Make Ahead Breakfasts:

I am short on time, who isn't right? I try to think ahead when making and planning meals, always coming up with ways to use leftovers, or buying 1 package of something and using it in several dishes. Breakfast is no different.

We have all heard it said that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There have been studies that have linked the morning meal to better brain function throughout the day, and that folks can actually lose MORE weight if they just add the most skipped meal...breakfast to their daily intake of food. I remember when I first moved to Austin, I made breakfast pretty often and made breakfast foods part of more than just one meal. Eggs are cheap, bacon, cereal, pancake mix, oatmeal...these items are all cheap and one package can feed several people at once or one person way MORE than once a week.

The following are items I make that I freeze and then reheat when the morning finds my tummy sounding like a roaring lion.

English Muffin Sandwiches: Who doesn't love Mcdonalds and there selcetion of breakfast sandwiches? I do..but I don't always have time nor the money to go through the drive through. So I prep this sandwich ahead of time. What you will need:

1 package of English Muffins. I buy the BIGGEST package I can  because each muffin can be as little as $0.15 each that way.
1 package of sasuage (I buy the already made patties that have been cooked...easy and still $0.30 each)
Cheese slices ($0.25)
* if you are adding that up...that is a savings of $0.40...add that up for a month.

Egg is optional. I cannot get an egg to perform with me freezing the sanwiches however, I cook (poach) an Egg or Two for Sandwiches I eat right away.

Take the muffins, split and toast.
Heat the patties.
Make the Sammie and add cheese and optional egg.

I wrap each one in wax paper after they have cooled. Then I place each package in a larger freezer bag. When ready to heat, I remove and reheat in a microwave on High for 25-30 seconds on each side. YUM! This can also be done with canned/homemade biscuits as well.

I also make muffins and quick bread such as banana nut, pumpkin, zuchinni,  apple sauce, bran and blueberry. Again, just wrapping each one in wax paper and place in larger bag, I try to let them defrost in the fridge the night before but if I forget, just an extra few seconds in the microwave and they are heated to consume.

Any of the fore mentioned items are great for breakfast. Just grab a piece of fruit and a coffee and you are on the way to better brain funciton and less hunger during thr day!

Any other food tips? Got a make ahead meal that you want to share? Lemme know! YOU can be a guest blogger right here with the Curvy "Chef"!

Kahleen Curtis-Taylor and her Italian Cream Cake!

Kathleen is this week's Guest Blogger! I have known Kathleen for some time now, and we worked together at Lane Bryant! She is a true believer in God and all that He has done and can do for her and the world. She works out with Jesus every day and I must say I admire her conviction. Kethleen lives in Wimberly and has friends and fmaily whom she surely loves and the feelinsg are mutual! Kathleen says about her cake: "I do confess that for my birthday this year I did not make the icing, rather did my own lazy girls recipe by whipping about 4oz cream cheese with around 1/4 cup of sugar then added cool whip to it just to make enough to ice the cake." She also puts the pcans into the batter instead of the frostng, thus maing this recipe her very own!

Italian Cream Cake:

■1 cup buttermilk

■1 teaspoon baking soda

■1/2 cup butter

■1/2 cup shortening

■2 cups white sugar

■5 eggs

■1 teaspoon vanilla extract

■1 cup flaked coconut

■1 teaspoon baking powder

■2 cups all-purpose flour

■



■8 ounces cream cheese

■1/2 cup butter

■1 teaspoon vanilla extract

■4 cups confectioners' sugar

■2 tablespoons light cream

■1/2 cup chopped walnuts

■1 cup sweetened flaked coconut


Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9 inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter, shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk mixture, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup coconut, baking powder and flour. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

3.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

4.To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in a small amount of cream to attain the desired consistency. Stir in chopped nuts and remaining flaked coconut. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Eggs Florentine

3-4 Eggs, beaten with 1 TBSP milk or cream
1/2 C fresh spinach
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated
1 pat butter
1 TBSP oilve oil
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C mushrooms (optional)
1/4 C chopped black olives

In frying pan, melt butter and oil. Mix eggs, Parm cheese, and milk. Saute spinach, mushrooms and garlic in butter/oil, until spinach is wilted. Add egg mix. Try to keep flat like an omlette and cook until done. Put feta in center of eggs and fold over. Top with olives, serves 2-3 people.

