Pumpkin Polenta with Spinach and Black Beans

I am new to this whole polenta thing. I have only had it once before when I made polenta lasagna and even then it was a prepared polenta in a tube. So when I decided to take on another polenta recipe I was excited to play with the flavors. Now this recipe is actually a mixture of two food network stars recipes. The idea is from Rachael Ray and the polenta recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis. The reason why this recipe stems from two recipes is because Rachael's is made with a quick cooking polenta and after searching the grocery stores out here I had to come up with a recipe from scratch, which is where Giada's recipe came in.

I will be honest that making the polenta from scratch is super simple. Honestly, I don't know if the quick cooking polenta is any easier or faster than from scratch. I also liked making it from scratch because I already had a huge bag of cornmeal in my pantry so I was good to go. So I saved money by making it myself and I really felt accomplished after I made it. I thought with all the fuss of pre cooked polenta and instant polenta out there on the shelves that it would be a ridiculous task to make it from scratch but really it was just stirring in ingredients.
*Make sure that you don't use the self rising cornmeal, you want just plain cornmeal to make polenta with.

Pumpkin Polenta

1 (14 oz) can pumpkin puree
5 c. vegetable stock
1 3/4 c. cornmeal
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter/margarine
1 c. Pecorino Romano

In a large sauce pan bring the vegetable stock and pumpkin puree up to a boil. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the polenta thickens and is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn off heat and add the butter and cheese and stir until combined.

Spinach Black Bean

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained
2 (10 oz) boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Heat the oil in a medium pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the black beans and spinach and heat through. Season the beans and spinach with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Top the polenta with the spinach mixture and serve hot.

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