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Polenta Mushroom Canapé

polenta canapes with mushroom ragout

polenta-mushroom-canape

I came home from food shopping with a couple of lobsters in tow. I was going to make paella to ring in the new year.


When hubby saw the lobsters, however, he looked alarmed. Definitely not the reaction I was expecting to see.

“What are you going to do with those?”
“I thought I’d make paella.”
“You didn’t tell me you were making paella. I thought you’re making appetizers.”
“Don’t you want paella?”
“I do, but I got us a reservation in the city, maybe take the kids skating, see the fireworks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’m making all this food, and nobody’s going to eat it?”
“I didn’t know you were making paella!”

Grr…paella, appetizers, what’s the difference, they both require time and effort. Maybe hubby doesn’t think appetizers are food.

He meant to surprise me and the kids, of course, but still…tell me in advance next time!!

Yes, I know that’s not how a surprise is supposed to work!!

Sorry, didn’t mean to yell at you. I am so easily annoyed these days, ay ay ay.

Not because I’m tired or anything, but a stressful situation recently came up, making me all frazzled. Someone had posted a photo and an original recipe from my blog without my permission. I asked him/her to take them down, but no answer yet so far.

The whole situation has left me feeling discouraged. What’s the point of coming up with ideas, developing recipes, writing and editing and writing and editing (yes, I said that twice), taking picture after picture to get that one good one to post, if someone else is going to simply copy and make money off the whole thing? Someone, please tell me! It’s just not right!

Anyway, enough with the whining. That’s my last whine for the year, I promise. Let’s start the new year with a good, clean slate, shall we?

***

We had a wonderful time in the city. It was a little chilly, actually a lot chilly, brr…but we all came home happy. I’m feeling optimistic about the new year.

We saw the 6 pm fireworks, which was awesome. It put us all in a cheerful mood. Then, we had dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. Filet mignon and lobster, the very things I had waiting at home! Oh, well, we’ll just repeat our dinner tomorrow. Can never have too much surf and turf!

We’re spending the rest of the night hanging out with Mr. Cooper. Anderson that is. And Ms. Kathy Griffin.

Snacks are plentiful.

appetizers, canapes, and pinchos

appetizers on skewers

“Wow, Mom, these are the fanciest snacks,” the wonderful, angelic son said. Aaw…, now why can’t he be like this all the time?

Fancy snacks fit the bill very nicely. It is, after all, our anniversary, too. That’s right, we got married on New Year’s Eve. With our own private fireworks overlooking a lake, courtesy of our brother-in-law. Thank you, Frank, for the memories!

***

I started making this last night, along with other appetizers, not knowing that we were going to spend half the day away from home. No big deal, the night is young. There’ll be hungry tummies yet later as the night wears on.

how to make polenta canapes

Polenta Mushroom Canapé
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer/Snack
Ingredients
For the polenta
  • 6 cups water (or stock)
  • A pinch of salt (optional for those watching their salt intake)
  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
For the mushroom ragout
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (a mixture of shiitake, white button, and baby bella mushrooms)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion (about half medium-sized onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt & pepper
For the caramelized onions
  • 2 medium-sized onions, sliced thinly
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp agave nectar (or 1 tbsp sugar)
  • Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Bring water to a full boil. Add the salt, if using.
  2. Pour cornmeal slowly into the water in a steady stream, while continuously stirring with a whisk, to prevent lumps.
  3. Once mixture thickens, switch to a wooden spoon. Lower heat to simmer and continue to stir, for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Stir in butter and cheese (if using).
  5. Spread polenta mixture into a shallow dish and chill for several hours before cutting. Cut into any shape you like (see photo above).
  6. Just before serving the canapé, cut polenta and either grill, broil, or fry in butter briefly. Top with mushroom ragout and caramelized onions.
For the mushroom ragout
  1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent.
  2. Add shiitake, if using. It cooks a little longer than the white button. Cook just until shiitake starts to brown.
  3. Add garlic and the white button mushrooms. Continue cooking until mushrooms are brown.
  4. Add the balsamic vinegar and the herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Spoon over polenta slices. Top with caramelized onions
For the caramelized onions
  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown.
  2. Add more oil, if necessary. It might take from 20-30 minutes for onions to brown.
  3. Add balsamic vinegar, agave nectar or sugar and salt & pepper. Cook for a several more minutes, until mixture is thick and dry.
Notes
This recipe makes enough polenta for at least 8 servings. You can prepare the polenta up to 2 days in advance.

