I Love Basil

The warm weather finally gave my basil plants the boost they needed to really take off.  I was able to cut enough today (1 ounce) for a batch of Basil Butter with Garlic.  I just tossed the ingredients in my food processor, pulsed it for a few seconds, and, voilà, the perfect way to preserve basil for year-round use. 

The Cuisinart DLC-7 Pro food processor pictured above was given to me by my parents as a college graduation present in 1984.  It's still going strong 26 years later.

The recipe makes nine ounces of flavored butter.  I spooned 1-ounce "blobs" onto waxed paper and put them in the freezer.  That's perfectly portioned for eight loaves of Semolina Bread with Basil Butter.  I used the remaining ounce of butter to sauté thinly pounded chicken breasts for tonight's dinner.