Pesto Pasta with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces medium shell pasta
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed to remove any woody bits
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, drained
• 8 oz mozzarella, shredded
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place asparagus in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste; gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast for 8-12 minutes, or until tender but crisp. Let cool before cutting into 1-inch pieces.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
4. In a large bowl, combine pasta, asparagus, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, and mozzarella.