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?
I love garlic also! We grew 85 heads last year, red Russian and German.
We love to serve roasted garlic with French bread. Just cut a head in half drizzle a little olive oil, bake at 375F until golden and tender.
And garlic scapes, a total bonus since they have to be removed anyway! We pick them nice and young, and use them for pesto, which stays very green, and we also love them just roasted in the oven, like asparagus.
to Marina C's comment
I LOVE using garlic in all my pasta dishes and in some breads. :)
Susie
to Susie's comment
I love Music garlic! It is a favorite in our household. We put garlic in just about everything – pasta, dips, pizza, potatoes, ect.
My favorite recipe is a sweet creamy garlic dip. Soft cream cheese (if I am in a good mood, I will make my own), a few cloves of garlic, all blended together and a bit of maple syrup (that we got from our own trees) drizzled on top.
Also my kids will eat slices of garlic raw. They love it!
to Adelina Anderson's comment
Scrambled eggs, roasted and spread on toast, soups, salads: you name it we add garlic to it!!
to elaine's comment
I want to win! I’ve never tried soaking the garlic cloves before, sounds promising…
Probably my favorite way to use garlic is to slice it (not too thinly) and use it on pizza. Yum. Of course, pesto is also delicious, or roasted garlic, or pasta with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, peas, olive oil, and lots and lots of garlic…. Actually, anything with garlic is delicious!
to Joan's comment
I love using garlic in pestos, sauces, and on bruchetta and crostini. Thanks for hosting the give-away!
to kathi Cook's comment
I use garlic all the time so it is hard to pick my favorite. I roast it and eat it plain or put I white truffle salt on it. I also use it with smoked salmon. I love it in an omelet and my salad dressing, when I do a pork roast…I could go on and on!
to Js's comment
We use garlic everyday, but mostly enjoy using it in preparing Midnight Pasta. Mmmm, mmmm…
to daisy's comment
We grow garlic every year too. I just expanded my garlic raised bed this year. Poor hubby had to hurry and rush to get it finished before we left on vacation. I’d love to plant shallots this year too.
We use garlic in so many things it would be hard to pick a favorite, but I think it’s particularly good in my dips. My new favorite being Fried Onion Dip. It’s amazing!
to Lisa's comment
My favorite way to use garlic? That’s like asking my favorite child … or my favorite sense. I use it every day, it’s so versatile. When you roast it, it gets so mellow. Sautee, mince, press, slice, it’s all different.
My recent favorite is adding it to my sauerkrat. I was inspired by your fermenting podcast to branch out and it makes a lovely addition. (I think it was you that recommended it for breakfast — fabulous idea.)
I’ve planted a few different kinds and also have no idea which are which. It’s an adventure.
to Siobhan's comment
Love growing garlic! We have a hardneck variety that my MIL has been growing for 20+ years, we don’t know what it’s called. We also love Music and this year we are trying a couple of softneck varieties for the first time.
to Adriana's comment
Oh my! Who could pick a favorite way with garlic. Pesto made with the scapes this spring was a new and wonderful way for us!
to Elizabeth's comment
Roasted for tortilla soup or for smearing on fresh bread. Fermented in honey.
to Svetlana's comment
most of my recipes start with sautéed onions, garlic, peppers and spinach. then I turn it into eggs, pasta, pizza, etc. we eats LOTS of garlic, but have not had much luck getting it to grow in the garden.
I would love to win this package, might just get me started on the right track for growing a successful crop.
to Robin's comment
I love finely chopped garlic mixed in butter and used to spread on day old bread. Throw it under the broiler for a few minutes and it makes outstanding garlic bread. I usually make extra and keep a container in the fridge. Soooo much better than store bought garlic bread.
to Kelly M's comment
Garlic seems to go into just about everything in our kitchen, But I think my favorite way to eat garlic is crushed with Olive Oil, salt and pepper on fresh homemade artisan bread.
to Henry's comment
I love garlic :) No matter how the rest of my garden grew, the garlic always grows w/o problems. Given to me by a neighbor I have no idea what kind it is beyond hardneck. It would be nice to add some variety.
to Jodiana's comment
I use garlic in everything, but what sounds the best right now is roasted on an appetizer platter with bread, cheese, olives…
to Heidi's comment
I love garlic in lots of things, but my favorite is to use it to make scampi or dipping butter for the rare times we have a lobster tail at home!
to angie h's comment
I love to roast garlic and use it in hummus. I also am a fan of roast chicken with garlic and herbs. Yum!
to Kat's comment
Suzy,
I love garlic in lots of foods and especially as a natural antibiotic. Its great for ear infections for your children. I’ve given it to a calf who had pnemonia.
