croutons

Crunchy Croutons

these guys are super snack-tastic and very easy to make!

i should mention, i am not much of a measurer for some things, like this recipe doesn't have measurements.  when i make them, i eyeball the amounts of everything depending on how much bread i use.

what you need:
any amount of bread, i prefer sourdough for the flavor, but you can use any type really
olive oil (you can use vegetable oil, i would splice it with a bit of olive oil for a better taste)
salt
pepper
garlic powder
paprika

there are two ways you can bake these, low and slow will help dry out the bread and get all of them golden.  high heat gets them cooked faster, but the chance of burning bits is great.  if cooking them on low, preheat oven to 225 or 250 degrees F.  if cooking them on high, preheat to 350 degrees F.

chop the bread down into small cubes, when it is somewhat stale, it is easier to cut up, use a bread knife or any serrated knife for tougher breads.  a flat blade, like a cooks knife, will work better on softer breads.  be careful in slicing this up because bread likes to slip on you which causes you to nick your fingers.  placing a wet rag under your cutting board will keep it from slipping around while you cut.

place the bread chunks in a large enough bowl to be able to stir entire amount (usually filling it to 2-3 inches under the rim of the bowl will be enough room).  drizzle the oil over the bread and stir.  bread should look somewhat glazed without a shine, not soaked in oil.  should use just enough oil to coat the bread so the spices can stick to the bread, you can be light on the oil if you want to avoid too much oil.  sprinkle light coats of each of the spices over the bread as you stir.  you can be as light or heavy as you want depending on your tastes, the garlic and pepper will add spice and the paprika will add a smokey flavor.  too much of any of them will make it inedible though.  you can also add other spices or herbs if you like as well, rosemary or basil would be great for salad croutons, onion powder would add a nice kick to it.  even sesame or poppy seeds will add a nice depth to the flavor as well.

spread the dressed bread on a cookie sheet with edges (makes it easier for you to stir them).  if you do not have cookie pans with a slight edge to them, can use those rectangle cake pans.  if you were light on the oil, drizzle some oil on the pan and wipe it down with a paper towel (a little better taste than pan spray, but you can use that instead).

baking low and slow, you'll want to stir them every 15 minutes until golden brown.  it should take an hour and 20-30 minutes depending on oven and how dark you want them.
baking high heat, stir ever 7 or so minutes, once they start getting color, keep an eye on them so they don't burn.  it should take 20-30 minutes depending on oven and how dark you want them.