I don't know how to make this recipe sound as delicious as it is...so you are just going to have to take my word for it!  The super tender meat has a slightly smokey flavor and pretty much melts in your mouth and the polenta is creamy and full of flavor from the cheese and peppers.  I hope that description is enough to make you go try it yourself!  

For the meat, you will need:
2 Tbs canola oil
2 Tbs butter
Approx 2 cups of stew beef, cut into chunks (you can definitely used more, there will be enough liquid for about 4 cups of beef if needed)
2-3 tsp chiles in Adobo sauce (you can add more if you like but 3 tsp make sit pretty spicy!)
4 cups beef broth
3 small/med garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs chili powder

For the polenta, you will need:
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1/2 of a large red pepper, diced
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
2 tsp minced/pressed garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup polenta (I used cornmeal)
4 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2-1 cup sharp cheddar, grated
2 Tbs fresh Parmesan, grated

Start your meat about 4 hours before you want to eat...

Heat oil and  butter in a dutch oven/cast iron pot over high heat.  Throw in stew meat and brown for 1 minute, then add chiles in adobo, beef broth, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.  I did not have to add any extra water/broth, but you might need to.  Just keep an eye on the meat and if the liquid is getting low, add a little more to the pot. 

In the last hour of cooking time, make your polenta...

Heat the oil and butter in a large sauce pan.  Add onion and red pepper and cook  for a few minutes, or until onions start to get translucent.   Add the garlic and stir for another minute.  Then add the water, milk, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then slowly add the cornmeal/polenta, stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often until the polenta thickens, about 25 minutes.

Add the butter to the polenta and stir until melted. Add the cheddar and Parmesan, stirring well.

To serve, scoop a generous helping of polenta and make a crater in the middle.  Add a few chunks of beef and a splash of the cooking liquid.  

Since this is a kind of "heavy" meal, I served it with mixed greens to make me feel better!  It was DELICIOUS and gave us lots of leftovers for lunch through the rest of the week!  

One of my favorite things to bring to parties or weekends away is a huge batch of fresh salsa so everyone always has something to snack on...ok fine, it's so I have something to snack on! This homemade version is my go-to and since lots of people have asked for my recipe I decided to write it down.  Be warned, it makes a LOT of salsa!

You'll need:
1-15oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1-15oz can of corn, or about 1.5 cups of fresh or frozen corn
1 medium red onion, about 1.5 cups diced
2 jalapenos, ribbed and seeded, seeds saved for added spiciness
Juice of two limes
6 medium sized tomatoes
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Cilantro - one big handful - I LOVE cilantro!
*all the measurements for the spices are just my preference, increase or decrease the amounts to your taste

All you do is chop up the onion, jalapenos (minced to avoid getting really hot bites) and tomatoes and toss them together with the rest of the ingredients - easy as pie...or salsa :)