Here is afew good reasons to have too much basil... Basil Prawns 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 1/2 lemons, juiced 3 Tablespoons coarse grained prepared mustard 125g/4oz minced fresh basil 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed salt to taste 1 pinch white pepper 1 1/2kg/3lb raw prawns, peeled and cleaned Mix oil and melted butter in a shallow glass bowl. Stir in lemon juice, mustard, basil and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Add prawns, and toss. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat grill to high heat. Grease well. Remove prawns, and thread on soaked bamboo skewers. Cook for 4 minutes, on lightly oiled grill turning once, until just pink. Pan Glazed Chicken w/ Basil 4 boneless chicken breast halves 1/2teas. salt 1/4teas. pepper 2teas. olive oil 2TBS. balsamic vinegar 1TBS. honey 8-10 basil leaves Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet and add chicken. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in vinegar, honey and basil and cook Basil, Garlic Vinaigrette 2C olive oil 1C white wine vinegar 1/4C chopped fresh basil 2 cloves garlic, peeled Combine all in a jar with lid, shake. Refrigerate overnight, shake well before using. Easy Garlic Pasta 1 lbs box of spaghetti pasta noodles stick butter 1 med head of garlic 8-10 basil leaves Fresh Parmesan Cheese While pasta is cooking place butter, garlic (pressed), and basil (finely chopped) in a heat proof glass bowl. Place bowl over boiling pot of pasta and let butter melt. Stir all ingredients together. Remove bowl and when pasta is done, drain. Pour hot pasta over butter mixture and toss .Addfreshly grated Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. And serve. This can be a whole meal just add cooked shrimp or chicken. Garlic and Basil Cream Sauce over pasta 8 oz penne or other pasta 4 tbs. Butter 4 cloves garlic (minced or pressed) 1 cup light cream 10-12 basil leaves 1 med. shallot pepper and salt Freshly grated parmesan Cook pasta. Melt butter in a small deep skillet. Add Garlic and shallots saute' 3 min. over low heat. pour in cream , basil , salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat covered but vented 7-10 min. until thickened. Pour sauce over pasta and add chees Tomato Salad with Basil Honey Vinaigrette 4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp. honey 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 3-4 tomatoes sliced and layered in serving platter In a small bowl whisk together the vinaigrette, honey and salt. Add the olive oil and basil and whisk to blend. Taste and adjust seasonings. Drizzle over tomatoes and serve. Note: It looks pretty with a layer of lettuce leaves under it and this extends the salad a bit. Basil Stuffed Chicken boneless chicken breast 1 clove of garlic for each piece of chicken seasoned salt 5 large basil leaves for each piece of chicken olive oil tooth picks or skewers Place each piece of chicken in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/4 inch with a meat mallet. Sprinkle each side with season salt. With a garlic press mash a clove of garlic on one side of each breast. Cover that side of the chicken with basil leaves. Then starting with the short end roll up the chicken and secure with a toothpick . Cook in pan with olive oil until chicken is firm and white on both sides. ( you can cook this on your grill) Serve with pasta , fresh chopped tomatoes, chopped basil and cheese. .

Squirrel: What you call regular basil has a very pronounced anise or licorice flavor to me, so I'm not sure what anise basil is. I love basil. It pairs very well with tomatoes, so fresh leaves shredded over sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper makes a great salad platter. Cherry tomatoes and little mozzarella chunks (or those bite size balls if you can find them) on a skewer or toothpick with basil leaves alternating in between make a fancy nibble to offer guests before dinner. Or a big tray of them are great for a pot luck. Of course, a generous handful of basil leaves chopped up and tossed into your simmering tomato sauce is heavenly. It makes its own pasta sauce called pesto, which is basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and usually pine nuts (but you can sub walnuts or leave the nuts out), ground up in a processor or blender. Don't use like red sauce -- 1/3 cup of pesto might be enough for 1 pound of pasta. Seriously, a little goes a long way. Pesto can also be used as a sandwich spread with Italian cold cuts, roasted red peppers, cheeses. Or maybe a turkey, Provolone, bacon and tomato sandwich. I don't freeze it with the cheese or nuts because it gets grainy and chewy. To freeze just the basil, wash and dry the leaves, blend in a processor or blender with enough oil to make a paste. Freeze in small zip bags, maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup per bag. Throw a bag into minestrone soup or a pot of ratatouille, thaw and add to a meatloaf, thaw and add Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and more oil to make pesto in the dead of winter. I hope you pinched off all the flowers to keep the leaves big and plump. And I've never found a use for the stems, too bitter. Just compost them.

This is a great plant for the reasons you mentioned. I also like to use it in gardens for appearance, as edging or the like. To do that, though, keep it trimmed because it does get quite large. Basils of all flavors interest me, just wish it was perennial. Enjoy your new discovery.

I'll have to look. For years I thought I wouldn't like basil because I don't like licorice and basil smells a bit like it. Then 5 years ago a new gardening friend laughed when I said that and said "I know you love cilantro in fresh salsa but you said you think it smells like a stink bug in the garden. Let me make you some pesto." I love pesto, have son buy pine nuts by the pound bag at costco and mail them to me and freeze pesto during the summer but never enough. In fact right before I sat down at the computer I took a half cup out of the freezer to thaw. I just use it as a dip with tortilla chips.