Basil Infused Olive Oil

... makes any salad wonderful. Your favorite salad veggies, a dash of balsamic vinegar, a shake of salt, a squirt of lime, plus a good swirl of basil infused olive oil. I'm so looking forward to fresh herbs and out-of-the-garden lettuce this summer. (Go local! Go Organic!)

Talkin' Basil

Here I go again, walking out my front door for some basil from one of three verdant beauties. Basil is good in almost anything! Here I've made a simple pesto whose recipe originated from my CSA newsletter. Another easy way to use basil is in cole slaw or as a marinade ingredient. Slice yellow squash and zucchini lengthwise into 1/4"-pieces. Place them in a large bowl and add heaps of chopped basil and enough olive oil to coat each piece of squash. Toss. Let it soak for a bit and then grill.

This summer I've also discovered two interesting local-Minneapolis basil products. Check out Mrs. Meyer's Basil Dish Soap. It's a very soft scent for dishwashing. As you know, I do all my dishes by hand. Another skin-loving product, is Basil Lavender soap from Golden Sage. Use in the bath or at the hand-sink. Both companies produce many splendid products with good ingredients.