Mincing garlic isn't difficult, but if all you have is a knife, this method from Cook's Illustrated is easy and produces a fine, smooth paste with no overwhelming chunks of garlic in the mix.

I love brining meat -- it produces super juicy and flavourful results, but you usually need a ton of salt, sometimes spices and, of course, water -- not to mention a place in the fridge to store everything. This "dry brine" method cuts all of that down, and cuts down the time, to get the same delicious results.