Homemade Bread Croutons & Bread Crumbs

There are not many bread lovers at home, especially if the bread is a store bought one. The homemade one is gone without a trace just in a day but the one bought for emergencies, lies in the refrigerator begging for our mercy. Bread croutons and bread crumbs are my ways of recycling the stale bread. Bread crumbs help in binding while preparing patties while the croutons go in soups, salads and even snacking. Making bread crumbs at home is quite easy and there is no need to shell out arond $3 for a small pack of croutons.

You can leave out the crusts as it is or remove them for making croutons. If you decide to cut the crusts, save them to make your own bread crumbs. For snacking I make bigger sized croutons and for garnishing I prefer small cubes. You see two different sized croutons in this post since they were made at two different times. :) Also you can use your desired choice of bread to make croutons. Herb breads would be a great choice. I was left with some white bread at home and so this time, used it. I have even seen dessert recipes made with croutons using sweet breads with dry fruits and nuts.

Ingredients for croutons:

10 bread slices

1/4 cup melted butter / olive oil / canola oil (I used butter - canola oil combo.)

Garlic and salt / garlic salt to taste

Seasoning / herb of your choice (Optional. I used Italian seasoning.)

Method:

* Preheat the oven at 350 deg F.

* Mix well the butter / oil, garlic salt and seasoning in a bowl .

* Remove the crusts. Brush the butter mix on both sides of the bread slices evenly. Cut the bread into small cubes. Or you can first cube the bread slices and toss them in the butter mixture making sure that the cubes are evenly coated.

* Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 15 - 20 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crisp through out. Toss them in between once or twice. Sometimes I bake at 375 deg F for about 15 minutes.

Or use a wide, shallow skillet and fry them on stove top until they are uniformly brown and crisp. Cool and store them in an airtight container. If not using immediately, they can be frozen.

These bigger croutons are an evening snack for kids.

Bread Crumbs:
The crusts, the ends of the bread which no one wants to eat or the remaining stale bread can all be collected in the freezer. When you have enough, just run them through a food processor and you will have your own bread crumbs. There are again no hard and fast rules when it comes to bread crumbs. You can use fresh / stale bread, toasted / un toasted bread , crusts or no crusts.
Just put the bread pieces in a food processor and pulse it until you have crumbs.

Store it in the freezer in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag.

(I will tell you tomorrow why there is no good picture for bread crumbs.) :) :)
This is going to be my Day 4 post under "Preps & Preserves" during BM#11. Check here to know what my fellow marathoners are cooking today.

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