Polenta:

1 onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
3 cups water
2 tsp salt
1 cup coarse polenta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (low-fat or regular)
½ cup pine nuts

Sauté the onion in the oil until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread the pine nuts on a cookie sheet and roast them at 400° F for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. They shouldn't be too brown. Set aside.

Add the salt to the water and bring to a boil. Add the polenta and stir until it starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the sautéd onion, cheese, and pine nuts and stir until the cheese melts. Serve.

If you make this in advance, put it in a loaf pan and slice it to serve. It will take the shape of a loaf.

Serves 4. Double the recipe for larger dinner parties.

Gravy:

giblets, neck, and liver from the turkey or chicken (optional)
1 shallot
1 to 1½ cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 Tbsp flour
salt
pepper
herbes de provence
paprika

Simmer the giblets, neck, and shallot in water for about 40 minutes. Add the liver for the last 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Sauté the mushrooms in a little cooking spray or butter.

Remove the meat from the neck and chop the giblets, neck meat, and liver finely. Add to the chicken broth in a saucepan, along with the mushrooms.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine flour with 3 Tbsp of the hot broth. Stir until it dissolves. Add the flour mixture to the liquid in the saucepan. Season to taste. Allow to thicken to desired consistency.

If it needs more thickening, you can add more flour.

Serve over the polenta dressing.