Heavenly asparagus!

This was how dinner  started out tonight:  white potatos, asparagus and chicken.  I left the skin on the taters since they were white ones (not russets) and the skin was so thin.  I just chopped them up a little and threw them in a pan of water to boil.

The chicken was thin so I double coated it and fried it. :)  (We don't have fried foods very often).  I also fried okra.  BUT the piece of dinner that was the best was the asparagus!!  I did not have room on the stove for another pan (it turned out to be the best thing ever!) so I turned the oven on to 300 degrees.  I trimmed up the asparagus and put it in a 9 x 13 glass pan.  I added one melted stick of butter and about 3 tablespoons of minced garlic.  I then added two small packets of concentrated chicken stock mixed with just about 1/2 cup of water.  I put foil over the pan and put the asparagus in the oven.

The asparagus baked in the oven for about 30 minutes.  It retained quite a bit of its firmness.  It was not mushy at all.  The butter and garlic added the perfect touch of flavor.

I would like to take credit for the recipe, but, alas I cannot.  My sweet husband took me out to dinner at Manino's Italian Bistro.  http://www.manninositalianbistro.com/ordereze/default.aspx

The waitress offered asparagus as a side dish, I can't remember what fancy name they put on it.  I asked her what was in it and it was all the above.  It was so good that I had to try and re-create it at home! It was such a simple combination of ingredients.  I am glad that I tried.  It was easy and so very yummy.  It has earned a regular place in my repertoire of meals I prepare for my family as long as fresh asparagus is available.

So I guess tonight we reverted to our southern roots with our fried chicken, mash-a-taters and fried okra.  The asparagus was kinda high-brow but it was so good!  I love cooking for my family.