Roasted Asparagus

A friend recently texted me, wanting the 411 on how to roast asparagus in the oven. She was used to boiling it on top of the stove for about 10 minutes in an inch of water until tender. (I found myself wishing again that the local farm had some early spring asparagus available TODAY. I was itching to get my hands on a fresh bunch to roast again.) Roasting is one of my favorite fast-and-easy methods for making all sorts of veggies taste great (mushrooms, peppers, squash, even broccoli and cauliflower). When roasting vegetables, I usually toss a little bit of olive oil and some spices together -- that's how I remembered roasting asparagus too. I remembered drizzling the spears with oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper ... but couldn't remember if I had set the oven at 400º or 425ºF ... and precisely how long I had left it in to roast. That's what happens when I don't write down recipes! And I didn't want to lead my friend astray with a faulty memory ...

So I did what any good cook does: I googled 'roasted asparagus' and found the answer on one of my favorite food sites: Simply Recipes. Thanks to Elise's detailed instructions for making Roasted Asparagus, I texted my friend back confidently, knowing that Elise would not steer us wrong. Gotta luv the speed and quickness of Internet cooking -- there's help and inspiration around every corner. Now I can't wait to try some farm-fresh asparagus with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and freshly grated parmesan. Thanks for the idea, Elise!

Ever find yourself in a quandary with a food or recipe? Please feel free to tweet me @quickmealhelp or text me at 717-327-0589.  I'll help you find an answer lickety-split quick!

-photo © Elise Bauer - Simply Recipes