Why does my asparagus turn out too chewy? When I make asparagus, I cut off the ends and boil them in water for about 5 minutes. I discard the ends, and add the other half of the (uncooked) asparagus into the pan with the same water for 8-10 minutes (medium high heat). Afterwards, I place the asparagus on a baking sheet, top with cheese, and put it in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts. My question is.. Why do my asparagus come out too chewy/soggy? Am I cooking them for too long? What would you suggest I do differently to get the right texture? Thanks!
I think you are over cooking them. Asparagus is a very delicate shoot, and it goes from nice and crispy to flat and soggy pretty quickly. Some people like it that way, but not me. I like mine hot, but still crisp.

The way I prepare asparagus with water is in a frying pan. Lay the asparagus out in the pan and just cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and immediately pull the asparagus out. It's ready to serve right then.

Sometimes I like to grill it, but that takes a little practice to get the timing just right and also not dropping them through the grill. :-\