Chocolate Chip Waffles with Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream

2 C flour (I used unbleached Wheat)
1 TBS Baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1/4 C oil/apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
Oil or melted butter for waffle iron
1/4 C chocolate chips

Sift flour and other dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix eggs, 1 C milk and oil in measuring cup. Add to dry mix. Stir until dry is wet, add other milk if necessary, however, do not over beat. Lumps are good. Let rest while waffle iron heats.When iron is ready,  spread with butter or spray with oil,  then ladel (I use a gravy ladel) 2-3 ladel fulls into Iron. Top with a sprinkle of chocolate chips. add a bit more batter. Close and let cook until done.  Makes 4-6 waffles. I freeze my left ove waffles and just toast them in my toaster oven! Cheaper and WAY MORE delish than the store brands!

Serve with fresh fruit (in this case, berries) and fresh whipping cream. To make whipping cream, take another clean bowl, add a pint of heavy whipping cream. Mix with a hand mixer or kitchen aide until light and fluffy or soft peaks form. Be careful not to beat too long as it will make butter of the cream.  (however you could then serve the fresh butter on your waffles and just add syrup?)

The Best...APP for recipes

Not only do I want to share my recipes and the recipes of my friends and famiy, I also want to share tips, advice and opinion. Any of it you can take, leave, discuss or what have you, after all I do believe that there are always two sides to a pancake no matter how flat it is...

My blog today will be about the best recipe app I have found and use on a daily basis. I like many, have a smart phone.  I use apps and I even browse apps looking for new ones to try. While doing that very thing, I came across a recipe app. It is from All Recipes (allrecipes.com) and I love it!

You can actually turn deciding what is for dinner into a game, kind of like Wheel of Fortune. You slide your finger across your screen and three food catagories "spin", stopping on a main dish, dessert, and side dish. Then it gives you the recipe and what you need to prepare each thing. The All recipes app also has a search engine that you can use to find all kinds of recipes that are also linked to their website at allrecipes.com. Not only that, but each recipe has been reviewed and scored based on ease, tatste, and over all appeal.

I love all recieps.com too. There you can search thorugh catagories or ingredient/recipe specific searches and find just what you need and then some. Also, once you become a member (free) you can add your own tweaks, improved dishes and orginals as well.

Fun app and fun site, both of which are free to enjoy!

If anyone has another app or recipe site they love, feel free to share!

Spaghetti Squash with simple "sauce"

I large spaghetti squash.
2 strips thick cut bacon
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 C chopped walnuts (optional)
1/8 C chopped black olives
2 TBLS butter
salt and pepper to taste

Put 2-3 C cold water in a pan. Carefully cut open the squash. It has a hard flesh and the knife could slip so please BE CAREFUL! scoop out seeds from each half and place cut side down in water. Bring to a heavy simmer on stove top. Let cook, covered for 20-25 minutes (adding water if necessary) or until outer flesh can be pierced with a fork easily. While cooking, dice up bacon and cook it in small saute pan. As it begins to crisp add garlic. Add nuts and olives at the end. Set aside. Dump squash and water into colander. With flesh side up run either a spoon or fork over it creating "spaghetti". scoop out into bowl. Add butter, salt and pepper anf finally the bacon mixture. Stire gently and serve warm!

*vegertarians can easily leave out the animal products and add their own flavors. Grated Parmesan cheese adds flavor as well. If you are allergic to nuts, just add crushed crutons for crunch texture. I have also used spaghetti squash as a pasts substitue. Just add sauce of your choosing and viola! Low carb, gluten free dinner!

