Dinner tonight was something simple as we had an appointment to get to. Teriyaki marinated steak, roasted carrots and seasoned rice. Roasted carrots are one of the simplest side dishes to make. To make it even easier, I use the mini, already peeled bagged carrots. Place a layer of carrots flat on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to coat and toss with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake in oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with small little morsels of sweet roasted carrots. What could be easier?
Better Homes & Gardens has a new Special Interest Publication out right now, called Simply Perfect Italian. Pictured on the cover is a Mile High Lasagna Pie that looks scrumptious. Lots of good recipes abound inside, including a section on roasting garlic and what to do with it once roasted. Happy roasting!
1-2-3 Easy Steps to Roasting Garlic
Step 1
Peel away the dry outer layers of skin from desired number of heads of garlic (1 medium head yields about 1 tablespoon of garlic paste). Leave skins of cloves intact. Cut off the pointed top portion (about 1/4 inch) with a sharp knife, leaving the bulb intact but exposing the individual cloves of garlic.
Step 2
Place the heads(s) of garlic, cut side up, in a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil (allowing about 2 teaspoons oil for each head). Bake, covered, in a 425 oven for 25-35 minutes or until cloves feel soft when pressed. To avoid burning yourself, allow head(s) to cool slightly before handling.
Step 3
Use the paste warm or cooled. If serving warm, use the tip of a small knife to remove paste from each head. If using as a cooking seasoning, remove cooled paste from heads by cutting off their stem ends. Use your fingers to squeeze paste from each clove into a bowl. Discard skins. Mash paste with a fork or the back of a spoon until smooth.
Six Ways to Savor Roasted Garlic
1. Serve whole roasted garlic heads warm as an appetizer spread for Italian bread.
2. Mix with a little olive oil and toss with hot cooked pasta and grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Stir into plain soft-style cream cheese along with some Italian seasoning to spread on crackers.
4. Blend equal amounts of olive oil and vinegar to dress tossed greens.
5. Combine with soft butter then rub over roasting chicken.
6. Toss into the sauce for a pizza.
Excerpted from Better Homes & Garden Simply Italian 2005
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