GARDENING fans have revealed how they grew a common herb for a variety of tasty purposes.
The different methods range from a tasty syrup recipe to a dessert and a craft cocktail.
Redditor SaccosMeatMarket revealed in a post that they had grown a lot of basil in their garden and didn’t know what to do with it.
“I made almost two dozen jars of pesto and at this point I think that’s enough. I have some ziplocs of fresh frozen basil and two ice cube trays with a mixture of chopped basil and olive oil,” they explained.
Reddit users rushed to the rescue and offered several delicious alternatives.
Another Redditor recommended making basil simple syrup and offered step-by-step instructions.
Start by boiling an individual mixture of water and sugar in a large pot.
Then bring to a boil and stir until all the sugar dissolves in the water.
Then add as much chopped basil as you want to the mixture. It could be a handful, a little or a lot.
It all depends on how potent you want the basil flavor to be.
Then, let it boil for a minute or so, before turning off the heat, but keep it covered until the pan cools down.
Finally, strain the syrup into jars and refrigerate until used.
“Mix the syrup with water and lemon juice to make a great lemonade. Mix with vodka or other liquors for cocktails. Pour over vanilla ice cream,” they added.
The Reddit user who shared the instructions even offered a quick cocktail recipe.
Take the syrup and mix it with strawberries, fresh lime juice, ice, vodka and club soda.
Shake a few times to mix and garnish with a basil leaf.
A second option for the herb is to dehydrate it to season and add to the sauce.
Some Redditors thought it would make a great Christmas gift.
“Buy or recycle some pretty jars and put some pretty labels on them. Everyone in my family, including me, would love this as a gift or stocking stuffer,” one wrote.
“Or try putting basil in an oil for flavor. Great gift!” another added.
A third idea for the original poster was to freeze their pre-made jars of basil pesto.
“I put it in 8-ounce mason jars, which is usually enough for about 30 to 500 grams of pasta, depending on how much pesto you want,” they explained.
“Toss over hot pasta with a little reserved hot pasta water.”
Another Redditor said basil sugar is a “super tasty addition to desserts and drinks.”
“Sprinkle some over cut fruit or a slice of pie. Add it to your lemonade” or make your drink sophisticated by using it to sweeten the rim of the glass!),” they wrote.
“I tried basil sugar for the first time as a topping for a panna cotta with blueberry jam. Amazing. Fresh flavor!”
Easy Gardening Tips to Save Money, Maximize Space, and Repel Pests
*If you click on a link in this article, we may earn affiliate income.
- Banana peels, vinegar and coffee grounds are often recommended as natural fertilizers.
- Dollar Tree sells four packets of seeds for $1.25.
- Try a vertical planter like the one from Amazon Mr. Stacky 5-Tier Stackable Planter$35 to make the most of a small space.
- Use networks like Garden Netting Pest Barrier$8, from Amazon to ward off bugs eating your vegetables.
- Try sacrificial planting to reduce pesticide use and keep pests out of your garden. Deliberately growing certain plants to attract agricultural pests can keep them away from the plants you want to protect. Examples include marigolds, lavender, catnip and chives.
- For pesky weeds in your garden, the Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Weed Puller Tool with Long Handles$45, from Amazon it’s a handy tool you can use without having to bend over.
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