For those of you operating under the misguided belief that I am somehow channeling my inner Martha – forget it!  I’m all about quick and easy and cheap.  Having said that, this is how I make my garlic-infused olive oil.  Keeping in mind, of course, that the olive oil was free back a zillion years ago at Meijer (got a couple of cases) and…well, that’s pretty much the biggest cost.

Take a mason jar.  I use quart-sized ones, but it depends on how much you love garlic.  Take a few heads of garlic and snap off the cloves; don’t worry about peeling them or otherwise messing up your manicure.  Place them in a bowl (I use stainless steel because it’s so versatile.  Remember how I told you to always pick up SS bowls at garage sales?).  Put a matching-sized bowl on top, holding the two tightly together and SHAKE.   Shake, shake, shake…shake, shake, shake…shake your booty.  Do it for a minute or two, then open and check.  Most of the paper will have fallen off the cloves.  Take the naked cloves and toss in the jar.  Add more cloves to the bowl and repeat the booty shaking.  Eventually you will have filled up a jar with cloves to which you add some herbs and spices (I use either an Herbs de Provence or in this case, Bouquet Garni.  Add sufficient olive oil to cover the cloves, tightly close the lid and turn upside down a few times to make sure the herbs are mixed in.  That’s it!

Place the jar off to the side for at least a week, periodically turning to make sure it all stays mixed.  When cooking, just use the oil and/or garlic.  When you get near the end, it’s time to make another batch.  You can just as easily add other flavorings, but we prefer garlic.