Garlic Giveaway
It’s that time of year to start thinking about planting garlic. Mine is going to be planted where the sweet potatoes were this summer. I plan on planting a lot of garlic, loads and loads of it. I never seem to have enough and I like giving it away as well. We eat a lot ourselves and I feed it to the chickens and the dogs every now and again.
Last year I did a giveaway thanks to Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (also known as GrowOrganic.com), a company that my parents have been purchasing from since I was a kid. I’m more than happy to get a great prize for one of you while helping spread the word about this great company! Peaceful Valley also has a in depth weekly newsletter with loads of how-to videos and lots of useful information. They’re also on facebook if you want to keep up with their sales.
The garlic giveaway special will feature: a Garlic Combo collection, a quart of liquid kelp and plant labels. The garlic combo pack contains: 1 head of Elephant (conventional), 3 heads of California Early White (organic softneck), 3 heads of Music (organic hardneck), 3 heads of Russian Red (organic hardneck), 3 sets of French Red Shallots (organic).
So why the liquid kelp? Garlic bulbs do better when soaked in liquid kelp before planting. It gives them the boost they need to get a strong root system going before winter arrives in earnest. The plant labels were included because I have a very bad habit of never labeling my garden plants, particularly the garlic. As a result I have different kinds of homegrown garlic in my pantry but I don’t know which is which. The labels should help you keep things organized!
If you’ve never grown garlic before, don’t worry. I’ll have a garlic growing guide up on the blog next week. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, October 23 at midnight. Winner has been chosen via random.org – #72 – Matt who said, “I’ve loved garlic all my life.. Now I’m starting my own Back to Eden style garden and of course plan garlic to be part of it.”
How do you enter this giveaway? Tell me what’s your favorite way to use garlic in the kitchen?
My family hails from the western coast of India and for us garlic is used primarily along with ginger in a crushed form to marinate meats and fish before cooking them in curries or shallow frying. I also love garlic when its roasted in little bit of oil and added as a tempering to buttermilk. The aroma that fills the house when crushed garlic pods splutter in butter or ghee (clarified butter) reminds me of my childhood vacations spent in my granny’s home!
to Vids's comment
I grew garlic in my community garlic plot this year but while away on vacation the tops rotted due to rain so I had to dig up the bulbs and it wasn’t that great. Since I’m giving up my plot I’m going to try growing my garlic at home in deep pots this year. I would love to win this garlic!
to Deb's comment
I put garlic into almost everything I cook, from scrambled eggs to soups.
to Lydia's comment
Garlic is wonderful. I’ve only recently started to try and grow it and what we got, I loved!! I use in cooking all the time, and have looked into garlic as far as alternative remedies are concerned. I would LOVE to get some new garlic to plant!!:)
to Emily's comment
So many garlic favorites–I often roast it and use it roasted on pizza, pasta, garlic toast, soup–casseroles, everywhere!
to maggiewann's comment
Roasted garlic on crusty bread! Yum.
to Katie's comment
I love to drizzle bread with olive oil and toast it in the oven, then rub a cut clove of garlic on it after the bread is toasted. Garlic scape pesto is another favorite if you grow hardneck garlic.
to Melissa's comment
I used elephant garlic last night in a bok choy/cashew stir fry.
to bonnie k.'s comment
I love using garlic, my domain is the grill when it comes to the “kitchen”, so I typically always use garlic in some form in the marinade or rub. I also won’t shy away from garlic that is roasted where you can truly get its flavor.
to Andres Stell's comment
Garlic is the best vegetable available – in Czech cuisine, we used it quite often, as a part of homemade spread (garlic-cheese), soup (garlic soup is a traditional winter meal), or just solely to prevent flu:) I prefer to use it as a last ingredient to any meal to give it its “heat”:)
to Dominika Nasková's comment
Garlic`s presence in my kitchen is as undeniable as that of the onion. These staples find their way into almost all savory dishes. Garlic is a bit more present in winter as I use it to fortify my immune system and keep infections at bay. My favorite way to enjoy it is roasted in it`s skin, then smeared on bread like butter.
to Marcia's comment
I use garlic in pretty much everything, from BBQ sauce to soups to my favorite Italian dishes.
to Erin H.'s comment
I use garlic to make the best meatballs and hamburger patties and pretty much anything with ground meat, yummy!!!
to Amber Jackson's comment
I love love love garlic but have never grown it. I love to make my own garlic bread. Just take hot dog or hamburger buns, spread on some butter or margarine, sprinkle with garlic salt. Mmmm so good! I also add it to my pizza/spaghetti sauce and my pizza dough.
