Better Homes & Gardens March 2012 Recipes

This sandwich brings versatility to the kitchen. The avocado-asparagus spread can double as a dip to serve with vegetables or corn chips. And if desired, you can serve the sandwiches open-face for lunch or breakfast.

For a heartier version of this classic Italian soup, substitute cut-up cooked chicken for the garbanzo beans. Vary the greens by swapping chopped fresh chard or kale for the spinach.

Though the recipe calls to plate this dish when it’s hot, this German-style potato salad is just as delicious served at room temperature or chilled. Simply add the green onions and parsley shortly before serving.

Asparagus tips have a caramelized flavor when roasted. As soon as the spears are pulled from the oven, toss them in a tangy orange-fennel seed dressing and then pair with orange slices for a side dish served warm or at room temperature.

Susan Asanovic brought home the winning Prize Tested Recipe in the Slow Cooker Beef category with these succulent short ribs. “The flavors in this recipe remind me of the sweet, salty, and gingery dishes I used to order as a kid at Chinese restaurants,” Susan says.

Anita Lindsay was deemed this month’s Prize Tested Recipe winner in the Creative Corn Bread category with this crunchy concoction. “Because corn bread and peanuts are both Southern favorites, I decided to add nuts to my corn bread recipe,” Anita says.

Creamy, salty, and hearty, this shrimp bisque recipe looks exquisite, is done in less than 30 minutes, and costs less than $5 per serving. Now that’s easy!

Taking inspiration from a classic nicoise salad, this fresh look at tuna casserole combines new potatoes, olives, and asparagus.

Talk about comfort food. This meatball chili brings the heat to the dinner table. Complete the meal with corn muffins or bread -- homemade or from the grocery store bakery.

For a wedding shower or special spring lunch, serve these seared chicken breasts stuffed with asparagus and a deviled-ham-style spread made with a touch of cayenne pepper and herbs.

In the Main-Dish Salad category, Jan Cole gets the PTR label on her shrimp salad. “It was a natural combination of ingredients to add to fresh salad greens,” Jan says. “The recipe is so easy to make and is perfect for a weeknight meal.”

For a vegetarian option, replace the ham in this savory smoky soup with 1 cup cooked cannellini beans. If you prefer, swap chopped chives for the parsley.

A light batter adds yummy fried crunch to this appetizer or side dish while allowing the asparagus flavor to shine through in these asparagus “fries.” The dipping sauce combines Dijon mustard, honey, and dill.

When making these sausage-stuffed sandwiches, use large chunks of ground sausage. Keep the juices sealed in while cooking by placing the sausage chunks in a hot skillet with ample space between them.

Cheesy flatbread is a perfect dinner party appetizer. Purchased dough is slathered in Parmesan sauce, and then topped with mozzarella, yellow squash, asparagus, and garlic. Serve with honey for an optional sweet drizzle.

This sausage stew requires slightly more attention than the average soup. Soak the white beans overnight, and add the smoked sausage during the last 10 minutes of cooking for flavor without losing its taste or texture.

When preparing this frittata for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, slice potatoes and carrots about 1/8 inch thick for a tender and golden finish to this egg-base dish.

This Sunday dinner can be customized to suit your taste buds. Easily substitute 1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut, for the new potatoes, or add a handful of chopped kale.

An ample bunch of grilled asparagus is whirled into a blended soup that stays warm, bright, and flavorful. Baguette slices are brushed with chile-spiked butter, grilled, and served as smoky-hot croutons.

Make a fresh and simple side salad with shaved asparagus. Make thin asparagus ribbons with a sharp vegetable peeler on chunky asparagus spears. The light, creamy chive dressing pulls all of the flavors together.

Precooking the fresh link sausages in wine or water before browning keeps the meat moist when it’s cooked all the way through. Precooking also reduces the chance that sausage casings will burst during browning.