Ratatouille may be the perfect Summer-to-Fall transition dish. It savors the heartiest of late Summer's vegetables, namely eggplant and zucchini, but offers the warm, slow-cooked comfort you need in cooler weather. It's traditionally prepared as a stew on the stove top, but this simple recipe roasts the vegetables in the oven along with bell peppers and plum tomatoes, then serves them over Read more

To some, polenta may be considered bland, boring, and tasteless. But this boiled cornmeal grain is anything but that — especially when you consider what it can be mixed with! Either served hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, polenta is a filling treat that is also an excellent grain for people who can't eat gluten or wheat. More polenta dishes are popping up on restaurant menus, Read more

Now that you know how to cook the perfect steak, aren't you curious to see how this bovine beauty's made across the map? Here, Julia Walsh shares how steak's done, the Frankfurt way. A couple of weeks ago I attended the Ambiente design fair in Frankfurt, Germany, and as a journalist, I had full access to the Press Center there for the weekend. Aside from free wireless and happy hours with other Read more

Start your week off on the right foot by making a meal that goes against all the rules. This recipe proves that clams don't always have to be paired with fish or shellfish, and they aren't only ideal in potato chowders or pastas. Just as a meaty short rib or a bolognese sauce would pair with polenta, do leftover steamed clams with crumbled Italian sausage to tie everything together. White wine Read more

BellaSugar recently asked me to recommend a few polenta recipes that are simple, affordable, and healthy. Although I often serve this dinner basic as a creamy side with with meatballs and tomato sauce or sliced into squares with vegetables, I've recently discovered a new pairing: polenta with chili. I never tire of the bold spices that go into chili, but I like to play around with its Read more

Polenta is a huge hit for dinner at my house, especially when I make polenta pizzas. This corn-based food is also great for other meals of the day, and recently I concocted this yummy dairy-free breakfast dish. It's so simple to make, and since it has beans, veggie sausage, and eggs, it's also high in protein. For details on how to make this breakfast, read more Read more

Wondering how to get in the spirit of Spring? OnSugar blog Fresh Tart recommends making a delicious fava and asparagus dish.Fava beans are back in the markets, and that means Spring! I bought a bunch at Whole Foods, as well as a bunch of asparagus, and sauteed the two with a little garlic, in perhaps a little butter, and ate them — fresh and earthy — over creamy polenta. Pure Spring comfort, Read more

For a quick and comforting meal, turn to instant polenta. The rich Italian staple is simple to prepare and fun to flavor. While you could top it with all sorts of vegetables and cheeses, this recipe uses mushrooms and gorgonzola. It makes for a satisfying vegetarian dinner that's elegant enough to entertain with. Serve a mixed green and roasted asparagus salad on the side and pour a light, smooth Read more

I went out to dinner last night, and a friend of mine ordered a spicy chickpea dish that came with polenta discs. The other friend I was with had ordered pasta primavera, and we got into a discussion about which was a healthier dish, the polenta or pasta. The best way to answer that question is to compare them nutritionally, so check out the chart when you read more Read more