If you like this recipe, please give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments section below. Thanks!

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Polenta Canapes with Mushroom Ragout - the perfect appetizer for a vegetarian meal. Those mushrooms are so

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Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s to another phenomenal year filled with good health, prosperity, joy, and most importantly, good blogging times, minus the frustration!

Love,
Angie

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Comments

  3. Gorgeous! Happy new year! Lobster for new years day sounds awesome! I’m still recovering from our new years eve festivities, feel so old!! 😀

    • 🙂 I hear ya! When we were out watching the fireworks, I thought I was going to faint from the cold, but my kids were taking it in stride. That was when I felt old! Thank you, dear, have an awesome New Year!

  4. wonderful as always – communication in relationships is everything – your story made me laugh. Sorry bout the recipe and photo, how did you find out that someone was using it, in the big wide web seems almost impossible that you could find anything? Best wishes to you to resolve that situation and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    • It was by accident. I saw something that looked familiar on pinterest, but cropped in such a way to remove my blog’s name. A few clicks later, I found the source, and it wasn’t my blog! But you’re right about the big wide web. I wouldn’t be able to tell if this was in fact the first time that it had happened, who knows? I’m trying not to let this bother me too much. I wouldn’t have minded so much if the person wasn’t trying to make money from her/his site, I think. But it’s clear what the purpose of the site is.

      Thanks, Polianthus, for your kind wishes. happy New Year to you, too, dear!

      • Dear Angie I do understand, not nice at all – hope you get an answer – otherwise Pin-interest will no doubt be very open to taking your content down if you inform them. I always trust to the feeling that what goes around comes around… Take care Polianthus

        • I know, read Deepa’s comment. Karma bites back! I hope this person slips on a puddle somewhere and fall and break his/her jaw, like Zac Efron. Lol…I need to laugh about it. 🙂

  5. You make me laugh…my husband always does the same… probably they are too spoiled! I’m so sorry about your bad experience with the photo, I hope everything works out.
    Happy new year!

  7. You are such a talented lady – a beautiful post!

    I am so sorry about the copyright issue. I’m very new to the whole ‘online presence’ and I can only imagine how frustrating this must feel. A lot of my photography is commissioned but I would be very disappointed if somebody didn’t value the creative rights in my blog posts. I’d be interested if you can get this resolved.
    In the meantime, Happy New Year. Please don’t be discouraged because I love reading your wonderful posts. Thank you for your passion and skill.

    • Still waiting for an answer, Chava. It’s new year’s and all, so I’ll give him/her more time, but I’m not holding my breath. I’ll keep an eye on the site in the meantime. Thanks, Chava, for your encouragement. If not for readers like you, I think I’d have packed up. Happy New Year, dear!

  8. Amazing photos and food…I’m going to pretend that my table looked like that last night, instead of a jumbled-up mess… 😉
    My Pyrex-obsessed daughter wants to know about that beautiful tart pan you’ve got the polenta in…is it new, or vintage? Either way, it’s a stunning photo.
    Happy New Year!

    • Oh, I’m pretty sure your table wasn’t a jumbled mess. 🙂
      No, the tart pan is not vintage. It’s part of a big set and was new when my MIL gave it to me. It says “Arcuisine France” on the bottom. Hope that helps! Thank you so much for leaving me such a lovely comment, Marie. Happy New Year to you and your family!

  9. Happy New Year Angie! Sounds like the day worked out beautifully in the end and you managed to make fancy snacks and take these gorgeous photos . I am sorry that you are going through the copyright issue – are you able to shame them publicly on their Facebook page or g+ through twitter if they have it? That would get a reaction I am sure! Don’t be discouraged – I look forward to reading your posts and admiring your creations in 2014 x

    • We had a wonderful time, Selma! Thank goodness we got out of the house, even if it meant dealing with a massive amount of leftovers as a result. Took the frustration and stress right out of my head. I’m giving the offender some time, what with the new year’s and all. This person knows what he/she is doing. No twitter or Facebook links on the site, just ads and lists of recipes and articles, probably none of them is original. No interaction with readers whatsoever, just a contact form. I’m sure there are thousands of such sites. You shut down one, more will crop up. I’ll try not to let this bother me too much, and readers who’ve become friends like you have made it easy to do. Thanks, dear, and Happy New Year!

