Bring 4 cups of milk with 0.5 cup of whipping cream to a boil without scalding. Reduce the mixture to a simmer. Slowly add 1 cup of Quaker cornmeal. With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture. In the old days, the stirring was alloted to the man of the house - the thickening cornmeal can become quite resistant to stirring. Lumps will have a tendency to form. I have found that an electric hand blender will obviate these problems and will result in a smooth, lumpless (homogeneous), creamy polenta. I continue the process for 30 to 45 minutes. I then add 4 TBS of butter to the hot polenta and continue with the blender for another 5 minutes. I then add 0.5 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese. I continue with the blender for another 5 minutes. You know the Polenta is done when it releases from the sides of the pot. The finished polenta is then poured onto a large buttered platter. After the polenta has hardened, it is cut - like a pie - into sections and served with a variety of toppings.
( My Grandmama shaped it like a loaf of bread and cut it with a string, I use flavorless dental floss)
We pour Chicken Cacciatore over our Polenta.
Left-over polenta can be served for breakfast: powder the slices with flour, fry in butter, and serve with maple syrup.
I guess if you are in a hurry you could buy quick cooking polenta in the store.