Shrimp Alfredo with Mixed Veggies and Pasta

1/2 Pound large Raw shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 medium zuchinni squahs, quartered and diced
1/2 bell pepper (red or yellow)
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 Large onion, diced
1/2 bunch fresh spinach, cleaned and cut into ribbons
1 TBLSP basil, minced, chopped
1 TBLSP oilve oil
1 TBLSP parsley, chopped
1 C alfredo sauce (homemade or jarred)
1 C milk
Extra fresh shredded parmesan
1/2 LB broken linguini/spaghetti pasta
1/2 TSP red pepper flake

Heat oil in pan. Add red pepper, garlic and onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are clear. Add bell pepper, and squash. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until almost tender. Add spinach, herbs and sauce along with milk. Once it comes to a heavy simmer, add pasta. Stir regularly for 8 minutes or until pasta is soft. Add shrimp and cook 3 more minutes and turn off heat, cover and let sit. Noodles will absorb more liquid and the shrimp will turn pink and curl signaling they are done. Serve in a bowl with extra cheese if desired.
Feeds 4-6 people with Salad and bread added to the meal.

What every pantry or kitchen cabinet needs

I wanted to make a list of what every cook needs in his/her kitchen to make a meal at a moments notice...With just a few last minute ingredients with the items to follow, one can make an easy delicious meal from appetizer to dessert! Ready? GO!

Canned Tomatoes:
1 diced
1 stewed
1 sauce
1 crushed
1 paste

Pasta:
1-2 varieties will do

1 can sliced olives
1 can mushrooms
1 botttle of salad dressing/marinade
Rice
Honey
BBQ sauce
Soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil
1-2 other types of oil
Bread
Corn or flour tortillas
Broth/stock, canned, low sodium
Evaporated Milk

Dried herbs:
Basil
orgeano
thyme
tarragon
rosemary
1-2 more of your choice

Spices:
Cayenne
chili powder
cumin
1-2 more of your choice

Sugar
Canned or frozen fruit
Flour
vanilla
Oatmeal
Chocolate
and some kind of nut
Jam or perserves of any flavor
Condensed Milk

Always keep in the fridge
Salad mix or lettuce to make salad
Cheeses of your choice: the cheapest for the money are cheddars and parmesan as well as mozzerella
Fresh veggies to go into a salad
The base ingredients to any soup, stew or casserole Celery, onions and garlic as well as bell pepper and carrots
and Bacon as it can add flavor to any dish just by cooking a couple of slices
Oh don't forget the butter...the REAL stuff.

Just by buying a last minute meat or meat substitue as long as you have these things in your cabinet or pantry you can have a meal in no time!

The Curvy Chef and her legacy...

I have 3 siblings. All 4 of us can cook (2 of us can bake, and right now, it isn't me as I am trying to get my baking nack back), even my brother has found a love and affinity for Itlalian Fare. It's amazing to me how we each developed our own way of cooking, and yet we all find the same comfort and joy in it. We are at home in our kitchens, preparing meals for those we love whether we are together at Christmas or apart the rest of the year. When we are together in a family members kicthen, it is like a symphony, a play, a circus if you will of skill and nothing short of mind reading. My baby sister for example can come over to my house and I can begin preparing a meal, she can step in and take over anything I am doing and not even have to ask how, when or why. She just knows and I find a beauty and comfort in that. I feel blessed in that comfort.

We love to eat and eat well. Groceries are the first thing we buy when we get paid...bills come second. Food after all gives us and our partners the energy to continue on. Plus, food and the meals we make reinforces the bond that breaking bead with soemone develops. There is a comfort in it, and I can only describe it as love. A love for family, a love for eating, a love of sharing our souls and creative energy with those who share in the meals we work hard to plan and prepare. It is HOME. and a meal shared can make Home out of any place where one or more people are gathered.

I learned to cook from my Great-grandmother, Granny and Mother. At 13 I was preparing meals to feed 6 people, and though not all of the meals were a success in the beginning my family recognized as I did, that I had an instinct for cooking.

