Polenta Casserole

I made a polenta casserole the other night and even my very picky son liked it. Well, he didn't gag while I fed it to him. My husband went back for thirds and he just tolerates my lasagna.

The ingredients are very flexible. Add or delete as you like.

• 1 lb. ground meat (I used turkey)
• 1 cylinder tube polenta (sold in my produce section)
• About 40 oz. tomato sauce (about 1.5 jars)
• mushrooms (I used portabello)
• spinach
• 2 large grated carrots
• fresh chopped garlic
• fresh basil
• olive oil

1. Cool garlic in olive oil.
2. Add meat and cook through.
3. Pour in about half of tomato sauce.
4. Add basil.
5. In another pan, cook mushrooms in some olive oil.
6. Slice polenta about 1/4 inch thick.
7. In a 9 x 11 pan, start with a layer of polenta.
8. Top with half of ground meat mixture.
9. Add some mushrooms and then fresh spinach.
10. Pour half of remaining sauce on top then half of the carrots.
11. Add the second layer of polenta, then top with meat, mushrooms, sauce and carrots.
12. Bake in 350° oven for about 40 minutes (until bubbly).

I actually prepared this a day ahead, and kept it assembled in my fridge for about 30 hours.

Contributed by Suzy Boerema sboerema@yahoo.com