Polenta Casserole

We've hit February.  Which means that the gyms are going to start getting less crowded and with the upcoming chocolate eating holiday, diets are going to be relaxed a little,

Which means it is the perfect time to share a very rich, decadent dish.  I mean, if the groundhog is predicting 6 more weeks of winter, it's not like you're going to have to worry about parading around in a bathing suit any time soon. 

This dish combines polenta, which already has a richness all on its own.  Add some salty ham and creamy cheese and you can understand why I wasn't sharing this dish the first week of January.  And to really round it out, there's some cream on top.  Because if you're not going to use butter, then really, cream is the only choice.

This is one of those dishes that really got thrown together by odds and ends I had in the fridge.  A little bit of this left over, a little bit of that.  Which is why it seems like such an odd conglomeration.  But it's one that works.  There's just the right balance of salty and sweet, creamy and spicy.

Polenta Casserole

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 cup polenta

4 Tbsp salsa

6 oz ham, thinly sliced

6 oz mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Combine the milk, water, salt, and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat and add cornmeal, stirring.  Continue to cook until polenta is desired consistency, 20-30 minutes.
3. Spread half of the polenta in a baking dish.  Top with half the salsa, ham, and mozzarella.
4. Repeat with the remaining polenta, salsa, ham, and mozzarella.
5. Place the Parmesan and cream on top, then bake for 20 minutes.