I love opening the cabinet where I keep it and the aroma that comes out is energizing and soothing all at the same time.
I keep dried, minced, and fresh and use it in almost everything as well as cayenne since both are great for our bodies.
Erika
to Erika's comment
We grow a lot of garlic here and use it almost every day. I don’t have a real favorite quite yet. But I do have a favorite way to keep it preserved. I peel the cloves of several heads at a time. Then I make it into a pesto in the food processor with walnut oil. I then put it in mini ice cube trays and freeze it. Once frozen I pop them out and put them in a straight sided glass freezer approved jar and then I can keep them in the freezer all season. I pop one out when I need it. I can even cut them in half if I really only need a little bit for a recipe.
to Ann's comment
I don’t even know how to pick a favorite! I just love the flavor (and nutrition!) it adds to my dishes so I stick it in everything possible. :)
to KimP's comment
This is kind of funny, but I’ve discovered I LOVE the garlic clove I put in the refrigerator dill pickles I make. I look forward to the end of every jar so I can eat the pickled garlic.
to kristin @ going country's comment
What a lovely give away and perfect timing too. I didn’t label the garlic last year and lo and behold I couldn’t remember which was what. We just eat it and count the flavors as a surprise.
to liz's comment
I use garlic in so many dishes, but I think my favorite is homemade tomato sauce! What an awesome giveaway…and so timely!!
to Jenn's comment
I ordered Peaceful Valley’s Garlic Combo last year (on your recommendation) with another pound of garlic and a few extra orders of shallot sets. The shallots grew wonderfully, but the garlic didnt do so well. The greens looked great and were super healthy but I ended the season with only golf ball-sized heads at best!
It’s great to see the garlic shoots poking up in early spring when there’s still a dusting of snow and the only other greenery is last season’s kale, but I’ve got to figure out just what when wrong. was there too little water? the soil too compact? not enough seaweed? definitely giving it another go, either this year or in the next few.
We use garlic in everything from omelettes to roasted toms for sauce and passata, but there’s nothing better than a sweet plump clove, roasted and spread like butter on a slice of homemade sourdough country loaf. yum.
thanks susy.
to Troy's comment
Probably too much nitrogen & not enough phosphorus. Try adding some bone meal at planting time.
to Susy's comment
I use garlic everyday, but had not been ready to grow it until this year. (My first fall garden attempt :D) I don’t have any, but I hope to try it..soon too the weather is getting cooler each day.
I have taken a class recently about healing herbs and learned even more about garlic and it’s benefits than I had previously been aware. I love healing inside out!
How cool is it up there each day now?
to PennyAshevilleNC's comment
I love garlic in pasta and stir fry. We only plant one type of garlic so this would be great to have a variety.
to Chris's comment
Good luck to all to win the garlic. Susy, don’t put my name in the hat. I’m just not ready for fall planting yet. Maybe next year.
Have a great contest.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
What doesn’t taste better with a little garlic added to it? For my birthday last year my mother gave me a plate that one of her potter friends created. It has a special area for grinding your garlic so you can make a garlic dipping sauce. Sooo delicious!
At the first sign of a cold coming on, down the hatch goes a clove for it’s healing properties.
