primbears

I am covered in basil as well. Can all you great cooks share your favorite ways to use it. The stuff keeps appearing everywhere, even a beautiful plant in our compost pile ..............way down the field.

Kieta

We have tomato basil soup every few weeks. really keeps my basil plant trimmed back.

Ingredients

5 to 6 tomatoes - peeled and diced ( i boil tomatoes for a min & the skin slips off easily)
6 cups tomato juice (1 large can)
18 to 20 leaves fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped/minced garlic
1 cup whole milk or cream
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place tomatoes, juice and garlic in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves, and return the puree to the stock pot.
Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do not boil.

i sprinkle a bit of cheese on the top. my picky kids & hubby love this soup.

wisconsin

I wish I was drowning in it. :)

ptquilts

me too, don't have any this year.

You can chop it in a food processor and add olive oil. Freeze in jars, it doesn't freeze solid because of the oil, you can take the jar out of the freezer, spoon out what you need, put back in the freezer.

blueangel

I freeze mine

Lornalee

I make basil vinegar with regular basil. Pack a jar full of clean basil leaves and pour hot apple cider vinegar over it. Screw on lid and leave sit on a sunny window seal for a couple of weeks. Strain. Enjoy!

primbears

I am going to try everything. Just got some leaves and will start the process. Any receipes I appreciate and will try, promise. I have so much. I am going to make the tomato basil pie suggested above as soon as more tomatos come in.
Keep ideas coming and any pesto receipes are needed as well. I love everything but must not have the right pesto reeipe because neither of us seem to like it. I know I am not doing something right.

desertrose

Once you've filled your pesto capacity I would cut the stalks into small bunches and hang upside down until dry and remove the leaves and crush first or stored in zip lock bags for cooking and sprinkling of your food and dips.

JanieH

This sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.

sailsablazin

I dehydrate nectarines and peaches when they are on sale. The real fruit can sit in the bowl until it rots,,,but when I dry the slices, my DH will chow on them like they were candy. Go figure....