Reese’s Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Ya, I baked cookies, so what.  Definitely a departure from grilling and smoking meats, but I couldn’t help myself. Whoever made the display of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips on the end cap of an aisle at H.E.B. definitely got me.  Along with that, I had recently received new cookie spatulas in the mail compliments of OXO/Cookies for Kids Cancer.  Combine that and running into that display of Reese’s Chips, and baking cookies became my destiny on this fine Sunday.

These cookies are ultra rich, and far from healthy, but damn are they good!  I recommend pairing warm cookies with ice cream, and a light drizzle of Hershey’s Syrup.  Or just a large glass of cold milk.  Make yourself a batch and take some to share at that holiday party you’ve got later this week.

Reese’s Chewy Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 cup (10-oz package) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together: flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy and thoroughly mixed.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
5. Gradually add in your flour mixture while continuing to mix batter.
6. Stir in peanut butter chips.
7. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 8-9 minutes.  Remove and let cool slightly.
9. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

The direct say that you’ll get about 4-1/2 dozen cookies.  Now I’m sure that’s possible if you make small/normal sized cookies.  You can see from my pics that I went a bit overkill and made monster cookies.  Well in my case, that 4-12 dozen was more like 20 cookies.  But they were huge, and you only needed to eat one cookie.  If you go big like I did, add about 5 minutes to the cook time.  ENJOY!

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Beer Can Chicken

Ever since building my smoker, I’ve been dying to try Beer Can Chicken on it.  So a few weeks ago I fired it up for the East Austin Studio Tour in the parking lot at my friend’s place on the tour, Delta Millworks.  Figured it’d be a good excuse to hang around the smoker and drink beer, all while checking out some really cool art and custom wood & metal work.

Allow your chickens to completely thaw, remove internal items if they exist (neck, heart, liver, etc.).  Then rinse your birds with water and pat dry completely with paper towels.  Now season them with your choice of seasoning thoroughly, inside and out.  As I consider the first couple rounds as trial runs, I kept it simple by using Lawry’s Perfect Blend Seasoning.  Pop open a can of beer per chicken and drink 1/3 to 1/2 of the beer prior to inserting it into your chicken.  I also added two cloves of garlic to each can of Budweiser, just because garlic makes almost everything better.   Now put the can in the holder and shove your chicken on top of it.

Once I had the smoker rolling I put the birds on and smoked at 220-225 degrees.  I found that when smoking 3 chickens it took about 4 hours to get the internal temp of the chickens to 165 degrees, and when smoking 5 chickens it took about 4.5 hours.  (I believe I could actually fit one more chicken in the middle for a total of 6 at once.)  Take the chickens off and let them rest for at least 15 minutes before chowing down to let the juices redistribute.  This simple technique guarantees you extremely moist, flavorful yard bird.

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Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Something I do to save myself a lot of time in the kitchen is to grill a couple large packages of boneless, skinless chicken thighs on Sunday afternoon/evening.  First off, I love firing up the grill on Sunday.  Second, it provides me with a bunch of chicken for the entire week, which I can use in an infinite variety of ways.

This is a super simple, great weeknight recipe that you can prep in about 10 minutes.   After another 25 minutes in the oven, you’ve got a great home made meal that seems like anything but leftovers.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs – cut into 1/2″ pieces or shredded
• 1 red bell pepper – diced
• 1 white or yellow onion – diced
• 2 jalapenos or serranos  - small diced
• Flour tortillas
• 1 jar/can of green chili salsa
• Queso Fresco or Cojita cheese (Montery Jack would also work well)
• Salt – generous pinch
• Pepper – pinch
• Cilantro – optional
• Sour Cream – optional

Combine the cut up chicken, peppers, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together.  Fill each tortilla with two heaping spoonfuls of mixture.  Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down in a baking dish with nonstick spray.  Pour the green chili salsa on top of the rolled up tortillas and top with your shredded cheese.  Cook in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.  Time may vary, so keep on eye on them.  The key is to get everything heated throughout, have the cheese melt, but keep the tortillas from getting crisp, as you want them to remain soft.

This was thrown together using only existing ingredients in my kitchen and they turned out great.  My only addition would be to add chopped up cilantro and serve with sour cream if you’ve got it.   You can eat these on their own, or serve with rice and beans.

