Celebrate Flavor Infusion!!

Flavor infusion is all about creating your very own flavored oils and vinegars to enjoy in your home.They are simple as well as versatile, serving them as marinades, dressings,pesto's and even dipping sauces. The flavored vinegar's create a marvelous Christmas gift for friends and family, since they have a long shelf life.While the favored infused oils are best used once prepared such as a meat marinade or drizzled on salad at your next meal. These infusions are certainly worth a try since they are effortless to produce while including only two ingredients.They can be used with just about anything you can think of?

Just consider a simple Roasted Garlic Olive Oil that is purely made with garlic cloves as well as olive oil.I know you can think of many ways to add just that into your next meal!

Roasted Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 large garlic cloves,peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

I preheated my oven to 350F.Then placed the extra virgin olive oil in my small ramkin.Then proceeded to peel and cut the garlic lengthwise.Then I placed the cloves into the olive oil bath.

Then to help infused the flavor, I covered the ramkin with aluminium foil and cooked the mixture for 30-45 minute in the oven.I did this till the garlic was soft when pierced with a fork.

Then I removed the garlic from the mixture.These cloves can be easily used towards another recipe such as a meat rub,or in a sauce or soup.

Then I transferred the olive oil to a sterilized glass bottle.This oil can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days.It will slightly harden similar to gelatin,but will become a liquid at room temperature.

Once created,I included this flavored olive oil in my meal plan. I created a simple delicious spaghetti and meatball dish with a side of toasted garlic bread.This roasted garlic olive oil was wonderfully aromatic with a mild garlic flavor.It was delicious drizzled on fresh french bread and served along side a tomato based sauce.Its was also great as a rub for chicken along with a bread crumb crust.YumYum! So can you think what you might used this olive oil for? Overall, its a two thumbs for me in flavor,versatility and simplicity.