In my Blog, I have quoted the word CHEF. I know, by watching enough Gordon Ramsey and Anthony Bourdain (two men I admire and dream of meeting one day), that I am by no means a professional chef. I have never been to school, so no, I do not know the correct way to dice an onion, however, I have met many said Chefs and tasted the product of their education and well...Chef is just a word. and a subjective word at that..kind of like Artist, or Novelist. No offense to those of you who did pay to go to school, obviosuly you have a passion and I admire that. I have a passion too, I just can't afford to go to a school to tweak my methods, or I would have by now. So I decided it would be ok to put quotations around the word "Chef" so as not to offend anyone who thas their dimploma and to make it clear to those who do not and are curious as to what type of cooking I do; 95% from scratch, handmade food.

Instead I go on instinct. I go on the inspirations I find in magazines such as Cooking Ligh and Real Simple. Food Network and the Travel Channel were my drug of choice when zoning out in form of the televsion. I have watched Guy, Rachel, Martha, Alton, Mario, Michael, Paula, and the Neely's, and so on...do what they do best, and I take them with me into my kicthen when I make meals, when I create, when I cook. 

I hope that if nothing else comes from me sharing my recipes, that someone, somewhere stumbles across my little page here and tries to make what I have, and that they develop and Love for it, as I have, and that they pass it along to those who come after them.

Guest Blogger Nikki Hodgkins! and her Cobbler Recipe!

I met Nikki through our mutual friend and artist Anslee Conell AKA Savannah Red, who as it would have it, is also a Blogger! Nikki  has been sharing her meals and photos of those meals on facebook for some time now and I asked her to submit a recipe and be a guest blogger on my blog! I am honored to share her recipe for her Cobbler (which in her own words is her remake of the one at the Salt Lick BBQ here in Austin) and I look forward to having her as a guest blogger again! Enjoy folks!

 Ingredients:

Batter:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
 2/3 cup room temperature milk
 1 room temperature egg

 Filling: 1 bag, frozen, sliced peaches or strawberries (or any frozen fruit of choice)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions: 1.) Melt butter in a 9 x 13 inch pan. 2.) Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. 3.) Stir in milk & egg. 4.) Pour evenly over melted butter. 5.) Combine peaches (or fruit), sugar & spices and spread over batter-DO NOT STIR! 6.) Bake 35-45 minutes at 350°F until batter comes to the top and is golden brown. 7.) Serve warm with ice cream.

* Nikki: In regards to the Ala mode...is there any other way to have cobbler?? :)

You can find Nikki on facebook at : https://facebook.com/ilovenikkiscooking

Nikki also Vlogs now and from what  I understand is trying to develop a cooking show of sorts? Check her out, she is awesome and can throw down just like me, the Curvy Chef!

The simplicity of cheese pizza

Tonight I made a pizza. It was made totally of cheese. Nothing pretentious; no meat no veggies, just cheese. I baked it at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until the cheese was golden brown and bubbly. The wheat crust was crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Perfection. What's so great about cheese pizza is when it first comes out of the oven you can't resist to slice it up and immediately start eating. I don't know about you but I always grab 2 slices right out of the gate. The first 1 is hot almost too hot to eat and as you struggle to keep cheese from burning your mouth you realize that it's salty gooey texter is at the  peak of performance where cheese is concerned. Carefully avoiding the burns that could come from cheese running down your chin you take your time finishing the slice. Swirling and twirling your tongue and even getting your fingers involved; lifting the luxurious layer of molten gold and placing it back onto the crust.  And now the second slice remains on your plate having cooled enough to be handled and eaten very quickly but you still take your time. This time the cheese has totally changed texture. it is now settled in the crooks and crannies of the crust changing shape from its shredded beginnings to a flat surface that holds up well when bitten. After eating the last slice on your plate you can't wait to go back to the pizza pan that is still warm from baking. To grab a slice now is pure heaven. the pizza isnt hot the pizza isnt cold it's just right. Cheese pizza there's nothing like it on earth.

What you need for your own slice of heaven...

1 pizza crust. I make and use whole wheat crust. To get the right crunch and chew i prebake for 7 minutes at 400 degrees.

2 1/2 C mozzarella and parm cheese mix
1/2 jar alfredo sauce (or 1C homemade).