Thomas Keller’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Oh the love of fried chicken!  It’s such an iconic American dish which signifies comfort food as much as any other dish.  Most likely you have fond memories of someone in your family who cooked up fried chicken during your childhood, either your mother or grandmother had a recipe that you’ll never forget and rings home as your favorite fried chicken of all time.  Well unfortunately, it wasn’t Thomas Keller’s recipe.  To quote the award winning chef:

“If there’s a better fried chicken, I haven’t tasted it.”  

 

ad hoc website  |  ad hoc at home cook book

Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)

• Two 2 1/2- to 3-pound chickens (see Note on Chicken Size)
• Chicken Brine (recipe follows), cold

For Dredging and Frying

• Peanut or canola oil for deep-frying
• 1 quart buttermilk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coating

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 1/4 cup onion powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Ground fleur de sel or fine sea salt
• Rosemary and thyme sprigs for garnish

Directions

Cut each chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings. Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add in the chicken, and refrigerate for 12 hours (no longer, or the chicken may become too salty).

Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water, removing any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let rest at room temperature for 1-1/2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.

If you have two large pots (about 6 inches deep) and a lot of oil, you can cook the dark and white meat at the same time; if not, cook the dark meat first, then turn up the heat and cook the white meat. No matter what size pot you have, the oil should not come more than one-third of the way up the sides of the pot. Fill the pot with at least 2 inches of peanut oil and heat to 320°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

Meanwhile, combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer half the coating to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set up a dipping station: the chicken pieces, one bowl of coating, the bowl of buttermilk, the second bowl of coating, and the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Just before frying, dip the chicken thighs into the first bowl of coating, turning to coat and patting off the excess; dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to run back into the bowl; then dip them into the second bowl of coating. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan.

Carefully lower the thighs into the hot oil. Adjust the heat as necessary to return the oil to the proper temperature. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully move the chicken pieces around in the oil and continue to fry, monitoring the oil temperature and turning the pieces as necessary for even cooking, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is a deep golden brown, cooked through, and very crisp. Meanwhile, coat the chicken drumsticks and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Transfer the cooked thighs to the cooling rack skin-side-up and let rest while you fry the remaining chicken. (Putting the pieces skin-side-up will allow excess fat to drain, whereas leaving them skin-side-down could trap some of the fat.) Make sure that the oil is at the correct temperature, and cook the chicken drumsticks. When the drumsticks are done, lean them meat-side-up against the thighs to drain, then sprinkle the chicken with fine sea salt.

Turn up the heat and heat the oil to 340°F. Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts and wings. Carefully lower the chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes, or until golden brown, cooked through, and crisp. Transfer to the rack, sprinkle with salt, and turn skin side up. Cook the wings for 6 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the wings to the rack and turn off the heat. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Add the herb sprigs to the oil (which will still be hot) and let them cook and crisp for a few seconds, then arrange them over the chicken.

Note on Chicken Size: You may need to go to a farmers’ market to get these small chickens. Grocery store chickens often run 3 to 4 pounds. They can, of course, be used in this recipe but if chickens in the 2-1/2- to 3-pound range are available to you, they’re worth seeking out. They’re a little easier to cook properly at the temperatures we recommend here and, most important, pieces this size result in the optimal meat-to-crust proportion, which is such an important part of the pleasure of fried chicken.

Note: We let the chicken rest for 7 to 10 minutes after it comes out of the fryer so that it has a chance to cool down. If the chicken has rested for longer than 10 minutes, put the tray of chicken in a 400°F oven for a minute or two to ensure that the crust is crisp and the chicken is hot.

Chicken Brine
Makes 2 gallons

• 5 lemons, halved
• 24 bay leaves
• 1 bunch (4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch (1 ounce) thyme
• 1/2 cup clover honey
• 1 head garlic, halved through the equator
• 3/4 cup black peppercorns
• 2 cups (10 ounces) kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
• 2 gallons water

The key ingredient here is the lemon, which goes wonderfully with chicken, as do the herbs: bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. This amount of brine will be enough for 10 pounds.

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 - Recipe from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

Chimichurri Recipe

Chimichurri is a delicious and versatile sauce which can be used both to top grilled meats, as well as a marinade.  This flavorful green sauce from Argentina is most traditionally used atop grilled steak, however it is also commonly used on chicken and fish as well.  I honestly think the options are nearly endless with this sauce so get creative and let me know your favorite uses.

