Monday, May 17, 2010

Waste Not, Want Not

We always have heels of bread left over and nobody ever seems to want them.  Occasionally, I will eat a peanut butter sandwich on them but usually they just sit, all alone, helpless there in the little bread buddy.  Do you have a bread buddy?  I highly recommend them.  The bread takes up less footprint in your pantry and the bread stays fresher.


And besides being frugal (that's a nice word for cheap) I tend to be a bit lazy.  I got a whole lotta' quit in me.  So, if it aint easy and/or able to be done neatly and tidily...well, forget it.  So, in comes one of my favorite kitchen utensils...


Kitchen shears...or simply put scissors.  I have about 10 pair in my kitchen that I strategically place in all different drawers just so I can grab them wherever I am standing and not have to expend extra steps to go to a particular drawer for them.  (See?  Lazy.  I'd like to blame it on officially learned Industrial Engineering concepts - something to the order of analysis of increased optimal workflow processes - but in all honesty it's just lazy.)  I know, I know...I'm getting to the bread issue at hand.  Cut open your bread bag so you create a nice little disposable "placemat" on which to work.  Use the shears and cut up your bread into bite sized pieces.

Next we're on to another one of my favorite little gadgets in the kitchen.  It is my oil dispenser.  I found this clearanced at Harris Teeter.  Isn't it like a little work of art?  Ok...I'm stretching that a little bit but it IS nice don't you agree?


Put all of your little bread giblets into a plastic ziploc bag and drizzle some oil over them.


Season with your favorite seasonings.  Mine happen to be these 2:


And voila'!  You have homemade croutons ready to be baked at a moment's notice.  I store them in my freezer.  Pour out a few onto foil lined baking sheet (because what lazy person wants to wash a pan?) and bake them for 6-8 min (or more or less to your liking) at about 400-425.  I've even been known to hit toast on my toaster/convection oven if I was in a real hurry.

5 comments:

Confessions Of A Homeschooler said...

That's an excellent idea, and I do like your oil dispenser ;o)

Carla said...

I grind mine in the food processor and put them in the freezer to use as bread crumb toppings on casseroles. Yup I'm lazy, too!

Emy said...

wow love this idea! :-) See, I too tend to be somewhat lazy so this idea suits me perfectly, its easy and non-messy and quick so this is something I can stick with...

Kate Spears said...

this is such a wonderful idea! i would never have thought to do that and i love croutons so much....now i can make my own! i love your blog, lady! thank you for visiting me at southern belle simple! i'm intrigued by your kids' taste of pineapple on salads too. i must try that! happy friday!

Ginny H said...

I just realized that I saw this on BPS! I am a MFW using scrapbooking mom, too, and came over here after your binder ring post on MFW Families yahoo group! I'm tyfb at BPS. This is a great idea for bread scraps!