George Carlin & Croutons

"Why do croutons come in airtight packaging? They're just stale bread to begin with."  George Carlin had a little something to say about everything. For those of you too young to know who he was, know that he was on the cutting edge of cool comedians back in the day.  He was right about croutons and I love that it's true!  Do you ever get a loaf of crusty bread from the store & for one reason or another don't get to eat it before it turns into a baseball bat?  Well, this is one of my favorite things to do with it.

First I cut the loaf in half so I can season it a couple of different ways.  I like to make one batch with a bit of an Italian flavor, the other I make with a bit of a southwestern spice.  I really don't do anything fancy with it.  They can be chopped up, seasoned, and baked to crispy deliciousness in about 30 minutes. 

For the Italian flavor, I put a couple tbsps of butter, some olive oil, garlic powder, salt, & thyme in a pan to melt.  (If you happen to have shredded Parmesan cheese, it's a wonderful addition.) Pour it over the bread cubes & dig in with your hands, mixing it thoroughly to cover all the cubes.  Spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden.

For the southwest flavor, I totally cheat and mix the butter & olive oil in a pan with southwest seasoning. Simple.  Pour it on, mix it up with your hands, put it on a second sheet and put it in the oven too.  

You can flavor them any way you like.  After they've cooled completely, put them in storage bags and keep them for a few weeks.  They're cheaper and they are lifetimes better than those rock-like little things in the "airtight bags."

 Enjoy!