Asparagus Appetizer Roll-ups

Valentine's Day 2022. Kevin's card: a chicken in a heart hat. "You're EGG-straordinary." The pun evolution continues. Filet mignon with blue cheese butter, the Valentine's tradition. Asparagus. Wine.

Jack made handmade valentines for everyone. Emma's featured her colored pencils. Noah's featured a saxophone. Mine featured a tomato plant. Roger's featured a sunflower. Kevin's featured a steak. Each valentine an act of attention from a boy who gives attention the way farmers give water — consistently, purposefully, because the things you love need it.

I've been practicing Marlene's pie crust weekly. The Never-Fail recipe she wrote on my birthday card. The crust is getting closer — not there yet, but the hands are learning what the recipe can't teach. The flake improving. The cold butter behavior becoming instinct. She would say "close." I'd take close.

Asparagus has always been the quiet constant of our Valentine’s dinner — there for the filet mignon year after year, never asking for attention, just doing its job. This year, somewhere between Jack’s handmade valentines and my weekly attempts at Marlene’s pie crust, I decided the asparagus deserved a little more credit. These roll-ups are what I made when I wanted the side dish to feel as intentional as the rest of the meal — something that says the whole table mattered, not just the steak.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 27 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

16 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
8 slices thin white sandwich bread, crusts removed
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Blanch asparagus. Bring a shallow pan of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes until just bright green and slightly tender. Transfer immediately to an ice bath, then pat dry.
Make the filling. In a small bowl, blend together the cream cheese, blue cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
Flatten bread. Use a rolling pin to gently flatten each slice of bread to about 1/8-inch thickness.
Assemble roll-ups. Spread a thin, even layer of the cream cheese mixture over each slice of bread. Place 2 asparagus spears at one edge of each slice and roll up firmly, pressing gently to seal.
Butter and season. Brush each roll-up with melted butter and arrange seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the roll-ups are golden and crisp. Serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Asparagus Appetizer Roll-ups — The Valentine’s Side That Steals the Show