Sausages and Grapes with Cheesy Polenta

  Wait, don't go, it's microwave polenta!  I promise, no standing in front of the stove for 30 minutes stirring a pan and ending up with lumpy mush.  Really, you should try this.  We usually make this recipe when we have a lot of grapes that are just about to go bad.  Also, we use hot Italian sausage but almost any other kind would work too.

Cheesy Polenta:
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
Cheddar cheese (use as much or as little as you like)

 In a microwave safe glass bowl, mix water, cornmeal, and salt.  Cook in the microwave on full power for 5 minutes.  Stir, cover bowl loosely with a paper towel and cook for 5 more minutes.  Polenta should be soft and smooth, like a cake batter.  If it's still watery, cover with paper towel and cook in 2 minute increments until done.  Stir in butter and cheese.  Keep the bowl in the microwave until ready to serve.

Sausages and Grapes:
4 Hot Italian sausages, cut into wheels
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 lb red grapes, stems removed (more or less is fine, just not too much less)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup white cooking wine

  In a large frying pan, fry sausages until browned on all sides.  Add broth, grapes, and onions and cook until some of the grapes deflate a little or burst.  Add cooking wine and scrape up all the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.  Stir for about another minute, then remove from heat.

  Serve the polenta in bowl with the grapes and sausages over top.  Enjoy!