When you pull the crust turn up the oven to 450. Spread sauce and top with cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes or until cheese is golden. Slice and enjoy the journey that is cheese pizza!

Zucchini Walnut Muffins

1 1/2 C wheat flour.
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 milk
1/2 C oil
1/4 C walnuts coursely chopped
1 medium zucchini shredded
1 Large Egg
1 C sugar or sugar subsitute
1/4 C dried cranberries (optional)
1/4 C semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. In medium bowl, sift together all dry ingredients including sugar and spices.. In liquid measurting cup wisk together oil, egg, vanilla and milk. Add to dry ingredients. Fold into flour just until wet. Add zucxchini and optional ingredients. Grease muffin tin. Pour batter into each tin 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake 15-20 minutes until muffins pull from sides of pan and spring back when touched. Cool for 2 minutes and turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling. Makes 12 regular size muffins.

Tomato Tart/Pie

2-3 Large Ripe red tomatoes sliced
1 9" pie crust, unbaked ( i make my own or use the roll out premade stuff)
1 1/2 C cheese (any kind)
 Salt pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 C heavy cream
2 TBSP dijon or brown mustard
1 tsp dried thyme

Lay out crust in 9" pie plate, Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread Mustard onto bottom of crust. Top with 1/2 the tomato slices or enough to cover. Sprinkle on half the cheese. Season with 1/2 the tyhme and salt and pepper. Repeat and use up the rest of the tomatoes and the cheese as well as the thyme. In small bowl, wisk egg and cream. Drizzle over top and bake for 30-45 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve warm or room temp.

Crock Pot Beans

No need to soak your dry beans any more! (well, maybe garbonzo beans still, but all the others no longer need to take a swim before cooking)...a crock pot is the easist and best way to cook dry beans.

What you need:
A crock pot...a inexpensive investment because crock pots can even make dessert! I own a 4 quart number that I got for 24.99.

2-3 Cups broth or water
1-2 C dried beans of your choice.

Before dumping the beans into the crock, make sure to sort through them and get out all the dirt clods, small pebbles, and beans that are miscolored or wrinkled looking compared to the others. dump it all into the crock along with whole cloves of garlic and or onions that have been cut in two at the least. DO not SALT your beans before they have been cooked. Salt will make the beans tough and actually add cooking time. You may alos add ham hock, ham, bacon (cooked prior and cut into small pieces). As a side note...although most recipes can be put into the crock pot and walked away from for the whole duration, beans do need to be checked on every now and then. They do soak up moisture and might need liquid added to them half way through the process...Cook on low and you should be good for four hours. Total cooking time is 6-8 hours, covered, until done. Serve with corn bread, or make them into soup, chili, refrieds, or even bean burgers...they will come out great every time!

My momma and granny had a way of making pinto beans. To me this is the ONLY recipe for pinto beans and no matter how you make yours, if you leave out this ONE ingredient...they are not PINTO beans...
Add 1-2 TBLS of Cumin/Comino powder to your pinto beans. The smokey flavor reminds me of Mexico...and of course my family!

Buying quality over quantity....

As we are well aware, many of us are on a budget. We go to the store and buy what we can afford. Every two weeks I amke a list of food items, along with a menu and I literally can budget it out to just a few dollars within what I actually spend when the cashier tells me what I owe. After years of shopping I have become a firm believer in quality over quantity. Living in Austin, I realized there are more choices than ever before when it comes to buying food, and I utilize them. I am boycotting a certain discount retailer and am only spending on average $20 more each shopping trip, and I am glad to do it.

I tried a couple of different stores until I found my go to place. I pruchased produce (which was my particular complaint about the place I am boycotting). I don't know about you, but I hated buying lettuce that would wilt within days of spending the $1.20 on it. The store I go to now? I can buy a head of green leaf lettuce for .99 and prep it as I have always done, and find it lasts me well into three weeks at times! No wilt, no black slimy leaves...fresh green and crisp lettuce. The same has been for anything else I buy at my new choice of grocery store.

