Super Side Dishes

Serves 8 to 12

Almonds
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg white
¼ cup sugar
1 cup sliced almonds

Dressing
¾ cup sugar
1½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons onion juice or 2 teaspoons grated onion
1 cup canola oil

Salad
1 (9-ounce) package romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
2 to 3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
20 strawberries, halved
6 green onions, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. To prepare almonds, pour butter in a 9-inch-square baking pan. Combine egg white and sugar in a small bowl and beat with a whisk until frothy. Stir in almonds and coat well. Pour into pan.
3. Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove to wax paper to cool. When cool, break almonds apart.
4. To prepare dressing, blend sugar, poppy seeds, mustard and salt with a mixer at low speed. Add vinegar and onion juice and beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Gradually add oil in a steady stream until mixture is thick. Pour in a jar with a lid and refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving.
5. To prepare salad, combine romaine, spinach, oranges, strawberries and green onions in a large bowl. Add almonds. Shake dressing to blend; pour over salad. Toss gently. Serve immediately. Serves 10.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Onion juice is found in the spice section at the grocery store. Don’t skip glazing the almonds. That’s what makes the salad spectacular. Store leftover glazed almonds in the freezer.

1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 (6-ounce) package chicken-flavored stuffing mix
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli spears, thawed and drained
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
¾ cup 2% reduced fat milk milk
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13-x-9-inch baking dish.
2. Combine water and 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Stir in stuffing mix and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Spoon stuffing around the edge of baking dish, leaving a well in the center. Arrange broccoli spears in well.
4. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the bouillon.
5. Add milk gradually and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in cream cheese and salt, mixing until smooth. Stir in onion. Pour sauce over broccoli. Sprinkle with Cheddar and paprika.
6. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer. Serves 6 to 8.