  11. These look gorgeous Angie!! I’ve never worked with polenta but this recipe makes me want to try. Lovely pics too.
    Don’t worry about that other loser…..karma will come back and bite them hard on the but real soon, I know it.
    Happy New Year!

    • I like the way you think, Deepa! Best advice ever! Give polenta a try, Deepa, and let me know what you think. Thanks, dear, you made me feel a lot better. I do believe in karma. Happy New Year! XOXO

  14. Happy New Year Angie! My husband and I shared our first official date four years ago on New Year’s eve. So sorry to hear of your recent cause of stress. I hope you can have it all resolved quickly. Best wishes for a fantabulous happy and healthy 2014!

    • Well, happy anniversary to you and hubby! Thanks for your kind wishes, Martine. I second your sentiment for a fantabulous new year, filled with happiness and good health! XOXO

  16. So sorry to read about the copyright issue, I hope it gets resolved. Though you make it look effortless, I know a lot of heart, thought and work goes into your recipes and photos!…. Another great post,.. Here’s to expanding our horizons the upcoming year old friend!
    Happy Anniversary and New Year!

    • Blogging takes a lot of work and time, Gerard, something I had no idea when I started. That’s why I have so much more respect for blogs and bloggers behind them, especially those who have been doing it for years. So I take copyright issue very seriously. I hope to resolve the problem quickly, will have to figure out what to do next. Thanks for your encouragement, dear old friend. You make it all worthwhile! Happy New Year! XOXO

    • Thank you, Hilda! You are such a lovely blogger friend, always very encouraging. Happy New Year, dear! XOXO
      P.S. Not sure about the paella. Don’t feel like cooking today, but I did make a quick bean & greens soup, for good luck. Plus we’re still going through the leftover snacks!

  19. Happy new year! Your food looks delicious! Sorry to hear about the photo incident – I can only imagine the frustration, hope it gets resolved.

    • Thanks, Janine, Happy New Year to you, too, dear! It’s very frustrating, but I intend to take it in stride, no point getting all stressed. I think there are many, many sites out there ripping off others. I have a feeling this person knows exactly what she/he is doing. Thanks for the kind words, made me feel better knowing there are friends like you who care! XOXO.

  20. Oh my gosh, your food looks so good!!

    I had similar to you a couple of months ago, someone used a recipe off mine without any acknowledgement of where it or the idea came from….it annoyed the hell out of me!!

    • Thank you! Didn’t it just about make you scream to have that happened to you? I know it made me feel infuriated. But I know there are many people out there doing what this person is doing. Shameless, and totally without scruples. Thanks for commiserating with me! I feel better I can vent out my frustration among caring friends like you. XOXO

  21. Such a gorgeous array of appetisers to celebrate the New Year! What a wonderful way to bring in 2014.
    Sorry to hear that your post has been used without reference or link back to you – that would make me so very upset too! 🙁 They obviously don’t have the talent, ability or passion to create such wonderful work by themselves.
    All the best of wishes to you and your family for 2014!

    • Yes, the internet is full of plagiarists and thieves, out to make money off other people’s hard work. I’m thinking this is someone who knows exactly what he/she is doing. The site is not run like a blog, but more like a website without a personal voice, just lists of recipes and articles, etc. But, I try to be realistic about this kind of thievery, and not get too upset. Thanks, Margot, for your kind words. Let’s look forward to a phenomenal 2014, shall we? XOXO

  22. What a trooper! I know that feeling of a food frenzy, all to well! Sorry to hear about your earlier upsets in the week and I hope the situation gets resolved soon. Happier times are ahead in 2014 and I look forward to cooking & reading besides you!

    • Hear, hear! I’m all for happier times ahead of us. Let’s not dwell on the negative, it’s a waste of time. Thanks, Alice! Happy New Year to you! I look forward to more cooking and reading myself, and maybe even gardening, lol…seems funny that I’m The Novice Gardener and I haven’t posted a gardening post in a looong….time!

      • Please do! I’m an urban gardener and always looking to learn myself. I’m a bit of a novice, little strawberries, tomatoes and the like. Love homegrown and homemade above all though!

  23. your food looks all delicious! and your husband is sweet with the surprise (though sometimes I also complain about being given earlier notice so I could make preparations!)

    I’m so sorry about those people stealing your stuff – that happened to me too, and thankfully they took it down, but I felt so violated. truly disgusting behaviour.

    happy new year to you and yours!

