Perfect Roasted Asparagus

'Tis springtime in the Bluegrass, which means one thing – it's asparagus season.  Oh the joys of this little green (or white or purple!) stalk, I could extol its virtues endlessly.  I'll settle for presenting this super easy, amazingly delicious preparation.  You'll wonder how you ever got by without it.

Perfect Roasted Asparagus

Serves 4-6, depending on the size of your bunch
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed (see below)
Olive oil (~1 tablespoon)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  To de-stem the asparagus, simply bend the stalk until it snaps.  Place the asparagus in a gallon-sized ziplock, drizzle with oil, and add the salt and pepper.  Seal the bag, then proceed to shake it, coating all of the asparagus equally in oil, salt, and pepper.

2.  Spread the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Squeeze half a lemon over the asparagus. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the asparagus are beginning to brown.  Serve immediately!