Stuffed Tomatoes with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

I was looking for a new way to use polenta
as a stuffing for fresh peppers or tomatoes.
All of the recipes I knew of were kind of bland.
So I came up with this cheesy and tasty recipe.

Ingredients:
16 tomatoes, tops sliced off, insides scooped out
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups dry cornmeal polenta
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 pound grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
olive oil to drizzle

Directions:
Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan.
Keep warm over a medium flame.
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk
and half-and-half to a foamy simmer.
Reduce the flame to medium and add the polenta
to the foaming milk mixture, stirring contiuously.
When the mixture begins to thicken,
begin adding the hot stock, 1/2 cup at a time.
Let the stock absorb completely before adding
the next 1/2 cup, stirring all the while.
When all of the stock as been added,
reduce the flame to low and add the garlic, butter,
cream cheese, and Parmesan, stirring well to blend.
If the consistency overall is too thick,
add a bit of milk or stock.
Stir in the salt and pepper.
Carefully fill the scooped-out tomatoes with
the polenta, mounding a little on top.
Drizzle olive oil over the tops and
bake at 350 degree F. for 35 to 40 minutes,
or until tomatoes are soft on the outside
and polenta is lightly browned on top.
(Cover with foil if tops are getting too browned.)
Serve immediately. Makes 16 stuffed tomatoes.