Finding a new way to prepare asparagus
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, Connecticut
Pamela, yes! One of my favorite ways to prepare asparagus is to roast it. 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.
Heloise
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, Washington
Bonnie, 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.
Heloise
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, Oklahoma
Rebecca, yes, here it is. You’ll need: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces tiny cocktail shrimp, drained and rinsed, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce
1/2 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 veggies or on bread for a sandwich. Don’t let it set out for more than an hour.
It’s so easy to come up with new recipes when you have my “All-time Favorite Recipes” pamphlet. With the holidays and a new year just around the corner, it’s always nice to have a few new ideas for dinner and snacking. To get a copy of this pamphlet, just send $5 along with a stamped, self-addressed, long envelope to Heloise/all-time Fav., P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 782795001. You’ll be glad you have this handy referral at your fingertips. Heloise