Is it the same as grits? Because sometimes I eat those sweet, like oatmeal.
I haven’t made it for years, but I’d make a hash out of it. Start with garlic and onions sauteed in olive oil, add polenta in small pieces. Once softened I’d add various shades of bell pepper. Last throw in a few eggs and scramble. Season with fresh ground pepper. Breakfast or dinner. Didn’t matter. Need to make that again.
Similar, but not exactly the same. Grits are made from ground hominy, which is nixtamalized corn. Wiki cite
Polenta is simply dried corn ground fine, then prepared by endless stirring the mixture to create a creamy texture. Polenta is more of a process than an ingredient. Like the difference between steamed rice and risotto.
You can make virtually the same thing only a bit more rustic with cornmeal, not stir yourself into a lather and it’s cornmeal mush. It will lack the creamy texture but so what?
So yeah, similar enough that they can be used almost interchangeably.
Brown Eyed Girl, I’m going to try your recipe. Sounds very nice!
Interesting. I assumed the creamy texture came from all the butter and Parmesan you chuck into the pot just before serving.
LOL, well, there’s that, but all things being equal – meaning you could chuck the same things into cornmeal mush – the defining characteristic of the polenta would be its creaminess due to all the stirring.
Do your Arte Johnson impression. Sidle up to a cute lady and whisper in her ear, “I’ve got a big tube of polenta at home, wanna come see it?” 
I slice it thin, fry it in a pan with some butter until the edges get crispy, then top it with a spoonful of caramelized onions and some crumbled gorgonzola. Put lid on pan for a minute or so until cheese starts to melt, then slide onto a plate and eat. While moaning with pleasure. Unless your caramelized onions aren’t as good as mine. Then just eat.
We love it mixed with chili.
Add me to those who throw it on the grill.
I’m definitely going to try this.
Slice it, and bake it with spaghetti sauce and shredded mozzarella.