Garlic Sauce - A Middle Eastern Recipe (And how to freeze garlic in bulk)

I fell in love with this galic sauce in Syria when I tried shwarma for the first time. This recipe is great because it will last for months in the fridge, and we use it as a condiment for pretty much anything... grilled chicken, nachos, sandwiches, roasted potatoes and Frech fries, or as an addition to a dip or as a dip by iteself! It is so easy to make and uses only 4 ingredients.

I buy my garlic is bulk and take 1 one cup aside for this sauce, and the rest I process for the freezer. Some garlic heads I roast, and then once cooled I peel and freeze. Some garlic I slice and freeze. And the majority of my garlic I mince and freeze. I'll show you my freezing process for the minced garlic at the end of the sauce recipe.

Middle Eastern Garlic Sauce

YIELD: 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups neutral oil such as canola

1/2 cup lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

It is important to start out with fresh garlic in order to get a proper emulsification.Add the garlic cloves and salt into a food processor, and process for a minute until the garlic becomes finely minced. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor afterwards.

With the food processor running, slowly pour one to two tablespoons of oil, then stop and scrape down the bowl. Continue adding another tablespoon or two until the garlic starts looking creamy.

Once the garlic looks emulsified by the few tablespoons of oil, increase the speed of pouring the oil and alternate with the 1/2 cup of lemon juice until all the oil and lemon juice is incorporated. This will take about 15 minutes to complete.

Transfer the sauce into a container with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Freezing Garlic

To freeze minced garlic, I again use the food processor to mince it. I add nothing but peeled fresh garlic cloves and process it until it is my desired consistency.

Once I am satisfied with the textue, I scrape it out spread it into a large freezer bag. I smooth it out, seal the bag, and then freeze it flat. To make sure it freezes perfectly flat, I lay the bag on a cutting board or cookie tray in the freezer overnight. The next day, I cut open the bag and take out my frozen garlic slab. Then I cut it into cubes, usually into teaspoon-sized squares, and put it all back in a new freezer bag and back into the freezer. You can use the cubes while frozen if you are cooking with them (like tossing in a spaghetti sauce), or you can take them out of the freezer about a half before you need it if you are going to use them raw (like in a salad dressing) or if you need thawed before cooking (like to mix into a meatloaf). 

Brioche Chocolate Chip Muffins

Brioche, my favourite bread dough (recipe link). I use this recipe for pretty much anything (sandwich bread, all kinds of buns, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, garlic bread). Today, I added chocolate chips and a sprinkle of coloured sugar before baking, and voila! This dough is perfection!

4th Cooking Challenge: French Fries

Charisma was eager to start the French Fries challenge, and with leftover chili set as the plan for dinner, we thought it was great timing. Serenity won this challenge with her Garlic Fries submission.

I have combined all our recipes into one main recipe that details how to make each variation: Astra's French Fries (only salt, no oil, served with sour cream and chopped pretzels), Charisma's Smoky Fries (a blend of smoky spices and herbs), and Serenity's winning Garlic Fries (worth the extra step for the garlic lovers, served with chopped green onions).

French Fries

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

For each variation, you will need:

3 large baking potatoes

French Fries

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil - optional

Garlic Fries

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Smoky Fries

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping suggestions:

chopped pretzels

sour cream

chopped green onions

cheese

chopped tomatoes

prepared chili

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

If making the garlic fries variation: Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside.

For all other variations, and the second step for the garlic fries: Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks, or use a mandolin to make waffle fries. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the salt and oil, and the rest of the smoky variation’s herbs and spices, if using. If making the garlic variation, reserve your fresh parsley and sauteed garlic for the very end.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or use a sheet of parchment paper and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes. Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with additional salt, to taste, and the reserved garlic and parsley, if using. Serve immediately.

3rd Cooking Challenge: Banana Muffins

Our third cooking challenge was banana muffins. We used two versions of muffin recipes, so I'll share both recipes below. Congratulations to Charisma for winning with her chocolatey muffins!

Banana Muffins

Yield: 8 muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large bananas, mashed

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

4 tablespoons butter, melted

*Optional 3/4 cup or combination of: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, pecans, something else…*

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and then add optional mix-ins if using, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.

Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Coconut Banana Muffins

Yield: 8 muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large bananas, mashed

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

4 tablespoons butter, melted

*Optional 3/4 cup or combination of: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, pecans, something else…*

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and coconut and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3-4 minutes on medium speed). Add the eggs, and mix well.

Add the mashed bananas and vanilla and beat until smooth. Fold in the mixed dry ingredients, until just combined. Don't over blend!

Pour the batter into the muffin papers – it will be slightly shaggy. Sprinkle a small amount of coconut on top.

Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean – about 25 - 30 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove onto a wire rack, to cool completely.

2nd Cooking Challenge: Chocolate Cake

Our second cooking challenge was chocolate cake. The contest ended in a tie for Serenity and Charisma, but really, everybody wins in this one!

This is going to be a very long post because I have many recipes to share from this challenge! The winning chocolate cake, the peanut butter balls, peanut butter ganache, cream cheese icing, and the whipped cream recipes will all be posted below. I hope you'll let me know how your cake comes out if you give it a try. You can also easily double this recipe for a standard 2 layer round cake.

Winning Chocolate Cake

Yield: 1 layer (8" round or square) cake

INGREDIENTS

1 cups granulated sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup hot coffee

*Optional - you can mix in a half cup each of nuts or m&ms to the batter at the end*

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. Line one 8" round or square baking pan with parchment paper and then spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. 

