Ode to Roasted Garlic

Tonight is one of those nights where you are so pooped from work that nothing sounds good for dinner and you definitely do not want to cook anything. I'm sure you have these nights too. So, as I sit here writing this evening, I am diving into a huge bowl of Trader Joes Honey O's and let me tell you, they taste SO good. Maybe it's because I haven't had cereal in ages, but sometimes you have to spice it up and have cereal for dinner. At least this counts towards my rule of having breakfast for dinner at least once a week. 

Even though this cereal is pretty much all I can think about right now, I can't express to you how much I love garlic. If you are thinking you don't like the strong flavor, you definitely need to try roasting garlic. Roasting the garlic brings out the sweetness and takes away that sharp flavor that many people find appalling. Not me though. Roasting garlic gives you a gateway to use it in so many ways. You can use it to make great garlic bread, use it as a pizza sauce (or mix it in the sauce), mash it up and put it on some toasty bread, use it as a paste on cooked meat for extra flavor, mix it up with some softened butter and herbs to make a compound butter, and even add it to sauces, dips or dressings. Or, if you're like me, you can just mash it up and eat is straight out of the bowl. Don't worry, I did not add any to my cereal. I'm not that crazy.

Roasting garlic is so so so super easy. All you need is garlic bulbs, olive oil, salt and pepper (optional) and foil. See, super easy peasy. Once you start roasting garlic, you'll see what I mean about how good it is and how well is goes with just about everything.

less than five ingredients

cut each bulb to expose the garlic

drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper

wrap them up. ready for the oven!

look at that roasted garlic. YUM.

squeezing out the garlic. note - don't do this right after the garlic comes out of the oven. wait at least 30 minutes. that and you might need to use a paper towel to help since the garlic papers are a little sticky

creamy delicious smashed roasted garlic.

Roasted Garlic

Garlic (as many bulbs as you want)

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Olive Oil (about 1 Tablespoon per garlic bulb)

Cut each bulb in half to expose garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper (optional). Wrap each bulb separately with foil and place in a 400 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. Remove garlic from oven and let cool in the foil for at least 30 minutes. Squeeze garlic to remove the garlic cloves and mash into a paste.

Are you ready to make this now? Just think of all the possibilities. Plus, garlic has great health benefits too! When I'm feeling a cold coming on, I always make sure to eat more garlic or take garlic pills. Just be careful to not eat too too much, it does have its side effects if you know what I mean (and I'm not talking about bad breath). I'm sure you all wanted to know that. On another note, stay tuned for a great recipe this week using roasted garlic. I know you'll love it as much as I do!