Asparagus with Balsamic Butter

I am really excited about this Recipe Swap hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking.  The theme this time around is side dishes.  I feel like I have become quite efficient at meal planning over the past year or so-we hardly waste any food at all, there is a great variety in types of food that we eat, and we usually like (or love!) most meals.  However, I tend to overlook side dishes and find myself using up whatever I have on hand to pair with a main course.  I also think that sometimes it's all to easy to get caught in a "side dish rut" and make the same sides over and over again.  Needless to say, I'm excited to see what other bloggers submit and make to get some good ideas!

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, so I was excited to try a new recipe for it.  I loved how quick and easy this was to prepare-it was able to bake while the rest of our meal cooked, and I already had all the ingredients besides the asparagus.  I will definitely add this to my repertoire of side dishes for the future! Thank you Jaida from Sweet Beginnings for this wonderful side dish!

Asparagus with Balsamic Butter

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (I used white)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.  

Lay the asparagus out on the prepared baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper. Bake asparagus  for 12 minutes, or until tender. Alternatively, you can steam, grill or saute the asparagus until tender. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the asparagus and serve.