Asparagus

Late winter in our neck of the woods can be sort of dull. The amber waves of grain are just thinking about waking up for spring so the fields are brown and sticky. The grass is starting to get a hint of green, but just a hint. One of my favorite signs of spring is asparagus at a reasonable price. I stumbled across a recipe for roasted asparagus that was a big hit at our house. You snap the woody ends off. Lay out the stalks on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Pop them in an oven that is heated to 425 for 8 minutes. The roasted flavor and crunchiness are very pleasing. My six year old son will eat a pound by himself if we let him. Asparagus makes us happy while we wait for strawberries.