Today I’ve hijacked Jasmine’s “Adventures in Food and Family” to share with you the easiest, but tastiest recipe I know. I don’t think we’re going to be posting too many recipes, but This and That… is all about information and this is one of those dishes that will make people think you REALLY know how to cook, even if you don’t.  I thought today would be a good day to share this recipe, since it’s a few days after Thanksgiving and the veggies are usually the first leftovers to run out, so here’s a nice and quick side dish that will add a little pop of flavor to that leftover turkey and ham!

If you’ve never had asparagus, I advise you to try this recipe. If you don’t like asparagus, or if you’ve had it prepared other ways and have never tasted it roasted, I advise you to try this recipe. I guarantee you will never eat asparagus any other way again. This is a great fall/early winter veggie and is quite versatile. You can eat it hot, room temp, or even cold. Cut it in pieces and add to a salad – take it to work for a fresh and healthy treat.

Well, let’s get to it…Take a bunch of asparagus (they are sold in bunches) and wash thoroughly in cold water. Asparagus have woody stems which must be removed, but don’t worry about having to cut them off…bend each spear until the end of it snaps off. Even though it might look like a big chunk, trust me, it has broken naturally at the place where the spear has become woody. What you’re left with are nice tender asparagus spears. Place them in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little olive oil (or any oil you have), and then sprinkle with a large pinch, or a few twists of sea salt (I like to use the McCormick Sea Salt grinder myself). Here’s how they look before broiling:

Asparagus - prepped and ready for broiler

Place under the broiler for about 10 minutes, shaking them around every few minutes to keep them from burning. Trust me…you’ll know when they are ready. Spears should be lightly charred and a bit shrunken.

The finished product!

Be careful, they can be addictive! Try them and let us know how they came out and how much you LOVED them! LOL