To prepare the asparagus for this salad, we found that broiling concentrates the flavor of the asparagus and lightly caramelizes the peel. We prefer to use thin (under 5/8-inch) asparagus under the broiler-this lets us skip the peeling step and allows the spears to cook more evenly.
- olive oil
- Table salt and ground black pepper
- minced red onion
- balsamic vinegar
- minced fresh parsley leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Table salt and ground black pepper
Marinating the onions in the hot vinaigrette mellows their flavor. These beans pair nicely with our Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce.
- red wine vinegar
- sugar
- Table salt
- extra-virgin olive oil
- minced fresh tarragon
- Ground black pepper
White potatoes can be used instead of Red Bliss, but their skins lack the rosy color of Red Bliss skins. Try to get potatoes of equal size; if that’s not possible, test the larger potatoes for doneness. If only larger potatoes are available, increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes. Check for doneness with a paring knife.
- Table salt
- bay leaf
- Ground black pepper
A wonderful sign of spring, asparagus is at its best between March and May. Choose spears with bright green stalks and purple-tinted tips. If you do not plan to cook the asparagus immediately, stand the spears upright in a pan filled with 1 inch of water and refrigerate.
- asparagus
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
Love potato pancakes but hate the tedious steps of peeling, shredding, and squeezing excess moisture from the potatoes? The Cook’s Country team discovered that frozen shredded hash-brown potatoes are a surprisingly effective shortcut. Don’t want to fry potato pancakes on the stovetop? A preheated oiled baking sheet delivers almost as much crispness, with far less mess.
- vegetable oil
- frozen shredded hash-brown potatoes
- unsalted butter
- large egg
- cornstarch
- salt
- pepper
The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Large potatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter will require the full 18 minutes; potatoes that are less than 1 inch in diameter may be done in just 8 minutes.
- unsalted butter
- Table salt and ground black pepper
CALORIES 190(29% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 3.8g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 31mg; SODIUM 454mg; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.8g
- Cooking spray
- 2% reduced-fat milk
- salt
- ground white pepper
These delicious, nutritious, garlicky greens can be cooked in no time. A perfect last-minute side dish.
POINTS® Value: 1
Level of Difficulty: Easy
- olive oil
- table salt
These spuds are packed with the taste of salty bacon and the mild-sharpness of scallions. They’re twice-baked for twice the flavor.
POINTS® Value: 6
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
- fat-free sour cream
If you’ve been dodging this fat-laden side dish, it’s time to put it back on your plate. We’ve trimmed it down so you can stay on track.
Now POINTS® Value: 0
Level of Difficulty: Easy
- fat-free evaporated milk
- garlic powder