3 New Ways To Use Basil

Basil is one of my favorite herbs. I like adding basil to my food or drink. During my recent trip to the grocery, I found myself buying more than expected. (Side note: I dislike doing the grocery that's why I tend to overstock. Note to self: Work on your meal plans!!!) When I realized this, I went online, read through some of my books and found new ways to use basil. Let me share with you what I found:

1. Basil Simple Syrup

Adding basil into your own recipe of simple syrup goes a long way. You can add this to your bowl of fresh fruit, on your freshly brewed iced tea, lemonade, or favorite fresh fruit smoothie, or even to homemade popsicles for your kiddos.

I tried substituting basil simple syrup to one of my favorite smoothies, and it came out yummy!

Mango Basil Smoothie (serves 2)

1 mango, peeled, pit removed, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 T. chia seeds in 1/2 cup water
2 T. basil simple syrup
1 cup ice

Soak the chia seeds in the water for about 30 mins to an hour. Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

You can get the recipe for Basil Simple Syrup here: How to make basil simple syrup.

2. Basil Flatbread Crackers

I have yet to try this!. Just by looking at it, I think that this will be a good addition to a cheese platter or it can be a snack itself. This is my recipe to try for the week.

I got it from the ever-reliable Martha Stewart.

Basil Flatbread Crackers (serves 4)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus 40 whole basil leaves
Coarse salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg white, lightly beaten for egg wash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse flour, chopped basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add cream; pulse until dough forms.
2. Briefly knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; shape into rectangles, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a very thin rectangle (about 12 by 16 inches). 3. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with salt. Press 10 whole basil leaves into top.
4. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Repeat 3 times with remaining dough, egg wash, salt, and whole basil leaves. Break into individual crackers using your hands.

3. Basil Insect Repellent

As I was researching on food recipes for basil, I saw an article that caught my eye. I found out that basil keeps flies and mosquitoes away. Basil Insect Repellent is another easy thing to make when you have extra basil. 

Ingredients:
4 6 ounces of fresh basil leaves
4 ounces boiling water
4 ounces vodka
Spray bottle

1. Take your fresh basil and make sure it is thoroughly clean. You will be steeping it in hot water, so there should be no dirt or debris in it. The stems can stay attached and be steeped along with the leaves.

2. When the water has boiled, pour it over the basil in a container, cover it and leave it to sit for several hours. Be sure to only use the amount of water the recipe calls for. Too much water and the basil infusion will be weaker than you want it for maximum effectiveness.

3. After the basil has steeped in the water for several hours, sift out the leaves and pour the basil-infused water into a spray bottle. Squeeze every last drop of liquid out of the saturated leaves into the bottle as well. The infused water should smell heavily of basil at this point.

4. The vodka is used as a carrier and diluter. In the spray bottle, pour in the four ounces of vodka and mix it with the basil water by shaking the bottle gently.

5. Now that the basil water is mixed with the alcohol, attach the spray bottle nozzle to the container. It can be sprayed onto your skin or clothes to repel stinging insects. Do not get it in your eyes, nasal cavity or mouth, and make sure that it stays out of reach of young children.

Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/making-insect-repellent-with-basil#b#ixzz2C4SOqCFR


*Bonus Tip:
Make basil into pesto, and package it in small portions -- around a quarter of a cup -- before freezing. Frozen pesto doesn't go brown, which tends to happen when it is stored in the fridge.

If you don't have a basil pesto recipe, check out Martha Stewart's delicious basic pesto recipe here.

So the next time you find yourself with lots of basil, instead of letting them wilt inside the refrigerator, try out these different but easy-to-make recipes.