My point? Research your options, fully. If you have no options, give feedback to the managers of the stores you do shop at. Make sure they are selling you the freshest ingredients money can buy and selling it at a fair price. Take it as high up as you can, because after all, good nurtition starts with the best ingredients.

Easy BBQ wings

1-2 pounds of chicken wings, seperated into drummies and "flappers"
2 cloves garlic minced
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cap of your favorite rum
2 C cookng oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Take oil, heat in pan. Season wings with salt and pepper. Mix together sauce, garlic and rum in a bowl deep enough for several wings to be coated. When oil is hot, add a few wings at a time. Cook, truning a few times, until slightly golden brown. Remove form oil and drain slightly. Add to sauce, coat well, and then place onto lined baking sheet. Do this to all of the wings.

Broil on HIGH for 10-15 minutes, turning half way through and brushing with more sauce. Serves 2-4 people.

Madras Curry

*the following recipe is not nessecarily traditional Indian Faire, but I found it to be a great knock-off that still has the flavors of Indian Curry. It can be easily made with any curry powder, not just Madras.

2 TBLS Madras curry powder
1 TBLS Tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
(mix all of these ingredients in a small bowl and set aside)

4 C Mixed veggies, fresh or frozen, as much variety as you like.
1 can cocnut milk
1/2 C broth
1 TBLS oil
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 TBLS fresh ground ginger

2-3 C rice prepared by direction (any kind will do)

Heat oil in pan (I use a deep fry pan that is shaped like a wok with high sides)
Add garlic and ginger. Heat and then add veggies. If using frozen, the order doesn't matter, just add. If fresh veggies are being used, add the carrots and any other veggie that takes awhile to cook. then as those vegetables are getting soft add others that take no time at all. Finally, add spice mix and coconut milk. If the mixture is thick, add broth and let cook, uncovered for 5 more minutes.

*many people cook their spice mix to the oil before cooking anything else. I have always done it the way decribed above and I feel it still comes out delish. Either way, do it however you are most comfortable.

Serve over rice and enjoy!

Bangers and Mash

Bangers:
1-2 packages of bratwursts (or any sausage of your choice).
2-4 cans of beer (we used Guiness)
1/2 onion sliced
1-2 cloves garlic
Mash:
1-3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and diced. (i used blue/purple taters from my local whole food market, and they were too small to peel, so I washed and cut them in half).
Enough water to cover them in the pan
Butter
salt and pepper
Milk
Sour cream
(whatever else you use to make your mashers YUMMY)
Place brats in pan (I used a small stock pot since it has high sides). Add beer, onions, and garlic. Bring to a medium simmer and cook for atleast an hour.
While the brats are cooking, cook your poatoes in a spereate pan until a fork inserted into a dice causes the dice to slide off easily (25-30 minutes). Drain and place back in pan. Add butter, salt pepper, and other fixings to them and mash away.
Serve with a dollop of potatoes on the plate with 2-3 brats ontop/surrounding. Enjoy!

Grilled Shrimp and Polenta

1 Lb large shrimp (25-30 count). I used deveined but shell still on, raw

1 bottle of Champagne dressing

1 tsp terragon, dried

1 Cup polenta

2 1/2 cups broth or water with salt to taste

1/4 C frresh grated parmesan cheese

Pour dressing into zip top bag (i double the bag incase of leaks). Add shrimp (I left the shell on, until ready to cook, but you can remove it to save time). Let set 4-8 hours in the refridgerator. When ready, heat a grill pan (pr skillet) with a TBLSP of oil in it until the oil is hot. Add shrimp and cook until pink and curled (2 minutes on each side). Remove from pan, keep warm. While pan is heating to cook the shrimp, bring to boil in medium sauce pan the broth (water). When shrimp is done, and water in pan is boiling, add polenta,. streaming it in, do not pour in all at once. Stir as you pour and keep stiring for 10-15 minutes or until polenta pulls from sides of pan. Add cheese and serve with shrimp on top with a sprinkle of terragon.

*any left over polenta can be spread into a baking sheet and cut into squares or circles. Lightly fry until golden brown in a pan with some olive oil in it...serve warm alone or with your favorite meat, salad or even fruit on top.