Croutons

Making croutons is a great way to use up stale or almost-stale bread. Once you've made your own, you will never even consider buying them again! Plus, they last a while on the shelf, which is always a bonus for anything homemade. The basic technique is to cube four or five slices of bread, cutting down and across to form about one-inch square cubes. Then, put about a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a mixing bowl, add the bread cubes, and toss to cover with the olive oil. After the cubes are relatively evenly covered with the oil, you can add seasoning as well. Most often, I just add some kosher salt (about 1/8 tsp.) and a little freshly ground black pepper, but you can add whatever you'd like to make them fun and interesting. I sprinkled in a little bit of fresh thyme when I was making the croutons in the picture, and it worked quite nicely. After the bread is fully oiled and seasoned, spread the cubes out flat onto a baking sheet and slide them into a preheated oven to toast at 375 degrees until nicely browned, about 10-15 minutes. I've made croutons with all kinds of bread and seasoning, and each combination brings its own unique flavor to the crouton. It's great to know exactly what has gone into making them (how much oil, what kind of seasoning, etc.) as well, so I am not shy about stretching their use way beyond salads to other things that may need a little crunch - like the cauliflower soup! Try this technique before your next loaf goes bad.