HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: My husband loves asparagus, but he’s bored by the way I prepare it. Normally, I just boil it. Are there any other ways to fix asparagus that are more interesting than just boiling it?
— Pamela H., Vernon, Conn.
DEAR READER: Yes! One of my favorite ways to prepare asparagus is to roast it. OPINION After you clean the asparagus and remove the stringy ends, place the stalks on a baking sheet with a little olive oil brushed over the vegetable. Place the baking sheet with the asparagus under the broiler until it is cooked, with a little crispness left. You also can sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over the asparagus before broiling.
DEAR HELOISE: I love to make huge salads with many of our evening meals, and I often add garbanzo beans to the salad because I heard they are a good source of fiber. Unfortunately, my kids hate them. They are just now learning in school how important good nutrition is and how it affects them. But are garbanzo beans really a healthy item to include in salads? — Bonnie G., Bellingham, Wash.
DEAR READER: Garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) contain plant protein, folate, fiber, iron and phosphorus. They are an excellent addition to a salad or to other healthy recipes.
DEAR HELOISE: I’ve lost your Shrimp Spread recipe, and I really need it for a party I’m having on New Year’s Eve. Would you reprint it for me? — Rebecca V., Norman, Okla. DEAR READER: Yes, here it is.
Shrimp Spread
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
4 ounces tiny cocktail shrimp, drained and rinsed, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce
½ cup finely chopped onion, yellow, red or white
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Mash or chop the shrimp and add to the mixture; stir in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature as a dip with crackers and vegetables or on bread for a sandwich. Don’t let it set out for more than an hour.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com