FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS:

Chop and hack your way through the dried out bread to make smaller, about 1 inch, pieces. Put the bread crumbs in the blender or food processor and pulse until your desired size. I pulse until they are about the size of a grain of rice. If you prefer a more powdery breading, pulse until it’s almost a fine powder. Season the bread crumbs and throw them in a freezer zip lock bag for later use. (Don’t forget to date the bag!) When ready, just let them thaw for a few minutes on the counter and then they are ready to use to bread anything you want. From veggies to chicken or fish…you are good to go! These bread crumbs taste much better than the store bought version, just sayin’.

FOR THE CROUTONS:

Hack at the bread until they get into about 1 inch chunks. Don’t worry about uniformity, just do what you can. When ready place them into a large bowl. Wash your hands and then pour some olive oil into the bowl. I pour down the side of the bowl and turn it so there is an even coat along the wall of the bowl. Use your hands to gently massage the oil into the bread. If you need more, add more. the goal is to lightly coat the outside of all the bread pieces but not drench them. Chop up some herbs ( like rosemary, thyme or parsley ) and add salt and pepper to the bowl and gently toss one more time. Let them sit on the cooking tray while you preheat the oven to 400. Put the croutons in and babysit them until they are a golden brown. I start with 10 minutes and keep checking after that. Take them out when ready and let them cool on the counter. Throw into salads or you can do what I do and put them in a bowl with hot mac n’ cheese. YUM!