    • I know, right? About the surprise and the thievery, both. The first one is kinda sweet, like you said. The second one is yucky! Hopefully karma will get back at them! 🙂 Happy New Year to you, Sonya! XOXO

  24. Happy Anniversary! Those are some niffy looking appetizers you got there.
    I have been warned about plagiarism on the web, don’t know if anyone has used any of my posts. I agree with Deepa, what goes around comes around.

  25. Polenta I’ve got to use, apart from in bread. And I love the combination of the mushroom ragout and caramelised onions – with the latter that’s no surprise. And the stirrers are so cute. As for the copyright, when I was embedding a watermark that was always placed through the main element of the photo. Hmm, I’ve just stopped using it completely very recently. Perhaps not a good move. Anyway, mine was in white and very easy to reduce the opacity, so it was never horribly intrusive. The reason why is simple: to try and edit that out would be a nightmare – even for those (like myself) that have been using PS for years. Unfortunately, I’ve no advice to proffer you (excepting reporting them to Pinterest) as it’s something that hasn’t happened with my food photos (to my knowledge). As for my travel photos on Flickr! They’re everywhere without my permission.

    Have a fabulous ’14!

    • Thanks, dear! I need to learn to do that watermarking. I wouldn’t be surprised if your recipes or photos have been copied somewhere without your knowledge or permission. We certainly don’t have time searching the internet trying to catch these thieves. Wish I could understand the law on fair use better.

      You should try the polenta canapes, Johnny, they were so darn good! But then anything topped with mushroom ragout and caramelized onions taste good! Here’s to a fabulous and fun-filled 2014! XOXO

  27. Happy New Year, Angie! Looks like you had a wonderful New Year’s eve celebration despite some frustrations 🙂

    I do understand how you feel about your recipe and photo appearing somewhere else without your permission. I once accidentally discovered one of my short stories appear in an anthology and I was upset that my permission had not been sought. When I contacted the publishing house expecting a simple apology, they told me that I should be flattered that as an unknown writer, my short story had been included in a collection with some famous Sri Lankan writers. I was frustrated because my friends also did not quite seem to get why I was upset as they were excited about my story appearing in the anthology. It simply felt wrong but I let it go as I had other more important stands to make in my actual career and needed my energy for them.

    • So glad you understand exactly how I feel, Ahila! I feel like I can breathe with relief! Some people don’t understand the frustration, but I take pride in my hard work, and it’s infuriating that someone just copies for their own gain. It’s also hard to understand the law on this kind of plagiarism. What’s covered under fair use, what’s not, etc. But like you said, we simply don’t have time to dwell on the negative. If it gets out of hand, though, I may have to think of something else. Thanks for your comment, Ahila. I feel so much better knowing that you understand and care. Happy New Year to you, dear! XOXO

  28. Happy New Year Angie! Those bites look AMAZING! Wow! Happy Anniversary too. Sorry to hear about your frustrations… I’m sure you can get them to remove it, or at least credit you. Good luck with that. xoxo

    • Thank you, Lidia! I’ll try my best not to stay frustrated. I think I was annoyed mostly because this person puts ads on the site, therefore each time he/she gets a view on the photo and recipe, he/she makes money! Can you believe that? Anyway, I’ll try to move on. Besides, it’s time to go back to work tomorrow. Boo hoo…just when I started feeling laid-back at home, something else, lol…Happy New Year to you and your family, Lidia! XOXO

  29. Hope you’re not too discouraged! A fabulous photographer friend of mine had a bunch of her photos stolen onto another photographer’s website. Her community banded together and helped shut the guy down (at least on the Internet) and she was discouraged too – but I think in the end, there are only so many things that person can steal before the world finds out he/she’s a fraud! Keep doing what you’re doing 🙂 Love the photos and recipes!

    • The issue still annoys me, but I don’t feel as upset. Hopefully it’ll be resolved soon. There must be an Internet god or goddess out there who looks down on this kind of thievery and strikes out the offender, isn’t there? 🙂 Thanks, dear, for your encouragement! XOXO

  30. Wishing you and your husband a very Happy Anniversary! And a very Happy New Year to you and your family too!

    I am happy that you were able to ring in the new year with the people you love. That makes my heart smile! 🙂

    The food looks incredible, as always. I would love to see your paella recipe btw..because now that you mentioned it here, I kinda sorta can’t stop thinking about it lol.