A good friend of mine sent me this recipe to try, and I was extremely pleased with the outcome so I thought I’d share it with you.  As he said: “This stuff is the business!”  This sauce can be easily manipulated and adjusted, so get creative and come up with a recipe that properly suites your own personal palate.  Enjoy!

Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

• 1 bunch Flat Leaf Italian Parsley – leaves only, no stems
• 1 bunch Cilantro – leaves only, no stems
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 4-5 Cloves Garlic – peeled
• 1/2 small Red Onion chopped
• 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Dash Cumin
• Dash Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 to 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (E.V.O.O.)

Place and combine all ingredients, except the E.V.O.O., into a food processor and until finely chopped.  Then, while food processor is running, stream in E.V.O.O. until it resembles a thin pesto like consistency.  Adjust the amount of E.V.O.O. to your personal preference of consistency.

Pour your mixture into containers and keep refrigerated.  I recommend making this at least one day prior to your planned use, as this period of time allows the flavors to amalgamate.

Prior to use: remove from your refrigerator 10-15 minutes to allow the Chimichurri sauce to thin slightly.  Then give it a quick stir to ensure even consistency & uniformity.  Then use it anyway your heart desires!

Enjoy!

Mint Juleps and Kentucky Hot Browns

Kentucky Derby Food and Drink Recipes

Beyond the race, the Kentucky Derby has created many other great traditions  that add to the overall Derby experience like the Big-Ass Hats, the Garland of Roses, the Band playing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’, the party in the Infield, etc.  However, you know I’m interested in the food and drink traditions more than anything else.  With a distinct menu consisting of southern flavors and plenty of bourbon, here are some items that will be key to getting the most out of Derby Day.  Enjoy!

P.S. – Based solely on horse names and no research, my favorite and overall pick to win is “Uncle Mo”.

(Scroll down for Kentucky Derby Events and Watch Parties around town.)

The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe

Frosty mint juleps ready to serve at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. Photo: Churchill Downs

(The Official Mint Julep served at The Kentucky Derby)

• 2 Cups sugar
• 2 Cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint
• Crushed ice
• Early Times Kentucky Whisky
• Silver Julep Cups

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

For a full list of the official beverages being served at the Derby click here.

Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe

The Legendary Hot Brown Recipe from The Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY

Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns):

• 2 oz. Whole Butter
• 2 oz. All Purpose Flour
• 1 Qt. Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• 14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast
• 2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
• 4 slices of Crispy Bacon
• 2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
• Paprika, Parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

For more food ideas and a full list of the cuisine being served at the Derby click here.

Kentucky Derby Events and Watch Parties in Austin

Tagged as “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports”, the largest horse racing event in the country is upon us this weekend.  While I’m sure most of you won’t be visiting Churchill Downs for the 137th running of The Kentucky Derby, I thought I would share with you some local events and watching parties around town.

Click here for the Kentucky Derby TV Schedule 2011

Horse Racing and Horsetracks in Texas

If you’re looking to get some live action and the thrill of the track check out TexasHorseRace.com for a complete list and links to all of the tracks throughout the state.

Heads up: Manor Downs Horserace Track is closed for the 2011 season!

Derby Party and Polo @ Austin Polo Club at Chevel Manor

1pm – 6:30 pm – No details specified?

Please call Dennis at 512-626-1243 for details and to confirm time and weather.

Google Maps Location of Austin Polo Club

Hats & Horses @ J. Blacks Feel Good Lounge

11am

Please come join us for our 4th annual Hats & Horses event. We will have food & drink specials featuring the Mint Julep, Oak Lily and Hot Brown Sandwich. Enjoy live music by Aunt Ruby’s Sweet Jazz Babies from 2-4pm. We will have game, contests, and prizes!

Kentucky Derby @ Third Base Sports Bar

11am

Check out their website for all three great locations.

2001 Kentucky Derby Party @ Trifecta on 3rd

12pm

Bean Bag Tourney @ 2pm | Derby Starts at 5:24pm | Numerous Prizes, and awards for best hat!

To Purchase Tickets Call 512-505-6267 or go to http://trifectaderbyparty.eventbrite.com/

Trifecta Website

Derby Day @ Haddingtons

1pm

Haddingtons is hosting a Kentucky Derby sponsored by Bulliet Bourbon with souvenier glassware.  The best mint juleps outside of Kentucky with classic derby fare by Chef Zack Northcutt such as Hot Browns, Benedictine Crostinis and Chocolate Bourbon Balls.

