Three Sister's Casserole

Polenta Topping:
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp chili powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups water

Filling:
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice (about 2 cups)
1 lb kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

To make polenta topping:
1. Whisk together cornmeal, chili powder, salt and water in double boiler, or in a large metal bowl over barely simmering water. Cover 40 minutes, or until polenta is thick and stiff, stirring 3 to 4 times. Remove from heat.

To make filling:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add bell pepper, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often.
2. Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, coriander and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup water and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
3. Coat 8x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups polenta over bottom of prepared dish. Spoon squash mixture over polenta. Smooth remaining polenta (about 2 1/2 cups) over top.
4. Score casserole into 6 squares with knife. Brush top with remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

Source: Vegetarian Times, Nov/Dec 2006

Try #1 - January 22, 2012
So, this was not a big hit with the family. The green chiles in the tomatoes made it too spicy for the kids. I thought it was good enough... but maybe not worth the work, as it was fairly time-consuming to make. I should note that the polenta cooked perfectly - I used a metal bowl inside a big pot, covered with our large saucepan lid. I served it with Apple Cranberry Slaw, which was actually perfect - the crisp salad went nicely with the spicy casserole.