The Gluten-Free Homemaker

Recently I bought a whole frozen chicken and put it in my refrigerator when I got home from the store.  Two days later I expected it to be thawed and had planned on roasting it for dinner.  About 4 p.m. I realized it was still very frozen because I had it in the back of the bottom shelf where it was very cold.  That meant I had to get creative and come up with something.  It was a perfect night to create a casserole!

First, I took stock of what I had that could be used for different parts of a casserole.  Then I decided to get one of my kids involved.  I told him what I was doing and let him help pick the ingredients.  Hence, the hot dogs.

Polenta Hot Dog Casserole

• 1 tube polenta
• 1 pkg. Hebrew Nat’l beef franks
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c. ketchup
• cheddar cheese, slice and/or shredded

Drain the tomatoes well, reserving the juice.  Combine the ketchup with the reserved juice.  Slice the polenta into 24 thin slices.  Slice the hot dogs into thin slices.  Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.  Add a few spoonfuls of the tomato juice.  Place 12 of the polenta slices on top.


Put half the diced tomatoes and half the hot dogs on top of the polenta.  Sprinkle with about half of the remaining juice.


Put a layer of cheese over everything.  I used cheddar cheese slices for this layer, but shredded cheese for the top.


Repeat the layers: polenta, hot dogs & tomatoes, juice, and cheese.  Place the second layer of polenta pretty much over top of where the first layer was so that the slices are above each other.  This makes serving easier.


Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes until hot through.  Serve by using a spatula to lift out a section of polenta slices.

This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.

Labels: main dish recipes, pork