1 Cup Lemon Basil Leaves
1 Cup Sweet Basil Leaves
1/2 Cup Pecans
1/4 Cup Fresh, Grated Parmesan Cheese
2-4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons or more Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process briefly.  Add two tablespoons of olive oil and process.  If a creamier texture is desired continue adding small amounts of olive oil until the desired consistency is found.  Pesto can be spread on crackers, used on pasta and added to sauces.  Pesto freezes well.  Experiment with other herbs and nuts.  Traditional pesto uses sweet basil and pine nuts.  Recipe makes one cup of pesto.

Pesto Chicken with Garlic Sauce

4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup Pesto
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Crushed Wheat Chex® Cereal
4 Cloves Garlic, unpeeled
1/2 Cup No Fat Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Evaporated Skim Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Coarse Grind Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

Pound chicken breast to flatten.  Spread 2 Tablespoons Pesto on each breast, roll and seal with a toothpick.  Dip Chicken in buttermilk, then coat with cereal.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken and garlic cloves on a baking sheet coated with oil or vegetable spray.  Remove garlic after 30 minutes, it will be used in the sauce.  Cook chicken another 15 minutes or until tender.
To prepare sauce:  Combine mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice and pepper.  Squeeze roasted garlic into sauce and cook over low heat stirring constantly until warm throughout.  Place cooked chicken on a plate and pour sauce over the meat.  Recipe makes 4 servings.

Basil Chicken Salad

1 Cup Cooked Chicken Breast, Cut into Chunks
1 Cup Cooked Rice
1/2 Cup Red Grapes, Sliced in Half
1/2 Cup No-Fat Mayonnaise (or similar product of your choice)
1/4 Cup Sweet Basil, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Chopped Sweet Onion
1/4 Teaspoon Coarsely Grind black Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans

Combine all ingredients except pecans and chill thoroughly.  Add nuts just before serving.  Recipe makes 4 servings.

Lemon Basil Muffins

1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Plum Flavored Baby Food
1/4 Cup Chopped Lemon Basil Leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin pans or line with cupcake papers.  Make a dry mixture by combining fours, baking power and sugar.  Make a wet mixture by combining remaining ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir only until all flour is moistened.   Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into a muffin.  Recipe makes 12 muffins.

Basil Mimosas

1 Twelve Ounce Can Orange Juice
1 Cup Basil Leaves (Spicy Globe is Best)
3 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Sugar
Champagne (or Ginger Ale if Preferred)

Combine orange juice, water and basil.  Let steep 2 hours.  Strain out basil.  Add lemon juice and sugar.  Stir to dissolve sugar.  Refrigerate over night.  To prepare mimosa, fill a goblet 1/2 to 3/4 full with the flavored orange juice.  Add a spike of basil flowers, if available, then fill the remainder of the glass with champagne (or ginger ale).  For a different flavor, try using tangerine juice or fruit punch.  Recipe makes 6 to 10 servings.

Cinnamon Basil Sorbet

3 Cups Apple Juice
2 Cups Sugar
4 Large Sprigs Cinnamon Basil
Juice of 1 Lemon
Grated Rind of 1 Lemon

Combine apple juice and sugar in a sauce pan and heat until sugar is just dissolved.  Add cinnamon basil and cover.  Let steep 30 minutes.  Strain out basil.  Add lemon juice and rind.  Chill thoroughly.  Prepare in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions or pour  in a shallow dish and place in freezer, stirring about every 30 minutes, until frozen.  Recipe makes 4-6 servings.