SIDE DISH SPECIAL: GARLIC POLENTA & POTATOES AU GRATIN

I'll make this one quick.  That Crockpot Barbeque Chicken I showed you really goes well with a little potatoey, polenta-y goodness and these are two easy side dishes that dress up plain ol' hunk o' meat.  Add a veggie and you're solid.

Oh, and by the by, the potatoes are an out-of-box special, but I don't make them exactly as the box calls for. The polenta started as an amalgamation of two recipes -- Easy Polenta with Tomato Sauce from allrecipes.com and Savory Polenta with Italian Shrimp from Culinaria-- pared down and tweaked from what I had on hand and is now something that doesn't really look like either.  Does that make it mine now?

GARLIC POLENTA INGREDIENTS:
1 c. cornmeal
2 1/4 c. milk
1 14oz. can chicken broth
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder

GARLIC POLENTA DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
2. Slowly add cornmeal and stir.

3. Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until thick.  OR you can do like I did and forget to turn the heat down and burn your damn finger with searing hot polenta popping out everywhere.

Sure, it's just a little burn over there on my ring finger,
but it's a war wound, nonetheless.

5. Stir in remaining ingredients and add salt to taste, if needed.  Boom.

POTATOES AU GRATIN INGREDIENTS:
1 box Betty Crocker Potatoes Au Gratin (with seasoning packet)
1 cup dried potato slices
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. skim milk + enough to cover potatoes

POTATOES AU GRATIN DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all ingredients together pour into a medium-sized glass baking dish.
2. Pour in enough milk to cover potatoes and cook, covered, according to directions on box.  I didn't cover mine.  See where that got me?  But if you want crunchy potato chips sticking out of your potatoes au gratin, knock yourself out and forget the foil, but you've been duly warned.


Official Grade for Garlic Polenta: A+
Official Grade for Potatoes Au Gratin: A-