Foodie Fridays - Roasted Asparagus

I love a quick side dish, don't you? Last Friday night I had run to Wal-Mart to pick up a few last Christmas gifts and it was already six o'clock. I stood in the deli thinking to myself I really don't want to have to go home and cook an entire meal and spotted some asparagus. AH HA! I picked up a rotisserie chicken and off to the checkout line I went. About thirty minutes after getting home I had an entire meal of roasted chicken, roasted asparagus, and Cesar salad on the table. Quick, easy and definitely something my figure conscious hubby would approve of.

I didn't even like asparagus until about two years ago and this is my go to way to fix it at home now. This recipe makes a fork tender asparagus, lightly seasoned so the taste of the asparagus still comes through. It serves as a nice accompaniment to roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, steak, fish....well you get the idea. So gather up some ingredients and let's get cooking!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Fresh Asparagus Spears (8 oz usually is enough for me and my husband with a few left over)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice or half a fresh lemon (I prefer fresh lemon of course)
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder (or to your taste preference)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (you can use cookie sheet or jelly roll pan - I prefer a jelly roll pan as it is a touch thicker than a regular cookie sheet but use what you have!). Lining the pan is definitely optional but I love quick cleanup. Brush the pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil lightly coating the entire sheet.

No.  Just.  No.

Rinse your asparagus well and lay out on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to drain.  Trim the ends of the asparagus to remove any ends that are dried out or white as this will make the ends of the asparagus tough.  I normally cut off about a 1/2 inch or so.

Lay the asparagus out on the baking sheet in a single layer giving each spear just a little room.  Do not crowd the pan as they will not roast properly. 

 

Drizzle the spears with just enough olive oil to lightly coat, probably about a tablespoon or two. We don't want them drenched in oil, just lightly coated. I normally drizzle about a tablespoon, roll them around in the pan, and then drizzle just a little bit more. Squeeze your lemon over the spears and roll again to coat. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Roll one more time to make sure that the seasoning is evening distributed.

 

 

 

Bake in the prepped 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until fork tender.  If your spears are larger they make take a little longer, if smaller a little less, but they should be tender and the tips slightly brown and crunchy. 

 



 

 

And that's it! Serve with maybe a squeeze of lemon but they are so delicious I usually don't bother.  This is something that is elegant enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a weeknight meal.   I hope you enjoy and if you make it as always please let me know!