Herbed Asparagus - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh asparagus
3/4 - 1 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chives or 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation

Wash the asparagus under running water and snap off tough ends; place 1 inch of water in a large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat.
When water boils, add the asparagus, cover, and steam for 4 to 6 minutes,.
or until fork-tender; immediately remove the asparagus from the boiling water and plunge it into a ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
In a 9\" x 13\" baking dish, combine the Italian dressing, red pepper, parsley, and chives; mix well.
Remove the asparagus from the water, drain well, and add to the.
baking dish and gently mix to coat completely with the dressing.
Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving; before serving, sprinkle with the chopped egg, if desired.