Cheesy Polenta Stuffed Peppers (and Babcock Wine!)

This is one of Joe's favorite meals that I make for us.  Joe actually found the polenta recipe while watching the Food Network one day, and I decided to stuff it into peppers to make it more of a complete meal.  Making polenta is a lot easier than I thought it would be...and it's delicious!

Joe and I love spending time together by cooking together. We usually trade off where Joe sits at the bar in our kitchen while I cook, and vice versa. We both enjoy conversation and drinking wine while we cook! 

This Identity Crisis Syrah is our favorite!!

Oh, Joe!

Living in wine country has definitely increased our love and knowledge of wine. We recently became wine club members at Babcock, which is our favorite local vineyard/winery that we’ve found so far.  Aside from their wonderful wine, we love the employees and the whole feel of the place. We've spent many Saturdays wine tasting and walking around their vineyard. 

Walking around Babcock Vineyards (Lompoc, CA)

Okay, back to the polenta recipe!!

Cheesy Polenta Stuffed Peppers (serves 4-8 people)

(Polenta recipe modified from Food Network) 

2Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Red Onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 qt chicken stock or broth
1 cup COURSE ground cornmeal (regular cornmeal works, but I've found the best results with coarser ground)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ C grated Parmesan cheese + extra for top of peppers
4 Green Bell Peppers, halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In large oven safe saucepan, heat olive oil and add red onion. Cook until onions begin to turn translucent (4-5 mins)

Reduce heat to low, add garlic and cook mixture for another 1-2 mins

Turn heat up to high and add chicken stock/broth. Bring to boil and then add the corn meal gradually- stirring to make sure clumps do not form.

Once all corn meal mixed in, put top on the saucepan and place in oven for 30-40 mins. Set timer every 10 mins to stir mixture to prevent any lumps from forming. 

MAKE SURE YOU USE OVEN MITTS TO GRAB SAUCEPAN WHEN YOU STIR! I’ve burnt myself many times not thinking and forgetting how hot it is ;-) 

Once polenta is done cooking in oven, keep oven on, remove polenta and set aside. Re-heat to 400 degrees.

While the oven is heating up, combine the butter, salt, pepper and parmesan into the polenta.

Spoon polenta into the halved peppers. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Put peppers onto foil lined cookie sheet and cook in oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

The stuffed peppers are usually just enough for us to eat with a salad, but it can be served on the side of a main dish as well!

Enjoy!