Breakfast

SPINACH PARMESAN POLENTA WITH BACON

Spinach Parmesan Polenta with Bacon

Happy Wednesday!  We’re shifting into holiday mode around here, and that means I have food on my mind!  I wanted to share with you this incredibly delicious spinach parmesan polenta with bacon recipe… and I’m happy to say we have a print button for my recipes now!  This has been on my to-do list for so long, but it’s finally done.  This should hopefully be easier to read and easier to print for reference.  Now I want to talk about polenta and my love for it.

So what do I have to say about polenta?  Only that I’m obsessed.  I can’t get enough of the sloppy goodness, any time I see it at a restaurant, no matter what, I order it.  Those unfamiliar with polenta, it’s like a rich liquid buttery cornbread, it’s heavenly and marries well with many different flavors.

Not to be confused with grits, don’t get me wrong I love grits when prepared well, but polenta ups the ante.  If you’re confused about the difference no worries… I’ll explain it.  Polenta is an Italian based dish, while grits are a southern delicacy.   Polenta is made from yellow corn while grits are from white corn.  Both are delicious, but what seals the deal for me is the course texture.  Like I said liquid cornbread!  It’s the best of both worlds.  There is nothing better than rich creamy polenta.  I think if more people ate delicious polenta everyone would be peaceful, happy, and the world would be a better place.  So there it is, eat more polenta and let’s have world peace!

Looking at these photos I’m getting sad.  You see these photos were taken days ago and now I’m all out of polenta.  Why??  I need more right now.  Eating this spinach parmesan polenta with bacon is so delicious and comforting… it’s like getting a hug from your grandma.  Perfection.

To ensure the polenta is extra creamy I prepare it stove top, and separate from the other ingredients.  Then it comes together for ultimate creamy deliciousness where I finish with a short bake in the oven.

Bacon lovers feel free to use more bacon!  Has anyone ever complained about too much bacon?  I think not.  After the polenta is finished baking I like to add a small handful of spinach leaves for garnish, nothing makes a dish pop like a sprinkle of green.

This dish makes an incredible breakfast or side dish to any meal.  Polenta, cream, cheese, and bacon.  You can’t go wrong!

Spinach Parmesan Polenta with Bacon

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups polenta - I used Bob's Redmill
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 5 oz container fresh spinach
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan, divided
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • Combine chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir in polenta and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • While the polenta is simmering, cook the bacon in a large skillet until done. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Sautee the onions until soft and golden, add the spinach and cook until wilted.
  • When the polenta is finished cooking stir in butter and 1 cup of parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir in the onion-spinach mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and bacon.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes until hot and bubbly. Garnish with spinach leaves and serve immediately.

Soon I’ll be sharing more delicious holiday recipes and other fun stuff.  Stay tuned!

 

Laura

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