Basil Cubes!

     My family really likes basil, especially in pesto.  During the late summer months we have more than we know what to do with.  And yet, in the winter months I find myself buying pesto at the store.  So I asked a few friends about how keep basil and one of them shared this trick with me.  Now I blend my basil in the food processor with olive oil and freeze it in ice cube trays.  When the mixture is frozen, I pop them out in a ziplock bag to be used in sauces and yummy dishes year round!

I pick the tops and large leaves of my basil, leaving the smaller shoots to grow bigger for harvesting the next week.  I wash  the basil in water and let it drip dry a while before I begin to process it.

I fill my food processor full of basil, drizzle about 1/4 cup of olive oil on it, and blend.  I keep adding basil until my processor is full of this sauce or I use up all the basil I have.  I like to keep the olive oil to a minimum so that when I throw a few cubes in my spaghetti sauce at a later date, my sauce isn't full of oil.  I have found that it is easier to add olive oil when I am using the basil cubes if I need it.  I sometimes add fresh garlic, salt and pepper to the sauce before freezing.  I do not recommend adding parmesan  cheese before freezing, it has a n odd texture when used later.

When the basil and olive oil sauce is well blended, I pour it into ice cubes trays and freeze them overnight.

To store them, I simply put the cubes in a labeled ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to six months.  I use them in pesto, spaghetti sauces, and add them to some mayonnaise for sandwiches!  Enjoy!