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| Image by dkscooks |
Croutons are bread cubes flavored with butter, seasonings and herbs and fried or baked to a crisp, golden brown. They're great on fresh green salads and soups. You can make these croutons ahead and store, in a tightly covered container, up to four days.
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of 1/2-inch thick bread (white loaf bread, French bread whole wheat, pumpernickel, or any bread of your choice)
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt or 1/8 teaspoon salt with 1 clove minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced parsley or dried parsley flakes or desired herbs
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the crusty edges with a serrated bread knife.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic salt or salt with minced garlic, and parsley. Spread on one/both side/s of the bread, depending on your preference.
- Sprinkle with parsley flakes or desired herbs. Slice bread into cubes. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and dry. To test for crispness, take 1 crouton and let cool for a few seconds; take a bite; if it's still chewy, bake for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack.
For Cheese Croutons
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of 1/2 inch thick bread
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove crusts from bread. Slice bread into fingers or thin strips. In a pan, melt butter or margarine over low heat. Remove from heat. Add the bread fingers to the pan. Toss lightly using two wooden spoons until the bread fingers are evenly coated with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss again to coat the bread evenly.
- Spread bread fingers in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and dry. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack.
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