. Of course, one of the topics of conversation that came up was what did you eat. I gleefully told her of my adventures in Venice and the small osterias I frequented.

One food Venice is particularly famous for is their various preparations of polenta, ground yellow cornmeal. I make polenta quite often at home, finding it particularly easy and quick to do. Mollie and I both agreed that it was the perfect January food, something about the weather makes you want to cozy up to a steamy bowl of it. You can find polenta in many forms today: there is the traditional yellow cornmeal polenta (My preference), quick cooking polenta, and the tubed, pre-cooked polenta. Although a good-quality tube polenta is delicious sliced and then pan fried or grilled, topped with eggs, cheese, or other goodies; for this month's blog I will focus on ground polenta.

When cooking polenta, the combinations of liquids to cook the cornmeal in can seem limitless. There's milk, stock, cream, and just plain old water to add to the grounds. I prefer the traditional water, finished off with just a little butter for smoothness. Plain, polenta is the perfect accompaniment to soak up scrumptious meat, chicken, or pork jus. Topped with cream, dried fruit, and maple syrup or brown sugar, a bowl of steaming polenta is perfect for breakfast. Paddled out onto a baking sheet, once-set, polenta is perfect grilled or deep-fried.

Today, I'll hopefully introduce you to a new take on this time-endured dish you've possibly never tried before- Polenta Lasagna. It is the perfect adaptable winter dish- once made, it can be tightly covered and frozen, then reheated in the oven for a busy weeknight dinner, or eaten as mouth-watering leftovers throughout the week. For vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, polenta lasagna is a delicious main course or hearty side dish.

The variations of sauces, cheeses, and additions are fundamentally infinite for this dish - one of the reasons it's so fun to make. Specifically for this recipe, the cook is going to have to use their own discretion with the quantity of listed ingredients required.

Each persons' way of cooking polenta is sure to vary slightly, thus the amount one will end up with will likely vary slightly as well. However, the 2 1/2 cups of meal given in the recipe will yield many generous layers. Keep in mind, just like in making pasta lasagna, as long as you keep on layering until the top, you'll yield a delicious product despite the variation of amount of ingredients. Enjoy this layered polenta bake for a perfect, winter-time dinner- a truly warming treat!

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Spread a relatively thin layer of polenta into your baking dish. Let it set, slightly - approximately 2 to 5 minutes. Follow with a thin layer of sauce, then parmesan and mozzarella, ending with the chard and shitakes and optional sausage. Repeat with another layer of polenta, making sure to let it set until continuing with toppings, until you've reached the top of dish. Make sure to end with a top layer of polenta!
   
3. Top the dish with leftover grated parmesan and cover loosely with foil. Place in pre-heated oven with the baking sheet in the rack directly below.
   
4. Bake covered for 35 minutes. Remove foil, reduce heat to 250, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, slice, and serve (Be careful, it'll be hot!).
   

NOTE: The rainbow chard, mushrooms, and sausage, as well as the entire polenta lasagna itself, can be assembled ahead of time and baked-off just before serving. The lasagna can also be made into hors d'oeuvres for entertaining using muffin tins; just reduce the baking time and cook uncovered until warmed through and golden brown and bubbling on top.