what can I do with asparagus?

We usually drizzle a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar (or balsamic syrup - basically a balsamic vinegar reduction), salt and pepper and roast them in the oven (about 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes) and we think it's delicious. I've also put some parmesan on it too, but I don't think it even needs it. Typically roasting any veggies makes them taste sweeter.

Yep, this is how I like them and I don't like them steamed!

I make a dish pretty often either as a side with a peice of meat or as a breakfast with an egg.

Cherry tomatoes
Asparagus
Mushrooms

dice everything and pop in to a hot pan sprayed with olive oil, season with salt n pepper.

I thought oils and butter were bad. Are sprays any better? Is it still healthy if I use some of those?

No food is "bad" - eating anything in excess is bad. So as long as you limit how much oil or butter you use - say, a tablespoon to make 3-5 servings - you're fine. Also, a lot of oils contain good fatty acids like omega-3's that you want to have in your diet, that help keep your heart, brain, skin, and hair healthy. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils are the ones you should look out for, though, they are bad stuff.

I got this from the Moosewood cookbook years ago. Toss asparagus with olive oil, a little balsalmic, and garlic ( I use the roasted garlic in the jar from the produce section. spread in a single layer on a cooking sheet (line with foil) Bake at 450 for about 20 minutes. A few minutes before it is finished cooking, sprinkle with parmesean cheese. I made this a few years ago for Thanksgiving, and now it is a standard thing. People in my family look for it. You can also marinade them the same way and put them on the grill. The foreman works great too.

I resurrected this post to pass on a recipe that was on Rachel Ray today. She made it with green beans, but suggested asparagus would work well too. I don't know about you, but I think this sounds YUMMY!!!

Warm Provencal Chicken Salad
Ingredients
1/2 to 2/3 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds baby white or gold potatoes, halved
4 small onions, sliced 1/2-inch thick wedges
8 to 10 cloves garlic
1 pound trimmed green beans or asparagus, halved
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup black pitted Nicoise olives
8 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
A small handful of sage leaves
A small handful of tarragon
A couple of sprigs fresh marjoram or 2 teaspoons dried
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 cups arugula
Baguette
Yields: Serves 4
Preparation
Heat oven to 450˚F.
Place potatoes, onions and crushed garlic in a bowl and toss with just enough EVOO to coat, a couple of tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper, place on baking sheet and place in oven. Roast 45 minutes, turning once.
Place green beans or asparagus in bowl with tomatoes and pitted olives, dress with a little EVOO, salt, pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat chicken lightly in EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken 12 minutes, turning once, then thinly slice on an angle.

While chicken cooks, place shallot, herbs and mustard in food processor and season with salt and pepper. Pulse chop to finely chop the mixture then stream in about 1/4 to 1/3 cup EVOO to form a pesto-like sauce. Scrape sauce into a large, shallow bowl.
Pile roasted vegetables, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, olives and arugula into a bowl. Top salad with sliced chicken and serve with crusty baguette.

Get out the aluminum foil when you are using the barbecue (grill for some of you)

Clean the asparagus and cut of fthe tough ends. Put it on the foil, a touch of olive oil, salt & pepper and wrap it up into a package.

5 minutes on the bbq and you have an awesome side

Here's a great recipe that I figured out to be 225 calories per 1 cup serving. Even my kids eat it!
1 box Bow Tie macaroni
1 lb asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBSP Olivio spread (or use butter or margarine)
Salt and Pepper

Cook the bow ties according to the package, and during the last 3 minutes, throw the asparagus into the pot and cook it with the macaroni. Drain and return to the pot. Add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, butter, salt and pepper - toss it all together until the butter melts. Delicious!

Grill it! Sprinkle a little of your favorite seasoning on them and put them on the barbecue. I like to season them with Gorilla Garlic. It kicks it up a notch.

Asparagus is excellent in risotto, along with other vegetables and maybe scallops or something. I haven't cooked that for years, but I love it!

Well, first, I love asparagus, so perhaps I'm biased, but here's a suggestion. DON'T BOIL IT - it is a common way to cook it, but is the worst possible way to cook it. If you want it cooked completely, it's hard to beat roasting it. lay it on a non-stick cookie sheet, brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with a little sea salt or kosher salt and cook at 500 degrees for 12-16 minutes, depending on thickness. If you throw other veggies on the pan with it (squash, carrots, etc) it is outstanding.

If you want it for inclusion in a salad, I recommend a quick blanche.

Try it - it's really good!

Roasted in the oven with some olive oil and balsamic vingerette drizzled on after it's done is my fav way too! I also like to sprinkle a little sea salt on it before serving....mmmmm

A good question is: What about asparagus is the problem? Do you not like the taste? texture? smell? All of which could be attacked from different angles. You could mask the vegetable by cutting it up with similar ingredients and incorporate into a sauce or salad. You could try different degrees of "done-ness." Personally, I like to wrap a few sprigs in a moist paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes tops (I do the same thing with a fresh ear of corn THE BEST, I want one now!). I used to dip into ranch dressing or hollandaise sauce, but i love the crunch in sushi rolls, too. You could also puree the asparagus into, say, tomato sauce or something similar if you are just determined to eat some. I have found, though, that the best way to change your view of a food is to make sure it is prepared right, and ease your way into the "situation."