Saturday, February 5, 2011

Supper Club 3: Polenta Pizza Party! (2/1/11)

Welcome to Supper Club #3! This time Jamie's taking the wheel with some amazing polenta pizzas and a beautiful salad bar.

I will be the first to admit, I was a little worried when Jamie said she would host. She is in school to become a registered dietician and personally, I don’t look forward to supper club every week for the healthy fare. I am excited about stuffing my face, drinking three bottles of wine (to myself), and telling my friends all the dirty details about whoever that week’s flavor is… But in the end, her delicious polenta pizza won me over and I promise, that is not just the booze talking.

Polenta pizzas are an awesome healthy alternative to regular pizza and are also gluten free. It can be made in two different ways, making mini pizzas by slicing the polenta in circles or making one large pizza by smashing up the polenta onto a cookie sheet. Jamie did both. And I ate both. A lot of both. Apparently, healthy can be tasty and maybe equally important, it takes everyone a lot less alcohol to start sharing the raunchy details of their week…

Large Polenta Pizza
Ingredients:
tube of pre-made polenta
sauteed red onion
portobello onion
spinach
fresh roasted red peppers
Marinara sauce, jazzed up with some yellow onion and pizza seasoning
Mozzarella Cheese
Goat Cheese


(polenta mashed)










(full crust)








Cut polenta into circles and place on cookie sheet. Mash them up using the heal of your hand to press them together. Top with toppings. Bake for 20 min at 350.


Mini Polenta Pizzas
tube of pre-made polenta
fresh tomato
basil leaves
mozzarella
pesto sauce










Cut the loaf of polenta into circles. Place on cookie sheet. Top with toppings. Bake at 350 for 20 min.



Salad Bar Smorgasbord


romaine
baby spinach
red peppers
green peppers
mushrooms
tomatoes
carrots
peas
corn
salsa
hummus
raisins
dried cranberries
walnuts
cage free hard boiled eggs
goat cheese


Booze Pairing


Cocktail: Pitcher of Sangria Cocktail


1 bottle of inexpensive fruity wine (like a CA Zin)
1 cup Rum
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 orange thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced

Mix all ingredients in pitcher. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Add ice.

BeerDogfish Head Festina Peche

This beer, which is actually brewed with peaches, is a perfect light beer to go with salad and polenta pizzas. It is a light bodied wheat beer that manages to combine both beer and cider flavors. It is also fairly low in alcohol so while telling telling first date horror stories to the ladies, feel free to indulge in this liquid therapy.

Wine: White
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina $15


Aromas of green apple, almonds, minerality, grapefruit and lemon. Medium acidity and body so it accentuates the acidity of the tomato sauce without overpowering the subtle flavors of the polenta. Crisp and refreshing so it also pairs perfectly with salad bar.

Wine: Red
Antinori Santa Cristina Sangiovese $10


Medium bodied wine with aromas of cherry, leather, plums, and herbs. The tannins on this wine are mild so that they balance perfectly with the subtle corn of the polenta. The soft fruit on the palate is a perfect match with the creaminess of both mozzarella and goat cheese.


About Jamie


Jamie is on her way to becoming a registered dietitian (RD). She is currently doing her combined Masters degree/ dietetic internship. As for now she's just a struggling college student trying to eat healthy on a budget, and live as abundantly as she can!Check out Live(and Eat) Abundantly, a blog dedicated to her great love of food!



Cheers!
Christa, Rachel, Phoebe & Jamie

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