Who doesn’t love garlic besides the guy who is kissing you? What I didn’t realize is that once a head of garlic is broken, it should be used within several days. Otherwise it is good for a month. Here are 3 great ways to use garlic I found in the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens.
#1) Rubbed On Bread
Brush both sides of thick slice of bread with olive oil. Toast in a fry pan. Remove and set aside. Once cooled rub one side of the bread with a clove of garlic that has been cut in half. Rub with a ripe, juicy tomato that has been cut in half. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Yum!!!!
#2)Mashed Into Butter
Wrap a whole head of garlic in foil. Roast in 425 degree oven for 35 minutes. Let cool, then remove garlic cloves from their skins. Transfer to a bowl and mash with the back of a spoon. Add softened butter, honey, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Mix to combine. Transfer minture to a piece of waxed paper. Shape into a log and freeze. Serve on grilled chicken or fish, swirl into soup, or just smear on warm biscuits.
#3)Whirled Into A Spread
In a food processor combine white beans, garlic, and coarse salt. Cover and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. Stir in chopped fresh basil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and drizzle with additional olive oil. Serve as spread for sandwiches or whirl with additional olive oil and serve as a dip with crackers.
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Today I went to my friend Shelagh’s house in the UK for a cooking class. When I duplicated the dish for my family they went crazy for it so I thought I would share.
Lemon and Garlic Chicken with a Yogurt and Garlic Sauce
#1) Pick an organic chicken. What I didn’t realize was that chickens take on flavors based on what they were fed, so if they were fed seafood they would taste a bit fishy. Spending the money was well worth it.
#2) Rinse chicken and put in a roasting pan. Squeeze large lemon over the top of the chicken and put the lemon in the cavity of the bird.
#3) Take about 5 or 6 garlic cloves and crush them on a cutting board. Take fresh Rosemary, 1 large twig, and remove the leaves from the branch fanning backward on the stalk so leaves come off easily. (I found out that you cannot use the branch with fresh rosemary however you can with other herbs like coriander or parsley. It depends upon how thick the “branch” is.)
#4) Take about half a stick of butter which ideally has been softened and a sprinkle (about 2 teaspoons) of Kosher Sea Salt (Malden is best if you can get it.) Take your knife and chop all ingredients together and then using the side of your knife smear all ingredients across the cutting board to make a paste.
#5) Lift the skin off the chicken and gently insert the butter/garlic paste underneath the skin while keeping the skin in tact.
#6) Drizzle olive oil (2 tablespoons)over the chicken.
#7) Put 2 stalks celery chopped into 1 inch pieces inside cavity of chicken with one peeled onion, cut in half.
#8) Take additional cloves of whole garlic and stuff 3 or 4 into the cavity with skin removed and then take 3 or 4 more and tuck them under the legs and wherever else you can on the bird.
#9) Sprinkle dried rosemary, and some more salt and pepper over the top of the bird.
#10) Put the chicken into a hot oven (220 in the UK or 400 in states) for 10 minutes which crisps the chicken and locks in the juices.
#11) Turn the heat down to 180 in UK or 350 in State and cook an additional 40 minutes or until juices run clear.
#12) Take one cup of Greek yogurt and mix with 4 cloves crushed garlic.
#13) Cut chicken arrange on plate and spoon juices from the chicken over the meat and then cover with the yogurt and garlic sauce.
Here is a great recipe for American Chili from the Woman’s Day Magazine’s June issue!
All American Chili
Makes: 6 Prep: 10 minutes Slow Cook: For 4 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW
Ingredients needed:
1 ½ pounds of lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (8 ounces) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 box (8.5 ounces) corn bread mix, prepared according to package directions (optional)
Directions:
- Combine beef, onions, pepper, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon each of cumin and the oregano in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
- Remove the cover of the slow cooker and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon each cumin and oregano and salt. Serve with corn bread, if desired.
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Per Serving:
350 calories, 7 grams of fat (3 grams saturated fat), 35 grams of protein, 37 grams of carbs, 13 grams of fiber, 710 mg of sodium, 71 mg of cholesterol.
Here is a salad recipe from Better Homes and Garden Magazine’s July issue that will satisfy the sweet and salty craving you have.
Grains & Fruit Summer Salad
Start to Finish: 35 mins
Ingredients Needed:
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups cooked grains (quinoa, wild rice, brown rice)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups mixed salad greens (spring mix)
2 cups of blueberries
1 cup of cantaloupe cubes
1 cup of yellow cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in narrow ribbons
1/2 cup of walnut pieces, tossed
4 oz. smoked salmon, flaked (optional)
1/3 cup of snipped or shredded fresh herbs (dill, basil, and/or mint)
Directions:
1. For basil dressing, in a blender or small food processor, combine the 1 cup of basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together cooked grains and green onions. Stir in about 2 tablespoons of the basil dressing to coat.
3. For the salad, line a large bowl with greens. Top greens with grains mixture, blueberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts, and if desired, salmon. Drizzle with half the remaining basil dressing; toss gently. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Pass remaining dressing. Makes 8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings.
Here is a great follow-up recipe from this afternoon’s Luau ready tips!
Grilled Pork with Macadamia Rice
Serves: 8 Prep time: 20 mins. Grill: 1.5 hours
Ingredients Needed:
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
3 cloves of garlic
1 pork loin roast, chine bone removed and rib bones frenced
1 tbsp. EVOO
2 cups of Jasmine rice
1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup shredded coconut, toasted
2/3 cup salted, roasted, macadamia nuts, chopped.
Directions:
1. Using a small food processor, grind the cilantro, garlic, and 1 tsp. salt into a coarse paste. Place the pork fat side up and cut 1-inch-deep slits in the fat, 1 inch apart. Rub the cilantro paste on the pork and into the slits; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the EVOO and let stand at room temperature.
2. Preheat a grill to medium. Place a drip pan beneath the grate. Place the pork in the center over the drip pan, close the lid and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 135 degrees, about 1.5 hours (off the heat, the temperature will continue to rise). Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cover the rice with water and stir until the water becomes cloudy; drain and repeat twice. Return the rice to the saucepan and add 2cups of cold water and 1 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the scallions, coconut and macadamia nuts; season with salt and pepper.
4. Cut the roast into chops and serve with the rice.
For more information, and a picture of how this recipe looks, go to www.rachelraymag.com! Happy cooking!
Shape magazine’s April issue left us with a halitosis helper that could change the romance in your life. If you have just finished off a plate of pesto pasta, and you are worried about how your breath is going to smell for the remainder of your date, you should drink a glass of milk. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, a glass of nonfat “moo-juice” can mask your garlicky breath!