I just started making my own. No recipe. I toss leftover bread, bun, roll pieces in a gallon zip lock in the freezer. When it gets full, cube all the bread, toss in a big bowl with some olive oil, a little melted butter, some garlic and whatever herbs tickle your fancy. Either pop them in the oven to toast up or toast them in a frying pan. Put back in the zip lock and pop them back in the freezer to use as needed.

Moni,

Homemade croutons are easy to make. I use homemade French bread. Some people prefer to cut the bread into cubes before seasoning but I do it just the opposite. Here's my way...

Slice the French bread into 1/2" slices. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of the bread with a seasoning mix & bake at 400 degrees until the bread is slightly brown & crunchy. When cool enough to handle, cut into cubes. Store in Zip-Lock bags in the freezer.

I keep my seasonings quite simple because I use the croutons crushed as a breading for fish & chicken & don't always want them heavily seasoned. Here's a few suggestions for your seasoning blend...

Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Dried Thyme
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Celery Salt
Salt & coarsely ground black pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Paprika
A bit of ancho powder if you like them spicey

I wouldn't use ALL of those in one batch of seasoning but it gives you an idea of what type of things to start with.

You can also cube the bread, toss with some olive oil, sprinkle the seasoning, toss with your hands to coat the cubes, spread them on baking sheets, & toast off in the oven, if you prefer.

Neither method is better than the other...just different ways of accomplishing the same thing. Great croutons!

Enjoy.

/tricia

Thanks for the replies. Never thought of the storage thing. But I guess, freezer would work just fine.

I'll give it a try.

Moni

I make them when I have leftover bread that's going to go stale: I cube the bread, toss it with some olive oil, then spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 350F unil they're crunchy. It probably takes about 10 minutes, and I usually stir them once or twice. Sometimes I sprinkle the bread wtih garlic powder or some Italian seasoning, sometimes not.

Becky

I bet some dry ranch or italian dressing mix would be a good flavor too. I'll have to try it next time.

I just never thought of making them myself. We don't have stale bread, we both LOVE bread.

Moni

When I was making a lot of machine bread I also made a lot of croutons. I cubed the bread, placed it in a bowl and spritzed it with olive oil cooking spray just so seasonings would stick but not add a lot of calories. I tossed the cubes with whatever herbs and things jumped into my hands: dill, parmesan, paprika, garlic/onion powder, a Mrs. Dash blend like the Table Blend or the Tomato Basil Garlic. Then spread them on a baking sheet and baked them in a very low oven until crunchy and melba toast-like.

I think this is one of James Beard's (Baerd?) recipes. It's a photocopy of a page, so I can't tell. The first instruction is a good one - any leftover breads you have, cube it and throw in the freezer till you build up a good supply. Normally, I run it thru the processor for crumbs and freeze them.

REAL CROUTONS

3 TBLS olive oil
3/4 lb dried bread cubes
S/P to taste
1/8 teas paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TBLS finely chopped parsley
2 TBLS grated parmesan cheese

Heat a large frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the dried bread cubes and drizzle with the remaining oil. Saute and toss over medium heat a few minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with the remaining ingredients except the cheese and continue cooking. Toss together until the seasonings are evenly coated and the croutons are golden brown. Remove to a large bowl and sprinkle with the cheese. Toss together again and allow to cool. Use as a garnish for soups and salads. Store the croutons in sealted container. Will be good for about a week.

Beth