I’m back…

Connor and I had a blast in Disneyland and California Adventure. When I say a blast, I not only mean a great time but a heat blast too.

It never fails, I leave this Godforsaken desert to find some refreshing cool air and the heat follows me! It was 95 every day we were there. The weatherman is predicting a lovely 75 degrees for Tuesday! It’s not right!

Oh well, fall is coming soon… I hope. Until then, I have the quickest and the easiest appetizer for you …. plus a few Disney vacation photos at the end of the post.

Most grocery stores carry the tubes of prepared polenta … and prepared pesto too. Although, I used some frozen arugula pesto I had on hand. I brought this to a surprise party on Sunday that our dear friend, Amy, threw for her husband, our dear friend, Scott.

This was to be finger food. I didn’t want to serve large polenta rounds, so I used a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make them bite-size.

I made a double batch. I tried slicing the first log of polenta lengthwise and then using the cookie cutter to get the rounds, thinking I’d get more that way.  No! That did not work. I only got 11 rounds doing it that way.

I sliced the second log into rounds and then used the same cookie cutter and was able to get 17 rounds from it. Round slices are the way to go. Of course, if you don’t need finger food, just leave the slices large and top with a larger shrimp and 2 or 3 cherry tomato halves.

Here are the scraps from the two tubes of polenta. I’ll be bringing you a recipe to use up the scraps later in the week.

Polenta Pesto Bruschetta

1 tube cooked polenta, cut into 15 to 17 rounds
15 to 17 cooked medium shrimp
1 cup prepared pesto
9 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh herb sprigs, for garnish

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Lightly coat with cooking spray or oil. Add the polenta rounds and grill until you have grill marks on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

Add the shrimp to the grill pan and toss to just char slightly. Remove from grill.

(The polenta rounds, shrimp, and cherry tomato halves may all be prepared ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated, until ready to assemble.)

Spread pesto over each polenta round. Place one shrimp on each round, along with a tomato half and grind pepper on top.

Garnish with herb sprigs and serve.

Makes 15 to 17 

Mickey and Walt looking down Main Street USA.

Waiting in line for the Matterhorn. One of my favorite old-time rides.

Speaking of “old-time” – don’t you just love this 1957 advertisement?!?

The Haunted Mansion was closed because it’s getting decked out for Halloween.

There were subtle signs of Halloween here and there.

Candy apples!

Always love going to the Happiest Place on Earth!