I often find my greatest inspiration for dinner comes when I am not really thinking about it, and that was the case with this recipe.  I had a brisket that I wanted to use up, and I had looked up a few recipes, but nothing really struck me as “the” recipe.  So, I put my brisket in the crock pot and just decided to wing it and came up with this yummy dinner!!   Side Note: If you don’t have a CrockPot, you need one! 



This one seems more labor intensive, but it is really quite easy.  To help in the timing of everything I have included a timeline below:

Timeline:

8-10 Hours before serving: Place beef brisket in the CrockPot
1 Hour before serving: Add the carrots and mushrooms
30 Minutes before serving:  Start the Polenta
10-15 minutes before serving:  Start the vegetable sauce


Ingredients:

1, 4-5 pound beef brisket, thawed
30 ounces of beef stock
½ cup white wine
Onions, diced, to your liking
Salt and Pepper to your liking
Mushroom-I used a mixture of Shitake, Portabella and Morel
1 pound Carrots, sliced
4 cups Milk-I used 1% milk
2 cups Cornmeal-I used Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal
¼ cup of Butter/Margarine-I use Brummel and Brown
8-10 ounces quartered Tomatoes-I used grape tomatoes and yellow tomatoes
4-6 ounces of Spinach
1 medium Zucchini, diced to your liking.
Xanthan gum/cornstarch/flour-Something to use as a thickening agent for the vegetable sauce.  I use Xanthan Gum. 
2 cups brisket broth, taken right from the CrockPot
Garlic-to your liking
Goat Cheese


Brisket Directions:

-Place your brisket in the Crock Pot on low
-Pour in wine and beef stock, enough to cover all or most of the brisket
-Add salt, pepper, and onions to your liking
-1 hour before serving add carrots and mushrooms


Polenta Directions:

-Place milk and butter in a pot, heat until just before a boil
-Add in the cornmeal, cover and reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally
-After about 5 minutes turn off the heat, keep covered and stir occasionally
-The Polenta will thicken to the consistency of Mashed Potatoes.  If you find they are a bit “runny” add a little more cornmeal.  If it is a bit “stiff” add a little more milk


Vegetable Sauce Directions:

-Place tomatoes and 1 cup of brisket liquid into a pot
-Heat on medium heat until the tomatoes start to soften
-Add zucchini and remaining liquid to the pot until the zucchini starts to soften
-Add the spinach and garlic and continue to cook. 
-Gradually add your thickening agent to the mixture until you get the consistency you desire.


I layer this dish starting with the polenta then the brisket, followed by the veggie sauce, and topping it off with the goat cheese crumbles.  But you can layer it however you would like.  



Healthy Eatings!!

Rachel

 
Yesterday was a balmy 45 degrees at my house, perfect time to find the deep freezer in need of defrosting.  I suddenly found myself knee deep in meat and ice and wondering, what should I fix for dinner?  Naturally I chose pork chops, but unlike the Brady's we did not have "porkchops and applesauce".   This recipe uses a nut free pesto that provides great flavor and a gluten-free side, that is also very tasty.

Please note: If you click on the links below to the Frieda's products, please note that the prices are for multi-unit packages and the prices at your local store will vary.



Ingredients:

4-6 pork chops, thawed
1-2 jars Frieda's Tomato Pesto
1 package Frieda's Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic Polenta


Directions:

-Place pork chops in a marinating container or glass pan.  Cover with the pesto, place lid or saran wrap on the container, then place in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
-Turn oven to broil or preheat your grill.
-Cut polenta into slices
-Place pork pesto side up on foil covered grill or on in a pan in the oven
-Flip after about 7-8 minutes, cooking to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees
-Place polenta on grill or in oven, flip after about 4 minutes until golden brown and soft
-Transfer to a serving plate with the polenta placed on top of the pork chops.



Healthy Eatings,




Rachel