    I’m so sorry to hear about what you’re going through with your content. I would not like it if someone did that to me either. I would feel very violated and upset actually. I hope that something can be done to put a stop to this sort of thing…

    • I didn’t make the paella yesterday or today, uh-oh…but I think I’ll have the energy to tackle it this weekend. Especially if we end up with a 3-day weekend. Snow storm is in the forecast tonight, so school & work may be closed tomorrow.

      I’m looking into filing a DMCA takedown notice, still trying to understand what needs to be done. I was going to let it go, but I think I should pursue it so that others can learn from my experience. Thanks for the sympathy, Maria, makes me feel good knowing that you care. Have a fabulous 2014, Maria, you and your little guy! XOXO

  31. So we have both been on the polenta trip for New Year’s Eve :-). Your appetizers look and sound just gorgeous. So sorry that you had some blog-post trouble – people should always ask and then credit when using other people’s content. Happy New Year to you and congrats for your anniversary, too!

    • Thanks, Claudia! I have to try your macaron recipe one of these days. The polenta filling sounds intriguing! I’m glad you agreed with me about the copyright issue. 🙂 Happy New Year to you, too! XOXO

  33. Happy Anniversary and Happy New Year! Loved your post! Sorry to hear about your troubles with copyright issues — I hope it won’t discourage you too much and that you can get it worked out soon. Have a great 2014, looking forward to reading more soon

    • Thanks, Barbara! I hope to resolve the issue quickly, too. Contacted pinterest last night, no response yet. Having this problem does make me understand digital copyright issues better. I’m not usually the most diligent person when it comes to the nitty gritty of stuff like this, but now I need to know! So, there’s always a silver lining to every problem. Have a fabulous 2014! XOXO

  34. Amazing spread, as usual. You should definitely take the plagiarism as a compliment but yes, I would be super annoyed as well. The internet makes stealing so easy…hey, I think I wrote a blog about that [cough]. 🙂 Happy New Year, Angie.

    • I wish it was that simple, Noony. I don’t mind anyone borrowing my photo or recipe, especially if they are used for non-commercial purposes. But this site is generated solely to make money. I think that was upsetting me the most. I think I remember your post, I should read it again. Happy New Year to you, too, dear! XOXO

      • Well, my post was about a different kind of plagiarism, but nonetheless, it’s all dishonest. I hope you are able to resolve the matter!

  35. Happy New Year! I have had similar problems in the past but mainly my photos being mispresented online and on Pinterest versus recipes have been “abused”. I emailed WordPress and for the photos online they said they could not do anything because they were not a WordPress blogger. With the Pinterest issue WordPress told me to contact Pinterest but I had difficulty communicating with them. So, not knowing what else to do I just let it go. I am really sorry for your problem as I do know how it feels. Let us know if you come up with a solution 🙂

    • I contacted pinterest last night, no response yet. No response from the offender either, but I’m not holding my breath. The only thing left to do would be to file a DMCA takedown notice. I’ll give pinterest a couple more days, then if I still don’t hear from them, I’ll file that notice. Who knows what’s going to happen, Juju. This is all new to me. Thanks for your sympathy and for sharing your own experience with me. Happy New Year to you, too! XOXO

  36. Happy New Year! 🙂 I, too, am a paella lover! 😉 The Polenta and mushroom canapés look outstanding. I am glad to hear you have such great New Year’s memories (even your own fireworks show!). As for your blog being hijacked, that is awful. You may consider putting a copyright notice at the end of each page. This will remind people that the work is considered protected under Copyright law. I noticed that your Copyright notice is at the bottom of your page (speaking of which… you can update it to 2014 now! Woohoo! 🙂 ). Putting it on your individual posts/pages may be helpful. What this person is completely illegal. No one can use your photos or your recipes without your explicit permission. Can you tell us who it is? We can all go and leave comments on the recipe, such as “Wow, doesn’t Angie take great photos and develop fabulous recipes, you awful, mean x!@#$% blog thief!? 🙂 I hope your 2104 is filled with only good things! Thanks for sharing your memories. Hope your son gets those yummy wings soon… 😉 xx Shanna