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Stir in hot coffee. The optional mix-ins are stirred in at this point. Batter will be thin, but that's okay! Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Winning Peanut Butter Balls

Yield: 30 balls

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (Serenity used dark roast)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate (for melting)

DIRECTIONS

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the peanut butter and butter, mixing on medium speed until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add in the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs, mixing until evenly incorporated. Mixture will be thick.

Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon), portion out the mixture and roll into balls. Place them on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill. In a medium bowl melt the chocolate in 25- second increments, stirring after each until smooth. Using a fork, dip each peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate, tapping off the excess. Place back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with all balls.

Drizzle any extra chocolate on top of the balls. Allow the chocolate to set before storing.

Winning Peanut Butter Ganache

INGREDIENTS

​1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1/2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a medium stainless steel bowl or top of double boiler.

Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allow water to touch bowl.

Cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

Spread over cake while warm, then store cake in the refrigerator. Allow ganache to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Winning Cream Cheese Icing

INGREDIENTS

​1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter softened 4 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (113g) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch salt 2 cups icing sugar DIRECTIONS Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free. Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Use to frost completely cooled cake.

Winning Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts. Use immediately to decorate your cake, and referigate any leftovers (covered tightly) for up to 24 hours.

1st Cooking Challenge: Meatballs

I stared a cooking competition with my 3 daughters. About once a week they make a dish in my kitchen, and then we all sit down and pick the one we liked the best. I am cataloguing our favourite recipes here. Our first challenge was meatballs. Please try them with the pretzel twist and let me know what you think!

Astra’s Winning Baked Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pretzels crumbs (about a cup of whole pretzels blitzed in food processor)
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely-grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
1/3 of an onion, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pretzel crumbs and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the ground beef, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, onion, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Italian herbs, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.

Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into ~3 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (Try greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!

Lite Brioche Dough (Hamburger Buns)

This is my favourite bread recipe. I truly love it, and make it several times a month. I originally discovered it when I was looking for a hamburger bun recipe, and have tweaked it a bit since. I use this dough to make 10 small rolls, 8 buns, or 2 small loaves. I usually double this recipe when I make it, and that yields enough dough to make 3 large loaves. I use this dough for dinner rolls, hamburgers, sandwiches, garlic (with our without cheese) bread, bruschetta, and even doughnuts! Yes, doughnuts! Inspired by an episode of Project Bakeover, my youngest daughter and I filled some freshly baked buns with skim milk chocolate pudding, then dunked the tops in a simple syrup and then into granulated sugar.

Lite Brioche Hamburger Buns

INGREDIENTS

Dough

1 cup warm water, about 75–85 F

3 tablespoons warm milk

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour  

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

Egg wash

1 large egg

1 tablespoon cold water

Toppings

sesame seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the warm water, milk, yeast and sugar; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate bowl.

Add the flour, salt, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients until the butter is the size of crumbs.

Add the yeast mixture and the beaten egg. Run the mixer on medium-low until a dough forms, about 5-8 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, and shape the dough into a ball. It will be sticky. Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until it has doubled is size, about 1- 3 hours .

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a floured dough scraper (or chef’s knife), divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. If you have a scale, weigh each piece to guarantee that they’re all the same size.

To shape the dough into balls, gently flatten each piece like a pancake. Gather the ends and pinch the dough to seal in the center. Flip the dough over, cup the surface with your palm, and roll into a ball. Transfer to your baking sheet, placing them a few inches inches apart. Cover and rest for 1-2 hours, or until puffy and slightly risen. I like to score my dough sometimes, but you don't have to.

To make the egg wash, beat the egg with a tablespoon of cold water. When the buns are finished with the 2nd rise, gently brush each one with egg wash. At this point, you could add sesame seeds to the top of your rolls.

Preheat your oven to 400 F. and place a skillet or metal baking dish on the oven floor. Before the dough goes in, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan to create steam. This will help keep the bread nice and moist. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup in Bread Bowls

I thought I would dust this old page off and add a new entry as if years haven't gone by. I am going to try to start sharing my favourite recipes again. First up, I am going to share Cheddar Broccoli Soup and homemade Bread Bowls.

I make the soup frequently as it is my youngest daughter's favourite. And for some reason, when we buy broccoli, we have to to buy lots, so this is a good way to use it. You don't have to add bacon, in fact, the original recipe I based this off doesn't use it, but I prefer the addition. I also take a lazy shortcut and don't both making a separate roux... I should come back sometime to update this post with the directions on how to do it all in one pot.

The bread bowls are new to my recipe collection, but I already made them twice in a row for the leftover soup. My mom got me a bread machine for Christmas, so that is what the recipe uses, but you can certainly make them by hand or with a stand mixer.

I try to scoop the centre out in one piece, and then I serve a lump of butter on the side.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

5 1/2 tablespoon butter, divided

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)

1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)

2 cloves garlic , minced

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes , cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)

3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter. Add bacon and cook until the bacon is brown. Add carrots, celery and onion and sauté 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.

Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain).

Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Bread Bowls (Bread Machine)

Yield: 6 bread bowls

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons soft butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 egg

1 tablespoon cold water

DIRECTIONS

Place everything except the egg and tablespoon cold water in your bread machine in the order that your manufacturer recommends. Use dough cycle.

When the cycle is complete, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into balls. Place the 6 balls onto a greased (or parchment paper) cookie sheet and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon cold water and brush mixture over dough balls.

Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Once done, you can cut the top off and scoop out the center leaving about 1/4 inch on all sides.