We have been cooking out of our new cookbook for the last couple of weeks: The SkinnyTaste Cookbook.  Sounds delicious, I know. I am discovering on many of the recipes, there are a lot of ingredients and I am always tempted to take shortcuts. Since I have never been a detail person, shortcuts are easy for me. This became more evident in my first few years of marriage.  I learned to sew and make curtains for our home. They looked professional, from afar, but I would never want someone to look at the detail work on the other side, or see if the seams were perfectly straight!  I think I have the same attitude in cooking. When it says “one tablespoon” does it really mean exactly one tablespoon, or can I eyeball it?  And if I don’t like an ingredient, can I just leave it out? What difference does it really make?

I discovered it really does make a difference!  It’s just sometimes I don’t want to chop, dice, sautè, cream, etc. And I don’t want to purchase 5 seasonings just for one little teaspoon of each. I just want it to be done!  Like the day I realized that my baked beans tasted amazingly better when I added all the onions and peppers that I was always eliminating. All those seasonings and flavors make a difference, who knew??? 🙂

Below are some of our favorite recipes we have tried from this cookbook. Everything has been tasty so far and thankfully we are discovering we can make a delicious, healthier version of some of our favorites.  While there is certainly lots of dicing, chopping, a teaspoon of this and a teaspoon of that and usually a quick run to the store, it is well worth it. Especially the time spent with my girls in the kitchen talking and laughing as we are figuring out these new meals together.

Olivia chose to make the Western Omelette. Very tasty and easy to grab and heat up in the morning.

Watch those fingers!

Teriyaki-Glazed Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Cubano-Style Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

We also made Buttermilk Oven “Fried” Chicken and Skinny Chicken Parmesan, but I forgot to take pictures!  Everyone loved both of these dishes and we will certainly make them again soon.