I will never buy croutons or crackers for my soups or salads again. I started making my own croutons from bread I have keep fresh in the freezer. I buy good breads like rye, pumpernickel, all grain, wheat & more. Croutons are so easy and thrifty to make. Just save any bread heals well wrapped in the freezer.
Ingredients:
- frozen bread ends & pieces
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp minced onion
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp salt or seasoning salt (I love the spicy twist of Old Bay Seasoning)
- 1/2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
- drizzle of olive oil
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the bread while still frozen for uniform cubes, and put them in a large ziploc bag.
- In a bowl melt a stick of butter (or as much as you like). Add the herbs and olive oil. Mix it all well.
- Drizzle the butter mixture in the bag of croutons; shaking the bag as you are pouring. Close the top of the bag and toss that bag around, so the butter mixture will coat all the cubes of bread.
- Using a large sheet of aluminum foil or pan, pour all the cubes in a single layer. Place on the rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and carefully take up the foil, by bunching it up on each end so you don't spill out any croutons. Let this cool on the counter top. They smell delicious and taste even better.
- Store the cooked croutons in the seasoned zip loc bag you have already used.
You can flavor these in many different ways also; BBQ, Italian dressing, Caesar dressing, cheesy flavors, blue cheese, etc. Keep these refrigerated. They are so easy to make. Just save any ends of bread tightly wrapped in the freezer.
