Roasted Garlic

I personally can't stand the smell or taste of raw garlic (to the point that it practically turns my stomach - holdovers from morning sickness with my firstborn!), but believe me when I say that there is NOTHING like roasted garlic! :) I love hummus, but only if it's made with roasted garlic, so I always make my own. Yes, I know that heating garlic causes all the good benefits to be lost. But at least it tastes good and doesn't make me nauseous. ;)

Just slice off the pointed end of a whole head of garlic so the tops of the cloves are exposed. Place on a pie plate (or baking dish), drizzle with a little olive oil (but not extra virgin, because it will burn), and top with a little cracked pepper and salt, if desired. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes, and when it's cooled off a little bit, then you can squeeze the soft, caramel colored cloves out.

I make hummus by blending a can of chickpeas, a tablespoon or two of tahini, several tablespoons lemon juice, about half a head of roasted garlic, and a little salt and pepper in a food processor. I usually add a little water (just a couple teaspoons) to make the texture smoother. It tastes a lot creamier and nuttier than store bought hummus!