I Never Wanted To Become Addicted...

I Never Wanted To Become Addicted ...
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee


I have discovered that I ... am an addict after all these years.  I never wanted to be addicted to anything... never.

Do you remember how some time ago, I tried something new?  I purchased garlic bulbs, and roasted them in the oven with olive oil, a little salt, pepper.  Ever since then, I've been craving more of it!  It got me the first time!  I became addicted to it, the first time I ever tried it!  

Prior to putting the cloves into the oven... I peeled off the 'paper skin', placed the cloves in a little makeshift foil pan.... that I fashioned with my hands.  I shaped the 'pan' until it had 'walls' all the way around.

I placed the whole bulbs, in the 'pan'... I only cut the 'tops' off to expose the cloves beneath... put olive oil, salt, pepper on all.  You can 'roll' the bulbs in the oil to cover with a film of oil.  I made the decision to 'take off all the paper-like skin... before I roasted the garlic.

The oven had preheated to 400 degrees (I know recipes might call for  lower temperature... use your own judgement, I did).... :)))  I put the 'pan' that I'd covered with another flat piece of foil... into the oven.

After 30 minutes, I took the roasted garlic out.... mashed it up into a soft, creamy 'buttery' paste with the hot olive oil.  Creamy heaven... that's what it is...  I toasted bread, spread the creamy garlic on a slice, ate it... oh my, it was for-real... out of this world.

I have become a 'roasted garlic addict'... I've always loved the flavor of garlic, but... didn't eat it very often.  Skip doesn't like the smell of garlic... needless to say, we don't need to live in Gilroy, California where it's grown!  Gilroy is 'garlic capital' of the world.

Truthfully, when we used to travel on the big truck (I drove team with Skip for 3 years)... we would be parked in some of the California truck stops... and the smell of garlic overpowered any other scent in the air... it 'was too much of a good thing'.  I didn't like that... it was the one scent that made me know, without seeing... what a tractor-trailer was loaded with.

I remember the one truck stop that the garlic smell was so 'pungent' in the air, almost making me sick... was in King City, California.  Out of all our travels all over the country... I always associate garlic with that place.

My mind immediately goes 'to the smell of garlic' in the air.  We loved that truck stop though... it was a welcomed sight for a tired, weary traveler needing a place to rest, shower, eat.  It was a safe place to sleep.

Now... getting back to 'roasted garlic'... it's different from eating raw garlic... I'm not good at that at all... in fact, I don't think I could.  Roasted garlic... is warm, creamy, nutty and so... smooth.  The taste is something else!

Yes, this makes twice I have roasted garlic gloves... I just know I'm going to do it again, and again... and again... and again... and again ... and again........................................  I 'want some more of it'.....

I was reading recipes for roasted garlic... one can put it in buttery, mashed potatoes, rub the bowl first with the creamy garlic ...then, put the pasta in, and rub it on the pizza dough when making pizza, or bake it like that... recipe after recipe... a lot using olive oil ( I love olive oil... I think of beauty when I think of olive oil  :))).

I think of the good things it can do for hair, skin.  Not only that... for one's heart, arteries, cholestrol.  It's good for 'everything'... I went looking for a link to put here so, you can read about olive oil.  I found a wonderful one:
http://www.robbinsfamilyfarm.com/101-olive-oil-benefits/

Wouldn't you agree with me that ... I've become a 'roasted, creamy, warm-nutty flavored' garlic ... addict?  I just never wanted to be addicted to anything in my whole life... I waited this long in life to finally become addicted to something.  A darn 'roasted, creamy, warm-nutty flavored' garlic addict.....  of all things!