Divine Asparagus

OK, this recipe is a no brainer. So all of you fancy cooks out there can giggle and laugh at my boastful nature as I say “I made this up all by myself”. Go ahead. Laugh now. Now get over yourself and make some! Oh, and there are no formal measurements here. None needed. That’s the beauty of it!

What you need:

Asparagus – as much as your family will eat. Buy extra if you are making it this way!

Olive oil

Kosher or sea salt

Pepper

Garlic – at least 3-4 good-sized cloves

Are you ready? Here we go:

– Break the asparagus as normal (bend the asparagus until it naturally breaks. I understand that you can then cut the rest to this length, but I like to be neurotic and break each piece at its natural point – it only takes a minute)

– Chop up some fresh garlic cloves. You could also put it through a garlic press if you are averse to having your hands smell like garlic for a few days. But do not, under ANY circumstances, use the minced stuff that comes in a jar. Yes, I use that stuff frequently in pasta and other dishes, but this is NOT one of them!

– Grab yourself a gallon size sandwich bag.

– Put the asparagus in the bag. Throw the garlic on top.

– Drizzle a few good tablespoons of olive oil over the garlic and asparagus. Throw in the sea salt and pepper (you can use fresh ground, I’m sure it would be fantastic. However, I have a really cheap pepper grinder, and wanted a fine grind, so I pulled some McCormick out of the pantry and it was just fine).

– Close up the bag, and rub the asparagus. Massage it well, rubbing the garlic into the asparagus, marrying all the flavors. Now would be a good time to remind your husband that mother’s day is coming up, and massages make great gifts…I’m just sayin’…

– Toss it in the fridge and forget about it for a few hours.

– Take it out of the fridge, put it in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

– Throw it in a 350 degree oven (or whatever temperature your oven happens to be on if you already have something in it), and roast it for 15-20 minutes. I like to pull it out when it gets dark green, before the ends turn that nutty brown. But hey – if you like that nutty brown leaf, leave it in a few more minutes! You won’t hurt my feelings.

Throw it in a bowl and serve it. This was so yummy on Sunday, my husband is still reminiscing about it!