What's That Smell?

I love asparagus...even if it makes my pee smell funny. Sometimes I forget that I have eaten it until I go to the bathroom a few hours later and I think to myself, "What is that smell? Oh right...asparagus." Tanner and Abigail like asparagus too. My husband tells me it isn't his favorite vegetable, but he eats it without complaint when it appears on his plate (smart man). We are usually overrun with asparagus form our garden in the summer but since it doesn't freeze well I wait to buy it in the grocery store when it is on sale.

I discovered a NEW recipe that combines three of my favorite foods: asparagus, cheese, and garlic. I made it last night and it was SO YUMMY! I cooked one bunch of asparagus; Matt ate a few spears, the twins shared three or four, and I ATE THE REST! While Matt was doing the dishes (love him) I consumed all the left over pieces on the cookie sheet. They had cooled off a lot since coming out of the oven but they were still DELICIOUS!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Serves 4

1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed
3 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground pepper
1 T. lemon juice (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place asparagus in a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper; toss to coat the spears.
3. Arrange spears in a single layer on a baking sheet (I line mine with aluminum foil first for easy clean up).
4. Bake in preheated oven until just tender, 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness.
5. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving (optional).

Note: I only used 2 T. of olive oil and 1/2 t. salt and I baked them for 8 minutes and they were perfect. The next time I make them (which will be very soon I assure you) I may cut the salt down a little more, maybe 1/4 t. I didn't use any lemon juice.