Croutons
Here is a straight up simple recipe that you may enjoy making with your children.
Ingredients
- 10 Slices Bread White, Rye, Pumpernickel, Grain or any as you choose.
- 1 Oz Grated Cheese Such as Pecorino Romano
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ Tsp Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Paprika. Amounts of each are to your own taste.
Instructions
- Move rack to middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dice bread in ½ inch cubes and transfer to mixing bowl. (I find it easier to dice the bread if it is frozen but unfrozen is fine if you prefer.)
- Sprinkle the cubed bread with your favorite seasonings. We like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and rosemary but you can use anything you like or even use up aging spices from your spice rack.
- Sprinkle paprika and grated cheese on bread and mix until all cubes are coated.
- Splash olive oil on cubes, mix well and transfer to a cookie sheet.
- Place bread cubes in oven for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes flip croutons to assist in even cooking and return to oven for 5 minutes. Continue to cook croutons checking for doneness every five minutes. Croutons are done when the are slightly browned and dry inside.
- Allow to cool completely before storing in a sealed container for several weeks or more.
Notes
A simple and fun recipe to make with your children and a great way to use up some of those spices that are approaching their "use-by" dates. If the adult handles the cutting and the oven work the youngsters can have some fun with the seasoning and mixing and in the end they will have a somewhat healthy bowl of croutons that they can put on salad or even eat as a snack.