A Fond Farewell to my Dear, Sweet Basil

Terribly sad news: a fungus got into my tiny herb garden and killed what was left of my chives, mutilated my mint, and was about to decimate my sweet basil. The basil held out until the last moment, when I decided to cut my losses and harvest what was left of its sad, wilted leaves.

Here's a true statement: I don't really cook much with basil.

There, I said it!

So why did I have a basil plant to begin with? You ask.

Because: (1) I like growing things. (2) I like the smell of basil. (3) Basil is easy to grow. (4) My roommate does cook with basil. So there!

Anyway, I wanted the basil leaves to be useful, but I wasn't sure what was the best way to preserve them. Drying? Freezing? Just make a soup and use it all, already!?

Then I remembered a Pintrest pin from a long while back. A person chopped up herbs and then froze them in ice cubes. When they wanted to cook with them, they simply popped out a cube and added it to a soup or skillet to be sauteed along with veggies. BRILLIANT!

And I was off...

I started by harvesting the usable parts that were left and washing them in water.

I pulled out my trusty Magic Bullet and added just a little water to the leaves before pulsing it all.

Muuhhhhahahahahahaha!

Then I poured the liquid-suspended leaf bits into a fun little star-shaped mold and popped the mold into the freezer. There was some foamy stuff that I didn't like, so I scooped those bits out and plopped them into the sink...because I'm classy like that.... (Don't worry, I cleaned up my mess!)

Voila! My roomie now has basil ice to use in her...whatever! :) Hopefully I can get a new set of plants going again soon and I can use this same technique to make herb cubes that I'll use myself! :p