Best Derby Day hat gets a $50 GC to the Hat Box on West 6th

Our Fox Tavern will have the drop down HD projector to see the race day action.

Our regular brunch menu is available starting at 11am.

Haddingtons Website

Kentucky Derby @ Black Sheep Lodge

No details listed, except that they’ll be showing it.  You may want to call for details.

3pm

Black Sheep Lodge Website

Derby Party @ The Highball

3pm

It’s not like we ever need an excuse to wear big hats and sip mint juleps, but we’re still excited to host a viewing party for the Kentucky Derby. Join us for an afternoon of nail-biting racing, themed menu specials, a fancy hat contest and the opportunity to feel so very rich.

The Highball Website

Lusto and Drew’s Kentucky Derby Party @ Hangar Lounge

3pm

It’s Kentucky Derby Time!!! Join us on the rooftop patio for our outdoor Kentucky Derby Party. Free gift bags for the first 50 ladies and prizes for the best dressed gentleman, lady, and HAT! Makers Mark Mint Julep and Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka specials all day! Traditional Derby dress is encouraged.

Hargar Lounge Website

A Derby Affair @ District 301 Bar

3:30pm

301 West 6th Street

Join District 301 and Pugnacious Promotions for “the greatest two minutes in sports” at “A Derby Affair.”

Don your favorite Derby duds (gotta love those fancy hats!) and come watch the race, play some derby games, and maybe even do a little off-track speculating.

We’ll have specials on all of your favorite Southern-inspired drinks, including Mint Juleps, Sweet Tea Vodka, and Bourbon and Coke and we’ll have yummy BBQ plates for sale.

Ketucky Derby Watch Party @ Key Bar

4pm

617 W. 6th Street - Austin, TX – 78701

Dust off those fancy hats and bust out the seersucker suits….it’s Kentucky Derby time! Join us to watch the big race with $6 Maker’s Mint Julips and complimentary Benedictine Sandwiches and Derby Pie (while it lasts)!

Key Bar Website | Facebook Event Page

Brisket Tacos

The food scene in Austin is just as diverse as it’s residents.  However you could easily say that the two foods that dominate this area are BBQ and Tacos (okay, or Tex-Mex). Day in and day out these are possibly my two favorite foods, so I get my fair share of both.  However, you might find yourself in a pickle trying to decide on one or the other for your next filling of the belly.  No worries, I’ve got you covered.  Brisket Tacos are possibly one of the best ways to combine these two styles into an offspring of inter-genre food perfection that is sure to satisfy.  (Personally I feel the terms “cuisine” or “fusion” are the best used with other types of food, not when speaking of BBQ, Tex-Mex, and Tacos)

Brisket Tacos - Ready to Eat!

The foundation for my feast was provided by some leftover brisket from our trip down to Lockhart a few days prior.  And fortunately it is some of the best brisket your tongue will ever taste since it came from the world famous Kreuz’s Market.  I had been eating it in the typical fashion the past couple days but decided to mix it up this night by making these ‘Brisket Tacos’.

Brisket Tacos - Leftovers from Kreuz's Market

I have determined that the best tacos are usually a simple creation.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing taco combinations at places like Torchy’s, Izzo’s, and many others around town, but the best tacos day in and day out may just be the most simple or the most authentic recipes.

Here’s the skinny:

• Freshly made flour tortillas (4 – fresh from H.E.B.)
• Brisket (1/2lb. – cut into strips, shortwise)
• Shallot (1 medium sized – diced)
• Habanero Peppers (2 small – Orange & Yellow combo – Minced)
• Queso Fresco (1 cup – Grated)
• Cilantro ( 1/2 cup – minced)
• Lime (1 cut into 4 wedges)
• Salt and Pepper (just a pinch for taste)

Brisket Tacos - Toppings

If you happen to have fresh hot brisket, great!  If you’re reheating some like myself here I recommend reheating it on a foil lined pan at 200-225 degrees for about 20-30 mins, or until warm depending on thickness.  Tortillas should also be warmed up at a similar temp of 225-250 for about 5 mins.  You can put these in for a few minutes while you’re slicing up your brisket.

