Basil is such an easy herb to use and it is full of vitamin A, C and has calcium. Basil rocks since it is so easy to grow in the garden. I have never tried to grow it in my kitchen over the winter since it grows so big in the garden that I can not transplant it and there never are plants available for purchase late in the fall. I am luck to find plants in the spring so there must be a lot us growing basil in our gardens.

I was a bit shocked when Bon Appetit ran an article in this months magazine where the article discussed how to buy, store and use basil. For us that grow it, the link below for the slide show, the uses of basil are really outstanding and show a wide variety of uses.  www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2010/07/basil_slideshow
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To learn about storing basil which is a big problem for us who grow basil in the garden  you may want to check the article.
http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/ingredients/2008/04/basil

Why Basil Rocks is that my favorite family recipe is so easy..and I never get tired of eating it each year when local tomatoes ripen. My squirrels eat them before they are ripe so I buy my tomatoes.

Slice tomato in 1/4 inch slices, place slices on plate, salt and pepper to taste
Slice fresh Mozzarella cheese 1/8 inch slice, place on tomato
Use one or two basil leaves and role and then cut with scissors in tiny slivers over the cheese
Sprinkle a bit or splash of oil olive and then vinegar (balsamic, apple or regular all work)

Happy Summer