Let’s face it, Garlic makes just about everything better!
I hope I win!
to Caroline's comment
Years ago I bought this garlic crock from one of the catalogs (King Arthur Flour in Vermont?) Anyhow, you fill the crock with peeled garlic, add olive oil, butter, salt, pepper and herbs. Cover the crock and bake it for about an hour. What comes out is this lovely roasted garlic spread that we use in everything or simply spread on bread! It does indeed keep the vampires away! :-)
to Kate's comment
I did not grow up with garlic, although I grew up on a farm and we grew just about everything else. I am enjoying becoming acquainted with it during the last few years. My favorite thing to do with it is to plant it inside a pork or beef roast, I just stick a sharp knife in and make hole then I stick the garlic in, before I brown it . This really brings out the flavor of the meat and everyone ask me about it when I slice the roast and they can see the bulbs. I would like trying the different kinds that you mentioned in my garden, since I am not familiar with anything but the regular kind that you get at the grocery store.
to Barbara Shaw's comment
I use garlic in almost every meal I cook. Sadly I’ve never planted garlic, I’m not sure why I’m so intimidated by it. It’s on my to do list for this fall. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
to Tam's comment
I got my hard neck of who knows what variety of garlic many years ago from a friend in Harborside. Each year I use the biggest cloves for seed. This year I got some huge bulbs and will soon plant some. I always use the same spot as garlic acclimates to its location. I need some liquid kelp to soak the planing cloves in.
to Jennifer Fisk's comment
Garlic (like onions) are the beginning of most all meals at our house it seems. My favorites are 1. mashing fresh garlic with herbs from the garden, salt & pepper, and mooshing them under the skin of a roasting chicken… then roast away! 2. Cesar salad. It is a staple in our home. 3. Another wonder of garlic is making a pesto from the scapes. Pretty much the only thing we don’t put garlic in is the chocolate cake! Hmmm.
to Ginnie's comment
It’s hard to decide how I don’t use garlic, but one of my favorites is mojo de ajo. You bake peeled whole garlic in a baking dish filled to nearly the brim with olive oil.
Bake until the garlic is good and soft then mashed into the oil, infusing it further. I use this oil in lots of dishes for that something extra.
to Maria Zannini's comment
I HAVE NEVER GROWN GARLIC BUT USE IT IN EVERYTHING.
to carol's comment
Holy crap! Farmer MacGregor just made Jacques Pepin’s garlic soup for dinner tonight. I like to chop up a head of garlic, cover it with olive oil and parsley, then use it in all kinds of recipes. Furthermore, roasting heads of garlic on a wood BBQ then squishing it on some sourdough is great.
This give away is super duper!
to Maybelline's comment
ratatouille
to Rebecca's comment
I use garlic in almost everything that I cook and I would really love the opportunity to win this garlic. Thank you.
to aruna's comment
Crushed, minced and sautéed with olive oil and vegetables. Is there really a bad way to use garlic?
to Corrie's comment
Our absolute favorite way to use garlic in the kitchen is in a slow cooked marinara sauce. Sautéed garlic and onion with a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, adding shredded zucchini and shredded crookneck squash, then adding homemade tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes, and later oregano, sage and thyme dried from the garden. Slow cooked on the back of the stove all day, it makes the house smell amazing and the flavor is heavenly.
to Stephany's comment
I use it mostly to make garlic dill pickles!
to Natalie B.'s comment
I use garlic in too many things to count – I love it. This summer I cut a bunch of garlic scapes and chopped them up to put on pizza. I was so sorry when I finally ran out. I also dice up and swallow a clove of raw garlic if I feel a cold coming on (or as a preventative measure if people at work are sick). I swear it helps! I’d love to try some new varieties. I have been growing mystery garlic the last few years, and meant to buy some local garlic at a farmers market to plant (and label) this fall, but I waited too long and everyone was sold out last weekend – oops.
