Pleasing polenta

Skip those yellow tubes in the store; polenta couldn't be easier to make. Take one cup of polenta, add it to four cups of boiling salted water, turn the heat down to low and stir occasionally. When it no longer tastes gritty, it's done. Add your favorite flavor bits: sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, roasted garlic, parmesan cheese. Serve up it up runny with some nice Italian sausage or a portobello mushroom, then put the rest in an oiled pie tin. The next night or so, slice it into triangles and grill or fry, and top with chopped ripe tomatoes or an olive salad.