Polenta may sound like a lot of work, but it really isn't. It just takes a little time and some stirring now and then. I've altered the original recipe to add a little more flavor to the polenta (a little milk and parmesan cheese). And although I didn't change it in the recipe below, I'm not really a big fan of sliced chunks of link sausage in dishes like this, so might I suggest that you remove the sausage from the casings and pinch off 1/2-inch bits, dropping them directly into the sauce to cook. These turn out like little sausage meatballs and are much more tender without the sausage casings. And feel free to use spicy Italian sausage if you prefer. And you can certainly simplify this recipe by substiuting any good quality marinara sauce you might have on hand, and even adding some crushed red pepper if you like. And if you're pressed for time, each part of this can be made ahead of time (like days ahead), refrigerated and then assembled and baked when you're ready to serve it. Awesome!