More from my spy kit

Here’s another disguise that even the youngest can assemble if you do the chopping. Prep it and put it in the fridge until it’s time to bake.

Sometimes my kids eat this one, other times not. Either way, it has to do with the onions. Some cooks go with the school of thought that if vegetables are so small the kids can’t see them then the kids will eat them without knowing the difference. Others go with the idea of leaving veggies big so kids can just pick out the offensive tidbits and get on with it. For the “the smaller the better” bunch, we’ll leave out the onions and add some onion powder to the spice mix. For the “let ’em pick it out” pack, coarsely chop the onions and tomatoes rather than slicing them. Chunks are easy to flick to the side of the plate. My mom found this in a Green Giant cookbook somewhere and it’s been passed around the family since. Sell them as “Spaghetti Beans.”

Green Beans Italian Style
1 16-oz. can French Cut green beans, drained
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic
¼ tsp. oregano
1-2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 small onion sliced and separated into rings
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsps. butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350. In a small bowl combine beans and seasonings. Spread half of bean mixture in an 8x8 baking dish. Top with tomato slices, onion rings and ½ cup cheese. Spread remaining beans over cheese and dot with butter or margarine. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.