If you are the garden growing type and enjoy fresh herbs, you are probably trying to keep your fresh basil from bolting and going to seed this time of summer. I swear I deadhead mine and within a day or two, it trying to bolt again. Once basil bolts, the leaves become bitter and inedible. Don’t let your basil go to flower. I only plant one basil plant each year and, even using as much as I can when cooking, I still have tons that I hate seeing go to waste.

In addition to various methods of preserving basil, did you know that you can propagate harvested basil and replant for continuous fresh basil all spring, summer and fall? Just cut back basil to avoid bolting, pick off the bottom leaves exposing the stem on the bottom two-thirds, place the stems in water and wait for roots to form. (Use the discarded leaves to freeze and use in cooking over the winter.)

Once rooted, plant stems in the garden for new baby basil plants.

Now use the discarded leaves to make frozen basil cubes which are amazing used in comfort food recipes during the cold winter months. To freeze, wash basil leaves, dry using paper towels or a salad spinner and add leaves to a food processor.

While pulsing basil leaves, slowly added enough olive oil to make a paste, about three to four tablespoons of olive oil to 1 cup of basil.

Add basil mixture to an ice cube tray or square silicone mold.

If mixture looks too dry, add more olive oil to molds to cover basil. Freeze until solid, remove from molds and store in a freezer-safe container. Simply remove a cube or two and toss into dishes calling for basil. Your summer garden will live on all winter long.