Healthy Hearty Italian Dinner Recipes

Steps:

• Brown onions and baby carrots in a little olive oil over medium heat.
• Stir in other vegetables and toss well.
• Add spaghetti sauce, stock, vermouth, and herbs. Stir well and bring to a boil.
• Simmer until carrots are fully cooked and flavors are blended - about 30 minutes though it can hold as long as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• If the sauce is too thick for your tastes add additional stock, tomato juice, or V8.
• If the sauce is too thin for your tastes add tomato paste or simmer, uncovered, until it thickens.
• To prepare the polenta, first slice about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
• Lightly grease a griddle with olive oil. Heat it on medium to medium-high heat.
• Brush the polenta slices with olive oil as well.
• Brown both sides of the polenta on the hot griddle then sprinkle lightly with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
• Serve sauce over polenta and top with Parmesan.
• If you like, you can round out the meal with a green salad and garlic bread.
• Note: Feel free to add cooked chicken, browned ground beef, browned sausage, cooked pork, or whatever leftover meat you have if you don't want a meatless dish.
• Note: If you are adding leftover vegetables that have already been cooked add them at the last 10 minutes so they don't overcook.
• Note: This can be made in the crockpot but may require you to reduce the amount of stock. Brown onions and carrots first for the best flavor.