Braces Friendly Recipes
What to eat? Although people with braces need to avoid certain types of foods (particularly those that are crunchy, sticky, chewy, or hard) there is still a wide variety of tasty and easy to prepare dishes to choose from. Pick one of our favorites, or submit your own recipe here. Enjoy!
Fudgy Cocoa Bites
Fudgy Cocoa Bites
Ingredients
•1 cup shortening
•1 cup sugar
•2 Tablespoons water
•1 teaspoon vanilla
•2 eggs
•2 cups all-purpose flour
•½ cup cocoa
•1 teaspoon salt
•½ teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Using cocoa powder instead of melted baking chocolate is one of the secrets to baking soft cookies (another is using shortening instead of margarine or butter). If you’re looking for a change from brownies, this is a great melt-in-your-mouth alternative.In a large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla, using an electric mixer and beating until smooth. Add eggs and mix until blended. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder slowly into shortening mixture, using low then medium speed.
Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about three dozen. Store in a covered container to keep the softness.From “The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You and Your Orthodontist Will Love” by Pamela and Brenda Waterman. http://www.bracescookbook.com
Three-Cheese Macaroni Extravaganza
Three-Cheese Macaroni Extravaganza
Ingredients
•2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
•Water for boiling noodles
•(optional: 1 or 2 onions, chopped)
•(optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons margarine for sautéing onions)
•½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but the canned type works too)
•½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
•½ cup shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
•1½ cups milk
•½ cup bread crumbs or dry stove-top stuffing
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium pot, boil macaroni in water until you can just cut it with the side of a fork; drain and set aside. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions in the margarine until they are clear and tender. In a 3-quart greased casserole, stir together the macaroni and milk. Sprinkle with the cheeses and onion, then stir it all together. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Cover and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves six to eight.From “The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You and Your Orthodontist Will Love” by Pamela and Brenda Waterman. http://www.bracescookbook.com
Baked Spaghetti
BAKED SPAGHETTI
Ingredients
* 12 ounces spaghetti
* 1 cup chopped onions
* 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the onions, green peppers and ground beef. Once beef is brown and onions and peppers softened, add the tomatoes, mushrooms and oregano. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place half of the cooked spaghetti into the prepared dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mild Cheddar cheese. Repeat. In a medium bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