Brisket Tacos - Prepped

Fill your tortilla with a few slices of brisket, add the shallots, habaneros, queso fresco, cilantro, and salt & pepper.  Then squeeze your lime wedge over top and enjoy!  This simple recipe using fresh ingredients will provide you with tacos that you’ll be proud to bestow upon your friends.

NOTE: This dish should be plenty spicy on it’s own due to the fresh habaneros, which you could always replace with jalapenos if this is too spicy for you.  However feel free to accompany these with your favorite hot sauce.

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa

This is an excellent recipe that I have created after a little trial and error to make an excellent variety of salsa verde.  Great on almost everything!  Keep refrigerated.

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa

INGREDIENTS:

• 12-15 Tomatillos, husked
• 1 White Onion
• 2 Poblano Peppers
• 2 Jalapeno Peppers
• 2 Serrano Peppers
• 1 Head of Garlic – Medium sized
• 1 Cup green onions (raw: do not roast)
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 tablespoon salt (plus extra for roasting)
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper (plus extra for roasting)

DIRECTIONS:

Remove husks from tomatillos. Rinse and dry all vegetables. Brush all vegetables (first 6 ingredients listed) with canola oil, followed by a liberal seasoning of fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt. Fire roast first 6 ingredients directly on a grill or on a pan under the broiler. You will want to turn everything at least once to evenly brown, or char, all sides. Remove from heat source.

Immediately place Poblano peppers in a bowl and cover with saran wrap for a minimum of 15 minutes. This steaming process will make it much easier to peel off the thin layer of skin. Remove waxy skin from Poblanos. Cut off and discard all stems from peppers, however I recommend keeping the seeds and ribs. Remove exterior of white onion.

Add all of the roasted ingredients to a large food processor and blend until well combined but still slightly chunky, 30-60 seconds. Now add the remaining fresh ingredients: green onions, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Further blend in the food processor until thoroughly mixed, about another minute.

This type of salsa is best served cold. Place the salsa into containers, I like to use mason jars, and refridgerate. It is excellent when simply used as a dip, but is also great as a topping for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Be creative in experimenting. Leave out the Serranos or Jalapenos for less heat, or add more for additional heat. Feel free to adjust cilantro, lime juice, and salt & pepper for your personal preference.

Next I plan on creating another variety of this with avocado added to make a creamier variety.  If you beat me to it, let me know how it turns out!

Roasted Garlic Butter

So lets be honest with each other, who doesn’t like garlic butter?  Garlic and butter make pretty much everything better.  So, a couple months ago I decided to start making my own “Homemade Roasted Garlic Butter” and quit using that basic stuff from the grocery store that pretty much all common people use in their kitchens.  And now I use it in place of regular butter for almost everything.

I’ve found out that it’s extremely easy to make and absolutely delicious to use on everything!  There’s also a bonus, you roast the garlic in olive oil, which also provides you with homemade garlic infused olive oil.  You can make as small or large of a batch as you want.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb salted butter (room temperature)
• 2 heads of garlic
• 17 oz olive oil

Here’s the process:

Use 2 heads of garlic per pound of butter.  Break apart all the individual cloves of garlic and peel them clean.  Put the garlic in a glass or ceramic oven safe dish and fill with the olive oil.  Put in the oven and cook until the garlic turns caramel colored.  You can cook this at anywhere between 250 – 350 degrees.  If I recall correctly I think that 250 will take about 2 hours-ish and 350 will only take about 45-60 mins.  (I am not positive though, because sometimes I forget to write things down during the action.  I’m still new at this, be patient with me!)  Just remember, caramel colored.  You want the garlic roasted, but not burnt.  Burnt garlic becomes very bitter.

Peeled Garlic

Garlic in Olive oil

After the garlic is properly roasted, removed from the oven and let cool.  Removed the garlic from the olive oil.  Pour your newly garlic infused olive oil back into the jar it came from and use as you would use regular olive oil, just expect more flavorful food!  And smells!

Processed Garlic - Note color

Place the garlic in a food processor and let it run for 30 seconds.  Add in your room temperature butter and run the food processor for another minute.  (Depending on the quality of your food processor, you may need to stop and stir with a spatula to ensure an even mixture.)

Garlic Butter

Put your new delicious goodness into tupperware containers and get ready to enjoy.  I recommend using smaller containers so that you can keep one at room temperature (easy to spread) and the rest in the fridge.  Also, dividing into multiple containers make it easy to share with friends.

Garlic Butter Packaged

Enjoy!

Jim