Sarasota's Foil Pouch Oven Roasted Asparagus

SarasotaCook's Note:

No clean up, 20 minutes, easy and healthy. Nothing more to say. This also will work with green beans, brussels sprouts, zucchini and summer squash, and mushrooms. I just change the seasoning a little (thyme with squash; rosemary with mushrooms and brussels sprouts) and otherwise, a great easy way to make a roasted flavor with no clean up. You may not get that dark caramelized color, but ... for a quick easy vegetable side dish, I love it.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0

• 1 lb asparagus (cut the bottom 1-1 1/2-inch off, the tough woody stems)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice (the juice from one of those little plastic lemons will work ok for this if you do not have a fresh l)
• 2 slices lemons (optional)
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Foil Pouch -- About 24-30" long piece of foil.
2. Asparagus -- I base this on thick asparagus. Sometimes during the year you can buy the pencil thin asparagus, so make sure that you cut down the cooking time down and the amount of oil and seasoning as this cooks much faster and to me doesn't need as much seasoning or oil.
3. I place all the asparagus in the center of the foil pouch and spread the spears out slightly, alternating the tip and stem end so they all cook evenly. Drizzle on the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a couple of slices of lemon if you have them.
4. Bake -- Fold up the pouch making sure the majority of the asparagus sits flat and seal tightly. I pick it up and shake it a couple of times which really just distributes all the oil and seasoning throughout the pouch.
5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes on the middle shelf.

Reviews

[Luv2Cook/Hate2Clean:)]

We really liked this. Of course, we're an asparagus-loving family, so that helps a lot. :) Dh actually ended up making it, since I was working late, but he had no trouble with it at all. He did put a tad too much salt, but other than that, it was yummy. Thanks for a quick and healthy (and easy!) recipe!