Back to Basics

It's not every day that I can cook a super exciting meal. And lately, I haven't had very many recipes to share with you. So, for this post I've decided to go back to basics and highlight two easy vegetables that require very little preparation and very few ingredients. No sauces or overwhelming dressings here - we're talking straight-up and simple.

Roasted Asparagus

Bunch of asparagus

olive oil

minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean asparagus and trim tough ends. Arrange asparagus in roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Place pan in oven on middle/ upper middle rack. Cook for 20 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking.

Asparagus should come out slightly browned and carmelized.

Steamed Artichoke with Italian Herb Dipping Sauce

artichoke

olive oil

Italian herbs

salt and pepper to taste

Cut off stem of artichoke and remove first layer of lower petals. Trim off outer petal points with a kitchen scissor. Rinse artichoke and place in steamer basket placed in pot of simmering water. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Artichokes can be eaten hot or cold. I prefer mine at room temperature.

Serve with a side of olive oil and Italian herbs as a dipping sauce.

Enjoy!