Linda, Dried basil may be pretty hanging on the wall, but it isn't much for cooking with compared to the fresh stuff. I've had much better luck freezing it. I throw it into the food processor with enough oil to make a paste, then freeze it. Ice cube trays work - just toss them into a zip-lock when they're frozen. Or fill a zip-lock with your basil paste in a thin sheet and freeze it flat. (This is what I usually do.) When you want to cook with it you can just break a piece off and toss it into your soup or sauce. You can also thaw this out and make a great pesto. (Don't make pesto and try to freeze it: the cheese gets too gummy.) Hope this helps.