What To Make With What’s On Sale: Fresh Garlic

It’s Friday — time for What To Make With What’s On Sale!  Fresh garlic is $0.33 each this week at Albertsons.

Garlic is a staple in almost all cultures, both medicinally and as a seasoning.  Here are five garlic recipe ideas, as well as some tips for storing fresh garlic!

When purchasing garlic, check for freshness by lightly squeezing the bulb.  If the cloves seem soft or appear brown through the skin, the garlic is not fresh.  Also, avoid garlic bulbs with any sign of green at the tip, as these are beginning to sprout and will have a bitter taste.

Fresh garlic should be stored at room temperature, preferably in a cool, dark place.  Clay garlic keepers are great for storing fresh garlic and can be found at many grocery stores for just a few dollars.  A brown paper bag also works for storing garlic.  Fresh garlic can be stored whole in the freezer, too!  Place the whole bulbs in a freezer bag, remove the air, and freeze.  Individual cloves can be pulled off the bulb and used without needing to thaw first.

Try this Roasted Garlic mixed with butter or olive oil as a spread for French bread, or mix it with sour cream or plain yogurt as a topping for baked potatoes.  Or, use it in this Roasted Garlic Spread and serve on melba toast or toasted pita bread.

Emeril Lagasse’s Garlic-Infused Oil and Dipping Sauce is another great recipe to try.  The easy dipping sauce served with warm bread makes a fancy-looking appetizer!

This Garlic-and-Greens Spaghetti recipe is simple but quite flavorful, and it’s a great way to use up wilting greens that might be in the produce drawer.  It’s a standby meal for us when the fridge is starting to look bare!

Here’s a yummy-looking main dish, Chicken in Garlic Sauce (Pollo al Ajillo.)  Chicken thighs are browned then simmered in chicken broth with garlic and thyme.

Is fresh garlic a staple in your home?  What’s your favorite way to use it?

Be sure to check out the What To Make With What’s On Sale archives for more meal-planning ideas!