DinnerDork [ ˈdi-nərˈdȯrk ]
Homemade croutons take the ends of loaf bread from unwanted discards to prime cuts! Making your own croutons is the perfect way to consume the ends of loaf bread, as well as slices of bread that won’t be eaten or have become stale (read: past their prime, but not moldy). Plus, they’re a tasty addition to a nutritious salad. Keep a freezer bag of unused bread in the freezer to collect pieces until you have a large enough stash to make croutons. Then, get to work:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Cut or tear the bread into small cubes or crouton sized pieces
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the cubed bread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Be careful not to crowd the baking sheet, to ensure that your croutons will crisp properly.
- Drizzle both sides of the bread cubes evenly with melted butter or olive oil. Infused olive oil can be used to impart a special flavor. Basil, garlic, tarragon and rosemary olive oil infusions can make for a deliciously different crouton. Use 1 tbsp of butter or oil per 1 cup of cubed bread.
- Sprinkle the croutons with a bit of chopped parsley, ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use garlic powder as well to add garlic flavor if you aren’t already using a garlic infused oil. A general rule of thumb is to use the following ratios per 1 cup of cubed bread: 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp chopped parsley and 1/8 tsp of black pepper.
- Bake the croutons in the preheated oven for 15 minutes,or until they are golden and crisp. Flip the croutons on the reverse side and bake for about 2 – 5 minutes, until the reverse side is also golden and crisp
Serve and enjoy!