When I was in nursing school and rather poor, I learned to make a lot of pricey things we usually buy at the store from scratch. I never liked store-bought croutons as well as the typically softer, more flavorful ones I'd have at restaurants. And at $2+ a box, I couldn't justify purchasing them while living on student loans. Whenever I buy bread, buns, rolls, etc., one or two pieces go stale before I can eat them, so those become croutons. Croutons are ridiculously easy to make and you can use any old bread-type items you have around. You can even use flavored bread or garlic bread. Today, I used half of a wheat English muffin and the heel of a loaf of bread I bought at the farmer's market almost two weeks ago (pictured below). As long as the bread isn't moldy, it's fine for this recipe.
This is my most basic recipe, but sometimes I'll add other spices, like Italian seasoning or Parmesan cheese. These croutons keep really well in the freezer, so you can make a few batches at once and freeze the extra for later.
Croutons
3 T olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cloves minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 cups diced bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a container with a lid, or in a zip-top plastic bag and shake until bread is coated with oil and garlic. Arrange croutons in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, stirring about every 10 minutes. If croutons are still too soft, bake until they reach desired crispness, stirring every 10 minutes. Croutons will become more crisp when they are cooled.
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