Note: this recipe is vegetarian if you leave out chicken.
You can make this in a slow cooker, too- look on Google for how to. It is a bit different from making it in a pot on the stove.
Instructions:
TO PREPARE POLENTA:
1. Water to polenta ratio is 1:3, so for every 1 cup polenta, you need 3 cups boiling water.
2. In large pot, heat 3 times as much water as you have dry polenta. e.g., for 4 cups dry polenta, heat 12 cups of water.
3. Add enough veggie or chicken bullion cubes to flavor boiling water before adding polenta (1 bullion cubes usually flavors 1 cup of water into broth, but check package. If using "Better Than Boullion concentrate, use 1 teaspoon of boullion paste per cup of water).
4. Heat water & bullion cubes just to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir. Make sure bullion cubes are completely dissolved.
5.Reduce heat to medium; VERY SLOWLY beat in cornmeal (polenta grain) with whisk or fork. Continue to beat constantly 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Be careful not to burn!
6. Reduce heat to very low; cover and cook 5 minutes, take pot off heat, set to the side, and insulate pot (with lid on it) for 10 -15 minutes while sauce is being made.
7. A few minutes before serving with the sauce, stir in 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese and all the butter (or olive oil, if you have vegans) into the polenta.
To PREPARE THE SAUCE:
1. In a pot, Mix tomato paste with equal amount of water to turn it into sauce. Add garlic salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning and (optional) sugar. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
1.5 Cook diced chicken breasts in fry pan with a little olive or canola oil until chicken is no longer pink inside.
2. Add diced chicken breast to the NON-vegetarian/non vegan people’s sauce, or add it when serving in their individual bowls.
3. Serve sauce over warm cooked polenta (which is gluten free) or pasta, and sprinkle top with the remaining parmesan cheese (1/3 of the grated Parmesan cheese). Use diced tofu and/or garbanzo beans for vegetarians/vegans instead of chicken.