[operamommy]

Ack! I planted 4 tiny basil plants in the spring; they are now enormous! I made pesto last week, and even with taking the 2 cups of leaves, the plants are still huge. What else can I do with it? Should I just make and freeze a ton more pesto?

Also, my tomato plants are starting to scare me. I only have 6, and none have ripened yet, but there are just tons of green tomatoes growing on them. I have 3 roma and 3 regular variety. Anyone have any good spaghetti sauce/salsa recipes? Do I just freeze it after I make it?

Thanks so much!

Oh, I also have a ton of parsley, thyme, oregano, chives, and sage if anyone has suggestions for those.

 

[BMG580]

Sounds like you have quite the green thumb!

I grow one basil plant per year now. I learned that it quickly gets very large and produces plenty of foilage to keep my family happily stocked in basil for the summer and throughout the year (dried). I do make a lot of pesto as the plant get really unwieldy and I cut a lot back and make a big batch. It helps if you freeze it in small portions. I even freeze some in ice cube trays, which I then pop out and put in baggies, so we have single portions ready to go for quick lunches and meals.

Don't be worried about the tomatoes! Think of all the sauce that you will can and have over the winter- YUM!

 

[cristeen]

I usually puree the basil with some olive oil (cause pretty much anything you're going to put basil in can stand a little olive oil), and then like the pp said, freeze it in ice cube trays. They will usually hold about 1 Tbs of basil puree per cube, and that's an easy way to measure it. I don't usually dry my basil, I'm not as fond of dry herbs... I prefer to freeze them.

Has anyone tried freezing it whole? (leaves, I mean, not the whole plant) I freeze all sorts of other herbs whole but haven't tried basil.

As for the tomatoes, you can stew them, puree them, chop them, juice them, roast them, make them into paste or sauce or ketchup or salsa and can or freeze the results. You can also dry them and store them dry or pack them in oil. You can pickle green tomatoes or make relish from them. Usually if you're at the end of the season and expecting frost while you still have fruit on the vine, it's a good idea to strip the fruit and use it green since the frost will ruin it (fried green tomatoes are yummy if you only have a few).

That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure someone will pipe up with something I've forgotten.

 

[monkeyface]

I freeze my tomatoes as is. Wash 'em and then pack em in Ziploc bags and in the freezer they go. It's great in the winter. I just grab a few and throw them in my sauces and other recipes.
It also makes it soooo easy to take the skin of when thawed. It just peels off.

 

[turtlewomyn]

I have four very out of control basil plants as well. I just went crazy with basil recipes on allrecipes.com (tomato, mozzarella, and basil sandwiches, basil chicken). I also made basil jelly. It turned out pretty good, it can be substituted for mint jelly (if you eat lamb) or it can be used as an appetizer (put some on top of goat cheese or cream cheese on a cracker). I am thinking of giving some of the jars away for christmas gifts.

 

[ani'smama]

You could make basil-infused olive oil. You could make lots and give them for birthday/holiday/housewarming gifts.

 

[devster4fun]

I will look for my favorite tomato sauce recipe. You can add the Basil if you like...I make a HUGE pot of this sauce and freeze it in small ziploc bags. It makes a wonderful base for pasta sauce, pizza sauce. Yummy.

It's on my other computer....

 

[operamommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by devster4fun I will look for my favorite tomato sauce recipe. You can add the Basil if you like...I make a HUGE pot of this sauce and freeze it in small ziploc bags. It makes a wonderful base for pasta sauce, pizza sauce. Yummy. It's on my other computer....

Please post it when you get a chance; I'd love to have it!

Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas, everyone. I *really* like the idea of making basil (or other herb) infused olive oils as gifts. ani'smama, do you know if I can do it with frozen basil? From what I've read, the oil will only keep for a few months, but I'd really like to be able to make some for the holiday time. Any ideas?

 

[heatheraddley]

We do a simple tomato, onion, balsamic vingear, olive oil and basil salad. Let it sit over night and it is so good!

 

[JessicaS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatheraddley We do a simple tomato, onion, balsamic vingear, olive oil and basil salad. Let it sit over night and it is so good!

Yup, us too.

It's also good over pasta.

 

[julieoh]

I made pesto for the first time yesterday and I'm in love

I also found this recipe today, which looks fabulous!

Pasta with Spinach Basil Sauce

 

[Erin M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cristeen Has anyone tried freezing it whole? (leaves, I mean, not the whole plant) I freeze all sorts of other herbs whole but haven't tried basil.

Yes. My neighbor told me to wash & dry the leaves then stuff it in a jar with a little coarse salt. I skipped the salt and it seemed fine. When I tried using a bag instead of a jar the basil got black and mooshy by February. I pull out a handful of leaves and crumble them into my sauce while they're still frozen.