Veggie Bake

Those marinade mixes can be used to make a flavorful baked dish. Choose compatible fresh veggies. Here I grabbed red potatoes, summer squash, onion, bell pepper, and a tomato. Later I added some olive oil. Here's how I put it together:

Slice the onions, throw them in a casserole that allows them to spread out a bit. Slice up the potatoes and add them to the pile.




Cut up the squash and bell pepper, toss on top,



then slice the tomato and layer it last.



Mix about a quarter-cup of olive oil (or less) with the marinade mix. Pour it over all. Stir a bit to mix.

Cover the casserole and place in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, opening to stir two or three times. When it appears that the veggies are pretty much done, take the cover off and let the mixture steam off some of the liquid.

Serve on plates - two to four - and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.



Notes: I found the marinade a bit spicy. You may want to use less of it or more veggies. I also believe the mixture would do well with less oil, maybe 1/8 cup. If you don't have fresh veggies or are in more of a hurry, this dish would work with frozen vegetable mixtures quite well. Dump in one of those bags of potato mixtures, add the marinade-oil mix, throw in the oven.

Baked Tofu

Baked tofu is not difficult to make but sometimes we don't want to scrounge for ingredients. Instead, take out a package of marinade mix, mix as directed, and marinate cut tofu slabs (extra firm, "Chinese style") for a half-hour or longer. Bake on cookie sheets at 350 - 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Depending on what marinade mix you've chosen (we know you look at the ingredients before you buy) the tofu will go well with a variety of grains and veggies.

In this case we chose a "southwestern" marinade mix from Kroger's. It was a bit spicy. When placed on top of hot brown rice it makes a nice meal. A little greenery can be mixed in (I always like broccoli or spinach)or set on the side. You might want to scrape together the leftover marinade that clings to the cookie sheet and sprinkle it over the rice, or use some bottled sauce (barbecue might be a good choice) to add more liquid to the meal.