    • Thanks for your suggestion, Shanna. I wish you could be my administrator. This blogging thing is still kinda new to me, even though I started in March. I knew nothing then, and I still have a lot to learn now. My head is spinning from reading a bunch of stuff the last couple of days. What’s considered fair use, what’s not, etc. Even if what this person does is considered fair use legally, it still doesn’t feel right to me. How can you make money off someone else’s hard work? I’d rather not reveal who this entity is at the moment, Shanna, until the matter is resolved. But I found out enough that an LLC owns this website. No personal info, just company info. I did contact pinterest last night, still waiting for a response. I’m unhappy having to deal with this, spending so much time on it. But I’m also glad I learned a few important lessons along the way. Hopefully others can learn from my experience. Thanks for your continued encouragement, dear Shanna. Have a fantabulous 2014. Love and hugs to Snu Magoo and Littlest Guy! XOXO

      • Hi, Angie,
        Oh my gosh. What a nightmare. I am so sorry that this is happening. What a waste of your precious time and energy. Just horrible! 🙁 Keep your chin up. If you feel that you have legal questions, we have way too many lawyers in our family to count. I could ask some questions on your behalf. Good luck! Stay positive. Your blog is wonderful – and have such a talent and voice. Don’t let anyone take away your blogging joy. Warmest wishes, Shanna

  37. You are soooo creative! I Love your work. Thanks for the good food recipes and just for the joy of reading your blog. Happy New year to you and yours, even your hubby 😉 !
    Cheers,
    Steve

    • Steven, you are so kind! Smiling ear to ear now after reading your comment. Thank you so much! Happy New Year to you, too! And I’ll let hubby know he gets a greeting from you! 🙂

  38. Brilliant , Brilliant photos!!!!!! Wish you a Happy New Year and to your family too! Here’s to great posts to come in the next 362 days.

  39. Happy New Year/Anniversary, Angie! I’m so sorry about the issue with your photo and recipe. I hope that person responds soon and apologizes profusely. However, I’m happy that you and your family had a lovely celebration. Your appetizers look delish. No surprise there! 🙂

    • I don’t think I’ll get any apology, Patty. My trail in following the thief seems to end in unsavory entities. A company owned by another company with a history of spams, being hosted by an obscure company with no real contact info. It’s a nightmare. On the bright side, I’ve learned so much from the experience! Thanks for the kind words, Patty. Have a fabulous new year! XOXO

  40. Amazing food photos…well, I guess they can’t take their own..that stinks! Sorry to hear about that, but don’ t stop sharing… I just love to stop by and get inspired by all your yummy food! Your photos make my hungry!!!Happy New Years to my favorite Food Artist! 🙂

  41. Happy Anniversary and a Happy New Year! Our wedding anniversary is right at the end of the year as well, but not quite on the same day. 🙂 Everything looks so wonderful!

  42. I like how you used the cookie cutters for the polenta canapés, it crossed my mind but I didn’t know what to do with the leftovers.. May I ask what you did with yours?
    oh and those diy food picks are lovely! Happy New Year!

    • They went into my tummy, as soon as the canapé rounds were cut! I like to eat cold polenta, too, sometimes with a bit of syrup. But, if cold polenta is not your thing, you can heat up the pieces in the microwave. They get soft all over again!

  45. Hi Angie! The way you present the food looks so appetizing. I have yet to try lobster that was worth the effort to cut thru the meat. :/ I like how your life stories revolve around your food. This one says a lot about human interaction and the idea that people “please” each other. You prepared a dinner, he surprised you with dinner. One of you was frustrated by the other in the end! Glad you had a nice New Year’s

  46. It looked like quite a delicious feast! My mother used to make polenta and also, paella! These were dishes she liked to serve to her Spanish students! Thanks for some great other dishes and the appetizers looked splendid! Happy New Year to you and your sweetie! Hugs, Robin

    • Ah, yes, that paella. I almost forgot. I need to dig it out of the draft. Thanks, Robin! Your mom is an awesome lady! Love how she sends you “blogging material.” So adorable! XOXO

  47. I love this recipe Angie. I’ve never made polenta before but you’ve inspired me to try it sometime soon 🙂 Great photo’s too! Belated Happy New Year!

    • Easy peasy, Eileen. Just a lot of stirring, that’s all. Although I recently came across a method where you don’t have to keep stirring. Haven’t tried it, but when I do, I’ll share what I find out. Happy New Year to you, too!

  53. For some reason this has just popped up in my inbox again…and I realise that I didn’t ask about the stolen recipe – so what happened? Have you had any responses yet?