C – I hate wasting food.
It’s one of my biggest pet peeves. Bread is one of those things that I don’t eat very often. But, when I do I tend to go overboard on buying it. It usually isn’t my fault though. Usually, the good bread I want comes in huge loaves. I hate how big they are.
Sadly, looking at cost-per-ounce. the bigger size can also be the more affordable option. For one person, or even two people, it can take days to finish a loaf. Sometimes, I have to get creative at the very end to find other uses for this bread.
One thing I have always counted on is Jim’s expertise in making croutons.
He has perfected this technique for making croutons. Toss a loaf of cubed bread with a ½ cup of olive oil. Mix really well. Don’t let any piece go uncovered with oil. He really takes his time on this. He’s pretty aware and mindful when it comes to making these croutons. I have never seen anything like it. Now, I know why my croutons never turn out well. It’s all in the tossing with the oil before baking it.
He places the oiled bread pieces on baking sheets covered in parchment paper and bakes them in the oven. It’s pretty easy. Just one toss mid-way and the croutons are nice, crispy and golden brown.
| Homemade Croutons |
- 2 loaves sourdough or any bread of your choice.
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut bread into ¾-inch slices then cut into ¾-inch cubes. Place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle oil into bowl and toss until all pieces are coated completely. About 2-3 minutes.
- Add to a half sheet pan that is covered in parchment paper.
- Bake for 15 minutes on one side.
- Toss and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown on all sides.
- Serve on top of salad, in stuffing or as a snack.
- Enjoy!
These are much better than any of the croutons you buy at the store with all those preservatives and artificial flavors. It’s so much cheaper too. They last a really long time in the refrigerator. And, they’re great on salads, in stuffing or as a snack all by itself.
Thanks, Jim, for showing me the way to making great croutons.
simple and delicious, you can go wrong with this. thanks for sharing.
I love bread myself, it is a weakness, I’d eat a whole loaf.