Calabacitas Casserole with Polenta and Cheese

I have been trying to get more veggies into my diet lately, and sometimes I am more successful than others.  I am great about going to the store or farmer's market and filling the crisper drawers with fruits and vegetables, but more often than not I end up tossing them out because they have gone bad waiting for me to become inspired and make that wonderful vegetable soup I had been planning but never made.  SO I have taken to only buying what I need for the next two or three days at a time, and that has helped tremendously.  Rather than go to the grocery store, I go to Rutiz Farms for organic, pesticide-free veggies.  It is seasonal, and I can actually see the field the food was grown in steps away from the stand - you can't get any more fresh!  So while I was at the stand this week, I bought some summer squash and zucchini.  I admit, they aren't the sexiest choices out there or the most exotic, but I had never prepared them myself other than grilling the zucchini on its own.  What a shame, I know.  And that is what I had intended to do with the basket I brought back on Tuesday.

However, there were far too many for me to eat on my own.  I had no idea what to do with them.  Then my sister pointed me towards this great recipe from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals  - Calabacitas Casserole with Polenta and Cheese.  Hmmm.  Sounds interesting.  And I could use up most of the squash as well as the tube of polenta that was sitting in my fridge.  I was sold!

What I like about this recipe is that it can easily be made without using processed food.  I could make the polenta on my own if I wish (this time I didn't), I could use fresh tomatoes instead of canned stewed (which I did), and I cut the cheese way back.  And when it was through I was left with a glorious dish that could be used for a main course or as a side dish.  The leftovers didn't last long at my house this week!  Next time I might cut out the cheese all together and instead stir in some bulgarian yoghurt as a binder.  In any case this made it onto my list of meals I will make again.  As Rachael says, YUM-O!

Calabacitas Casserole with Polenta and Cheese - from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups corn kernels, defrosted
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 green chile pepper seeded and chopped or, 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 small to medium zucchini, diced
1 small to medium yellow squash
1 large yellow skinned onion, chopped
1(14-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dark chili powder, just over 1/2 a palm full
Salt and pepper
1 (16-ounce) tubes prepared polenta
2 cups, 10 ounces, shredded Monterey Jack, available on the dairy aisle in pouches
3 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, corn, garlic and chiles. Saute 3 minutes, add zucchini and yellow squash and onions, season with salt and pepper, chili powder; cook 7 to 8 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and heat through. Transfer to baking dish. Cut 1 tube of polenta in 1/2-inch slices lengthwise. Top vegetables with polenta and cheese. Place in hot oven to melt cheese and warm polenta, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.