I’ve never grown my own garlic before, but am finally in a house with a yard so I plan on starting some this year. Can’t wait!
to Kat's comment
Mmmmmmmm….. Garlic! It’s good in just about every savory dish. I like to add lots of garlic to my pot roasts. And I love adding garlic and rosemary to my rustic bread.
to Kirsten's comment
This year, I discovered the wonders of roasted garlic. Prior to that, I always just fried it up. I love roasted garlic in soups, pasta sauces, and even baked into a loaf of homemade bread. Yum!
to Johanna's comment
We love anything with garlic. My most favorite is incorporating it into my stir fry meals.
to amy svob's comment
Thank you! I love garlic most ways. My favorite currently is the jar of garlic confit. So great to be able to scoop out a little garlic oil or the soft cloves to add to anything. And mine too will go in where the sweet potatoes are. Can’t wait to eat those tasty tubers.
to Karina's comment
What a generous giveaway! I had completely forgot about the kelp, though. Thanks goodness for this post before I planted my garlic for next year.
Like you, I use garlic in everything. Roasted in with the pot roast is my favourite way. I usually use two heads so there will be extra. :). But garlic goes in everything: pots of beans, rice, hamburgers, the homemade mayo, salad dressing, you name it. The only thing I haven’t found a way to put it in is dessert. :)
Good luck everyone!
to whit's comment
We love to do homemade garlic bread and pasta sauces! We grow about 50 heads a year and that seems to work for us. We also use a lot of garlic scape pesto!
to Angie's comment
I have never planted garlic… I would love to give it a try! A favorite at our house would be garlic bread (my 2 year olds favorite!)
to Megan's comment
I love using garlic as a seasoning in soups, but my children can detect the slightest hint of it and don’t particularly like the taste right now! So I usually leave garlic out of meals, but really enjoy adding it to a homemade peanut sauce I make and then eat over chicken fried rice.
to Rachel's comment
My husband just made soup with the most amazing garlic flavor. Yum! My favorite way to have it is roasted and used in homemade black bean dip.
to Natasha's comment
Garlic goes in just about all our recipes. We love it.
I have grown garlic for 3 years now and have been successful except this last year. I grew Music and Russian Red and both failed. Very small heads and their shelf life did not last very long.
Another great way to use garlic is as an infusion in water; I spray the inside of the chicken coop with it to disinfect it. It works very well.
to Louise's comment
Homemade garlic bread is the best use of garlic by far!
to Cece's comment
Garlic goes into so many things I cook and also go through quite a bit due to we don’t eat out. I really love to use it in things I “put by”.
to Joy Giles's comment
I use garlic in just about everything, my favorites have to be the classic spaghetti sauce and garlic bread though.
to Sarah Herrmann's comment
My favorite is roasting garlic whole in the oven and then eat the warm, toasty cloves right out of the head. Yummy!
to Thalie F's comment
Wow, what a generous giveaway! My favorite way to use garlic is in a crawfish boil – we toss in whole heads of garlic (along with onions and potatoes and corn and lemons) and not only does the garlic flavor the seasoning water and the crawfish, but afterward it’s great eaten whole on crackers. Mmmmmmmm.
to DebbieB's comment
I love garlic in my cooking, it’s great. But my favorite way to use garlic is medicinally. I ferment garlic, I infuse it in salves, I use it for earaches, infections, stings, etc. Garlic is a wonderful plant and I’ve been wanting to add more to our garden. I love how it has natural antibiotic properties. It’s our go-to when sickness arrives.
to Chas's comment
I love garlic and use it just about everyday. One of my favorites is making homemade bone broth. So much better with homegrown garlic and onions added. Thanks for your wonderful blog and the opportunity for this great prize!
to Amy B's comment
Yum.. I love garlic in & on everything… There is no such thing as a favorite but I’ll say roasted caramelized garlic is heaven on anything & everything.
I need to gather my garlic & get it planted.. this years crop was horrible. :(
to KimH's comment
I grew garlic for the first time last year and while it didn’t come out perfect, it was great for all my needs. I dehydrated it and then ran it through an old coffee bean grinder to make my own garlic powder. I just have to remember that my own stuff is much more potent than the garlic powder you buy.
As for for favorite way to use garlic – it would be easier to say what I don’t use it in. Everything from eggs for breakfast to garlic ice-cream for dessert. Yes – I did make the ice cream. It’s great!!
to Jo-Ann Mon's comment