Asparagus and mushroom tarte with goat cheese

My first attempt at using puff pastry.

Want to wow your friends in about 30 minutes? And all you have to know how to do is NOT over cook asparagus.

I made this last tarte last night and it was to die for. I mean, I was drooling all over myself in between back pats. Seriously. It was like good sex, a chocolate bar, and a massage all rolled into one.

Serves: 3, 2 tartes each
Prep time: about 10-20 minutes depending on if puff pastry is already thawed

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed and cut into 4x4 inch squares
• 12 oz fresh mushrooms, any variety
• asparagus, stalks broken off, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 2 cloves minced or pressed garlic
  
• 2 Tbs fresh thyme
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz goat cheese
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove frozen puff pastry and lay out on counter, side by side, to thaw (takes approximately 20 minutes).

Melt butter in large saute pan, add mushrooms and cook on medium until mushrooms are wet. Add asparagus, garlic and thyme. Saute gently until asparagus are bright green and al dente, but no longer bitter to taste. Add lemon zest and mix. Remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, cut thawed puff pastry sheets each into 4 squares. Score the edges, but don't cut all the way through. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray and lay six squares on it (you'll have 2 extra squares, but you can pile a little less on each and spread it out for 8 squares. Just use two cookie sheets in the oven instead of one, rotating them from the top rack to a bottom rack until all the squares are cooked). Spread goat cheese on center of squares being sure to avoid the scoring. Pile asparagus and mushroom mix in the center of each square. Bake in middle rack until pastry crust is golden brown. Remove and grate Parmesan on top of each tarte while smokin' hot.

Let cool for about 5 minutes, lest you want to burn the hell out of your mouth, and serve!