to Becky's comment
I use garlic in so many things! And I’ve yet to get any to grow here. Maybe the liquid kelp is the trick. Thanks!
to Cassandra B.'s comment
Fresh garlic is an absolute must in my kitchen… I don’t know how anyone gets by without it! Perhaps my favorite use is in fresh field pea salad… Blanch fresh cowpeas, cool, and add to a dressing of fresh minced garlic with mayo, dijon mustard, cider vinegar, and then toss with fresh basil, red peppers, and tomatoes. Mmmmm!
to Cathy R.'s comment
I like to cut slits in pork tenderloin and poke whole garlic cloves, slightly crushed, in them. Rub down with a little olive oil and some balsamic vinegar and roast either in oven or slow on grill. Yum.
to Tereza's comment
My family loves garlic…in fact, I use so much I would love to have just a garden with only garlic. I use it in everything from sauces, stir fries, eggs, and also chop up for my chickens as a health benefit. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win this wonderful prize. I would love to plant, plant, plant away :)
to Joyce Zaleski's comment
I love garlic in lots of things, but I think that Kimchi just wouldn’t be the same without it!
to Archie Gallup's comment
I spent almost all of this year either in or out of the hospital, recovering from surgeries. As a result I have spent some time with the Cooking channel & Food Network and my family has enjoyed the new flavors I have come up with. Garlic is something that I am trying at the moment and even though I wanted to grow my own by the time I went to buy some heirloom garlic everyone was sold out.
to Cindy Sherwood Vanfossen's comment
Ward off vampires!
to Margaret Sparks's comment
I eat a clove of raw garlic every night. It’s one of the few things that truely seems to improve my health and keeps the doctor away.
to Phillip Dauben's comment
Garlic infused olive oil. Love it for everything!
to Beth's comment
I love roasted garlic! it’s fantastic on winter breads.
to Kelly Watson's comment
garlic green beans and garlic mashed potatoes are our favorite way to use garlic!
to Karin Antevil's comment
I use garlic in everything! There is nothing better than the smell of sauteed garlic. One of the family favorites is garlic bread. :)
to Helen's comment
Almost any dish we start begins with olive oil, garlic and onions and then builds from there but we make massive batches of pesto each year which we freeze in small containers and then use throughout the winter months. It’s one of those easy meals for a cold winter night when everyone is too tired to think about cooking and it reminds us all of the coming spring when we’ll have basil again!
to April's comment
I use it in nearly every meal I make. I add it to my fermented veggies too! I love it garlic!
to Lori's comment
We saute garlic with mushrooms and add whatever sounds good, usually some sort of rice and beans.
to Happy's comment
We use it for a flu / cold / cough remedy
1 head of garlic cut into tiny pieces
1 purple onion cut into tiny pieces
Honey
Mix both garlic and onion in a glass container with a lid; once the mixture is inside the glass container pour Honey over it until it is all covered with honey; cover the container. Let it sit for a couple of hours then put into the refrigerator, the onion and garlic will release its juices and the honey will become liquidly. Take 1 or 2 tablespoons as needed.
Thanks for everyone whom is sharing the great use of garlic.
to Arasely's comment
Garlicky bruschetta!
to glen's comment
I love garlic! My favorite garlic dish is angel hair with fresh sliced garlic lightly sauted in butter and fresh Parmesan and Romano. The Family also has a seafood and vegetable pasta dish that calls for over 100 cloves! We cut it to around 48.
to Kara's comment
I used it so often, I’m not sure I have a favoite way! I use it soups almost every time I make any type.
to Lee's comment
I like using cloves of garlic in my pickled beets and dilly beans…yum!
to Shelley C's comment
I use a lot of garlic in my cooking. We eat a lot of Italian meals with pasta and garlic bread. I make pesto with the basil my husband grows, and good garlic makes all the difference in the flavor. We’ve been wanting to try growing garlic, so this prize would be a great start.
to Amy L's comment
Pesto, pesto, pesto with lots of my homegrown garlic from Peaceful Valley. We put on pasta, rice, quinoa, sandwiches, etc, etc.
to Lindee Larsen's comment