Looking a little like yellow grits, polenta in its simplest form is basically a cornmeal mush, but it’s a mush that can be put many culinary uses. Soft polenta can be enjoyed as a side dish or as the base for an entrée. Firm polenta can be sliced and served as a pasta substitute with sauces or in casseroles. In northern Italy, polenta is seen as a great comfort food—the equivalent of pasta in the south, but its preparation can be laborious, involving constant stirring to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

This doesn't have to be the case. Unless you find the stirring of polenta to be particularly therapeutic, try this simple, low maintenance method of cooking polenta. The end result is still a satisfyingly creamy dish.

_{Creamy Polenta © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}