I can’t believe it’s our final vegetable of the year!

There were naysayers who told me no one would be interested in twelve vegetables, and I should stick to pies, cakes, or soups, but I know what belongs on our plates – colorful delicious vegetables!

For our final vegetable, I selected asparagus. It’s a year-round family favorite and a must-have for holiday meals.

We prefer our asparagus broiled on the grill in foil and I found this amazing recipe that can easily be adapted for the oven or grill.

Here is the link, https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/grilled-asparagus-in-foil/

My son, James, is officially in charge of everything prepared on the grill. Instead of butter, he uses olive oil, pepper, and garlic on the asparagus. He adds a little salt after the asparagus in the foil packet is cooked.

After you trim the ends of the asparagus, be sure to save them to make vegetable broth for soups.

I add them to onion, carrot, and celery scraps, water, and spices and simmer them for at least six hours to make the broth.

You can even add leftover chicken or turkey bones/scraps.

It’s great for any recipe that calls for broth.

This month in “What’s for Dinner? Ask Linda” she shares this recipe for a delicious appetizer made with asparagus, https://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe/Appetizers+%26+Snacks/Under+30+minutes/Prosciutto-Wrapped+Asparagus/1125053

Next year we will be featuring the Twelve Months of Salad.

The Twelve Months of Vegetables

January                Cabbage              Mahi Mahi Soft Tacos

February              Zucchini               Chocolate Zucchini Bread

March                   Leeks                    Colcannon

April                      Carrots                 Gingered Carrots & Kale Ribbons and

Carrot Cake

May                       Beets                    Quinoa Burgers & Vegan Poke Bowl

with Beets

June                      Kale                      Tuscan White Bean Soup & Sweet

Potato Noodles & Garlic with Kale

July                        Broccoli              Roasted Broccoli & Tofu w/Creamy Miso

                                                              Dressing and Chicken Broccoli Shells

August                  Potatoes            Special Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes with

                                                             Chickpeas & Broccoli Pesto

September          Green Beans   Special Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

with Chickpeas & Broccoli Pesto

October                Spinach           Cheesy Spinach Pesto Flatbread &

Chinese Spinach-Almond Salad

November            Corn                Shrimp & Sausage Foil Packets

December            Asparagus    Grilled Asparagus and Prosciutto

Wrapped Asparagus