Iuliana, a World Vision Family Sponsorship coordinator, makes a delicious batch of mamaliga. Here she is pictured with her two children, Denisa (right) and Catalin (left). About mamaliga ("mama-leega") Mamaliga (better known by its Italian name, polenta) is one of the main traditional dishes of Romania. Historically a rustic dish eaten by peasants, it can be made thick enough to slice and used as a substitute for bread. It is now appearing in some of the more upscale restaurants in Romania, where it is often cooked to a softer consistency and eaten with a spoon. Because it is made of maize meal, this preparation bears similarities to a U.S. Southern staple, grits. Enjoy! Popular because it's healthy and very easy to cook, mamaliga does well as a side dish - replacing bread in just about any meal when cooked in the peasant style (instructions below).

Four servings of mamaliga You'll need: 1-1/2 cups cornmeal 2-1/8 cups water 1 Tbsp. salt Sour cream Your choice of cheese (Iuliana uses fresh cheese she makes from milk given by her dairy cows) Kitchen string Boil water in a heavy pot. Add salt. When water boils, pour the cornmeal gradually into the pot, mixing it continually with a spoon. Stir until the mamaliga thickens. When mamaliga becomes difficult to stir, remove from heat. Turn mamaliga out onto a working surface. Cut into thin layers using string. Alternate layers of mamaliga with cheese and sour cream, repeating as desired. Enjoy!

Meet the cook, Iuliana

Name: Iuliana Petrut
Age: 32
Role: World Vision Community Activity Coordinator in Cluj-Napoca
In this role since: 2004

Iuliana has been married to her husband, Cristi, for 11 years. They have two beautiful children: Denisa, who is in third grade, and Catalin, who is in first grade.

Why she loves her job
"I knew I would continue working with children when I first considered applying for a job with World Vision," explains Iuliana. "I also knew my job would have to do with working for children's good and [the] community's prosperity. And that attracted me most of all.

"I believe that people working in a Christian organization are reliable and doing solid work. This is one of the reasons that I am proud to be a World Vision employee!"

What her husband thinks . . .
"My wife is a very gentle woman," says Cristi. "In spite of her tranquility, she is an active person. She honors family values and she is a great wife and mother."