Italian Beef & Polenta Casserole

A friend of mine posted this recipe from a magazine on Facebook.  I noticed it had zucchini in it, so I had to try it since we have an overabundance of zucchini each summer.  I was kind of hesitant because I haven't ever tried polenta before, but I was pleasantly surprised.  My husband and daughter liked it, my son wouldn't even try it, but that's nothing new.

Italian Beef & Polenta Casserole

2 medium zucchini

1 (17 oz) tube of basil & garlic polenta (I used plain because that's all I could find)

1 lb ground sirloin (I used ground beef, you could also use Italian sausage)

1 (24 oz) jar of pasta sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375*.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.

Cut polenta crosswise into 8 slices; coat each slice with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add polenta slices; cook 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.

Arrange polenta slices in an 11" x 7" baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Reheat pan over medium-high heat.

Brown ground beef, remove from pan and drain if necessary.

Add zucchini to pan, saute 3-4 minutes, or until tender.

Add beef, pasta sauce and pepper to pan with zucchini.  Cook 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

Spoon mixture over polenta, sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 375* for 18-20 minutes, or until cheese melts and is bubbly.

Yield 6-8 servings.