Q. My husband loves protein and a side for dinners, but I’m out of ideas for sauces for meats like pork chops and chicken breasts. What are your go-tos? —Linda, Wrightstown
A. Having spent most of my childhood in the ‘70s, I would say I was brought up as a Campbell’s soup kid. Cream of Mushroom and Golden Mushroom were favorites of my parents. At my house, we have a variety of sauces available in our arsenal, and we use them in a variety of ways. Spreading any type of mustard on pork chops or chicken breasts and coating them with breadcrumbs before roasting them in a hot oven (400°-425°F) works well. Be sure to spray the crumbs with pan spray to help them get crispy. Not unlike most folks, we always have a variety of barbecue sauces. Salsa, taco sauce and hot sauce selections are also on hand and can be used in different ways. Mayonnaise and salad dressings can be converted into savory sauces for entrees, and oil-based dressings like Italian can be used for marinades. Sweet and spicy sauce variations can be made with jams, jellies or peanut butter. We also have soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sweet sour sauce, horseradish and pickle relish on hand.