Roasted Asparagus

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus (this is usually about 1 to 1 ½ inches). Put the asparagus on a sheet pan, drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss the asparagus with your hands so that each stalk is coated with olive oil and some seasoning. Spread the stalks in a single layer on the sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 8 minutes until the asparagus is tender but not mushy.

Optional: Add a sprinkle of grated parmesan or a squeeze of lemon post-roasting.