When in Boston...

Well, Boston is about the prettiest and cleanest city that I have seen in a long time... one for the bucket list really; Boston in the fall, CHECK! 

My trip consisted of walking, and eating, and then more walking...and the more eating, sprinkled with some historical landmarks and a fashion show, in between. It was the perfect getaway from the SF hustle and bustle. My bestie, Grace, is an unpretentious but, equally critical foodie, like myself, and we had a grand time eating our way through Boston (well minus the slight food poisoning!)

Inspired by a sample at Trader Joe's (true story!) we made an impromptu, Monday night dinner in her adorably, cozy studio by Fenway. Using our imaginations, we combined marinara sauce, polenta and  andouille chicken sausage, amongst a few other ingredients, to make a healthy and quick dinner for two. But first, I have to indulge y'all in all the wonderful food I consumed during my short, but memorable time in Boston. Check out my photo homage to Boston's finest, food offerings: 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes,  perfect amount of sweetness, fluffy and melts in your mouth. (From Cafe Luna)

Breakfast Mac n Cheese, the best idea ever. That runny egg on top and bits of  bacon, plus that cheddar jalapeno sauce, made this dish extra special. (From Cafe Luna)

The alleged, culprit of Grace's food poisoning?! (An A for presentation though!) 

The perfect Fall beer, creamy yet light! I am huge fan of Abita. Try the Raspberry Wheat and Strawberry Wheat, they are both lovely.

Fried Oysters. (From B & G Oysters)

My first Lobster Roll. It was fresh and the fries were crispy, loved them both!

Home brewed coffee and a Pecan Sticky Bun from flour bakery. Best post-food poisoning breakfast? I think so. 

Spotted this Pistachio Cream Cupcake after hanging out at Harvard (NBD!); what great presentation. (From Crema Cafe)

Yup that's me getting my caffeine fix, I'm totally in my element. 

Sipped on a latte and munched on this Hazelnut Cannoli from Mike's Pastry, a MUST DO in Boston. 

Andouille Chicken Sausage atop Italian Style Polenta

What happens when I cook with my best friend, this gorgeous and tasty thing! Check out the recipe below. 

So this recipe is a Sonya and Grace original! I would make this dish again, except I would cook the polenta discs in the marinara sauce, that way the sauce is totally absorbed into the polenta, rather than just adding a tomato-ish flavor on top of this dish. Really easy ingredients here, with interesting textures and, a surprisingly, more complex flavor profile than I expected.

Ingredients:

• 1 cooked polenta roll from Trader Joe's, cut into 1/4-inch, round discs (we cut 4 discs from this roll, allotting 2 discs per person. But you can use as many as you like!)
• 3-4 tbs. of your favorite marinara sauce
• 1 or 2 links of cooked andouille chicken sausage from Trader Joe's, sliced
• 1/2 zucchini, cut into thin slices
• a handful of cremini mushrooms, diced
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. In a a few teaspoons of olive oil, pan fry polenta discs on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. I've been told that using butter make for a crispier and less "wet" polenta; I'll have to try that next time!  
2. In another skillet, add olive oil to medium heat. Add zucchini, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini is translucent and mushrooms are soft. 
3. Heat marinara on the stovetop or in the microwave. I think this step would be better added to cooked polenta, letting the discs stew in the sauce, letting the sauce seep in.
4. Remove polenta from heat and add sliced, sausage. Cook until slightly browned. 
5. Plate marinara sauce, add polenta discs on top. Pile veggies and sausage atop polenta. Finally, top with shredded mozzarella cheese. This recipe serves 2, but can easily be scaled up to served more people.