It's no secret that I have all kinds of contempt for Sandra Lee. I won't go into my usual rant about how weird it is that her Chanel-quilted headband always matches her too-tight cashmere deep V-neck sweater, matches the drapes in her "kitchen," matches her potholders (oh wait, I just went into it!), because really, that just makes me sound like a jealous little you-know-what.

I will, however, say that as much as I am not fond of her, I do appreciate the philosophy of semi-homemade. Life moves pretty fast, and there are times when you just have to resort to using the $0.69 box of Jiffy cornbread mix because you don't have time to grow corn in your backyard, harvest the corn, shuck it, cut it, dry it, and do whatever else you're supposed to do to make cornmeal.

So I didn't actually even cheat. It wasn't like I was trying to make cornbread and had to use a mix out of convenience in the last minute. I actually have a recipe for this Sweet Corn Cake/Bread/Souffle/Thing (I'm not quite sure what it is, and have no idea from where I copied the recipe a bazillion years ago) that specifically calls for the boxed mix as one of the ingredients. When I make it, I almost feel a little dirty.

But only until it cools and I eat it.

In my humble blogger-y opinion, polenta (it's made from dried cornmeal and can be made from scratch or purchased pre-made, often in log form) is a highly unappreciated food. It's pretty simple to make and use, and its mild flavor makes it a natural accompaniment to many recipes.

Hence, why I was thrilled to stumble upon Joe's Three-Cheese Polenta Pie in our Slashfood Flickr group.

In this case, Joe uses the polenta as a thick, hearty shell for his delectable three-cheese pie. The finished product comes out similar to a quiche or a cheesecake, and Joe tops it with a marinara sauce, though you could douse it with just about any hearty sauce (I might even top it with a little basil pesto).

Check out the recipe, which utilizes polenta made from scratch, so roll up your sleeves and get to work! And once you see the awesomeness and adaptability that is polenta, you'll want to get started on all of the other polen-tastic recipes our readers have shared.

Waffles make appearances at the breakfast table slightly less often than other foods, like eggs, cereals and pancakes. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that they require a separate appliance and, unless you are fortunate enough to have a surplus of counter space, you probably have to spend some time tracking it down before you can cook. Waffles are not really any more difficult to make than any other breakfast food - and these particular waffles are easy and delicious.

The recipe comes from one I saw in Sunset magazine and called for blue cornmeal and a whipped cream topping. I replaced the whipped cream with maple syrup, which seemed more appropriate for breakfast, and used yellow cornmeal. In seconds, the batter comes together in one bowl and the waffles begin to dook in the iron. The waffles are crisp outside and moist and tender within. The cornmeal gives the a fantastic and satisfying texture.

The recommended daily guidelines for Americans suggest that at least half of all the grains consumed during the day be whole grains, which comes out to be 3 -5 servings daily. Aside from whole grain breads, like those made from whole wheat flour instead of wheat flour, there are quite a few other foods that will let you get those servings in. The ten most popular sources of whole grains are whole wheat (flour), whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat and triticale, and as they are the most popular, they are also the most readily available.

Oatmeal, corn, popcorn and both brown and wild rice are easy enough to add into your weekly diet, and barley can stand in for rice or potatoes at many meals. Rye and buckwheat can be found in many breads, most of which will make superb sandwiches during the week. To add them in at home, you can try buckwheat pancakes or a blueberry buckwheat bundt cake. Triticale is a hybrid of rye and wheat, found mostly at health food stores, and can also be incorporated into many recipes.

A great source for some whole-grain recipes online is Bob's Red Mill website, which covers recipes for all of the top 10 grains.

Restaurant Widow's Orange Polenta Cake with Mascarpone Dolce and Orange Sauce may have a mouthful of a name, but what a mouthful! This fantastic looking cake is very easy to make, only using one bowl to mix everything in. The mascarpone dolce topping is made simply by stirring a few tablespoons of caramel sauce into softened mascarpone cheese, though some stores, like Trader Joe's, carry a brand of this sweet mixture in their cheese departments. You could substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone, says Lisa, or you might sweeten your topping with honey instead of caramel sauce. Come to think of it, though, a drizzle of honey is probably all you'd need to top this delicious cake and have it for brunch!