Recycled Bread

I have to thank my friend Blake for this idea. He made yummy croutons for our dinner salad the last time he was kind enough to have my family over. Until then, I had been saving our odds and ends of leftover bread for the ducks in Elk Grove Park. After being chased once too many by a greedy goose, this idea was quite welcome.

I keep bag in the freezer for leftover bread. The 6th hoagie roll that my family of 5 just can't eat, the last homemade hamburger bun, heels of bread, you get the idea. After thawing, I cut all the bread into cubes. I then used my hands to toss the bread with some crushed garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. I put the mixture into a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the cubes were nice and crunchy.
(I would suggest making the croutons in smaller batches than shown above to decrease cooking time and ensure even cooking.)

This idea is yummy, easy and cuts down on waste. You can't beat that.