Being Sneaky

I'm just so excited about my recent discovery that I had to share.

If you know me very well, you know that paperwork and cooking are not my strongest points.  The paperwork has become a new year's resolution for me, and the cooking is already improving!

Thanks to a little inspiration from the book Deceptively Delicious, which I got for Christmas - thanks Uncle Gary! - I played a little trick on our small friends today.

We had Kraft mac & cheese, green beans, and mixed fruit for lunch today.

I hate serving Kraft Mac & Cheese because I know it's full of preservatives and fake cheese and loads of calories.  But, it's my Julia's favorite food in the whole world, and it is easy to make.  All the kids eat it well, and with variations (like adding little smokies or extra cheese) it's credible by the food program.

Today, I substituted butternut squash (blended to a puree) for the 1/4 cup of margarine that the recipe calls for.  The kids didn't even notice! Julia helped make lunch today - she loves to add ingredients together and stir the boiling noodles.... and when she saw the ziplock bag with the puree and asked what it was, I may have kinda fibbed, and told her it was "like butter."  Teehee!   Not only did they not seem to notice, but they all ate their food all gone!  They ate so well, and now I get to enjoy a peaceful naptime. Thanks, Deceptively Delicious!