First, make Polenta in your crock pot overnight.
3 TBSP Butter or Margarine ($.01)*
6 C Boiling Water ($.05)
2 C Cornmeal ($1.00)
2 tsp Salt ($.01)
1/4 tsp Paprika ($.01)
Grease walls and bottom of crock with 1 TBSP of the butter or margarine. Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir, cover, and cook on low overnight or for 6 hours. Transfer to greased loaf pan, and place in fridge until chilled. Slice into 1/2″ thick slices.
Sausage and Peppers
1/4 C Vegetable Oil (.25)
1/3 of Polska Keilbasa, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4″ slices ($1.25)
1 onion, chopped ($.10)
2 cloves Garlic, minced ($.10)
2 celery stalks, finely sliced ($.05)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into 2″ long strips ($.75)
1 Green Bell Pepper, same. ($.50)
1 Zuchini, sliced into 1/4″ slices ($.30)
1 can Diced tomatoes ($.50)
1 can Kidney beans ($.50)
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning ($.25)
Fry sausage in oil in dutch oven, until browned. Pour most of oil off into another fry pan to fry the polenta slices later.
Fry onion, garlic and celery in remaining oil until veggies are soft. Return the sausage to the dutch oven and add all the rest of the ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer till all the veggies are done.
While this is simmering, fry polenta slices in reserved oil until browned and slightly crispy. Drail well on rack.
Serve by placing 2 fried polenta slices on plate, and ladeling on desired amount of Sausage mixture. Serves 5, at a total cost of approximate cost $5.63, or $1.13 per meal. No other side dishes are necessary, and you will have Polenta left over for another meal. Obviously, you can use most any veggies that you like or that grow in your garden. Different squashes, eggplant, mushrooms, even tofu would go very well with this recipe. This is just how I make it.
(* All costs are estimated)
