Sometimes you just have to.

That's right. Hot dogs.  When the heat is on, the day is long... this is what is cooking.  Yummers.  I'm not ashamed.  And we ate it in front of the tv too.  Watching Harry Potter. 

But on a healthier note, I made polenta for the first time.  I think it turned out okay.  Next time I might sift it because I had a few lumps (maybe I shouldn't have dumped the whole load of cornmeal at once??)  Mixed with mascarpone and parmasean it was great with some fried sweet italian sausage and peppers.  The oil drizzled over the polenta was decadent. 

Mascarpone Polenta with Sausage and Peppers

1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage

1 red onion, halved and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 teaspoon fennel
salt and pepper, to taste

Mascarpone Polenta, recipe follows

In a skillet or saute pan, cook the sausage over medium heat until crispy and browned on all sides. Remove, slice into half inch thick rounds and return to pan until cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Over medium-high heat, saute the onion (adding olive oil if necessary) in the same pan the sausage cooked in. When tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes, add the garlic and saute a minute more.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Add the peppers, fennel, salt, and pepper, cooking about 3 minutes more until the peppers are tender but still brightly colored. Serve a top a bed of mascarpone polenta.

Mascarpone Polenta

4 2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup mascarpone
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan

Add the water and salt to a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and add the cornmeal, whisking to break up any lumps. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove from heat, stir in the mascarpone and parmesan. Serve immediately.

The next morning I fried the leftover polenta and served it with a nice runny egg.

Today we spent this gorgeous May 24th at the beach by the lake.  It doesn't get more Canadian than that.  And it was pretty packed.  My husband will disagree, but I love this hot, sticky weather.  The open windows, the smell of bbq's, listening to sprinklers and kids screaming.  Waiting for the fan to blow your way for a brief second of respite. 

And nothing goes better with a hot sticky day than sticky bbq chicken and some cold pasta salad.

Edamame and Penne Salad with Feta

4 ounces dried multigrain penne
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
1/2 15-ounce can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil (extra-virgin preferred)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain in a colander. Run the pasta under cold water for about 20 seconds to stop the cooking process. Drain well in a colander.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients except the feta. Using a rubber scraper, fold the pasta and feta into the mixture.