Yesterday we taught you how to infuse olive oil with rosemary and today we will teach you how to put it to good use. There are a hundred and one ways to use rosemary infused olive oil, but which is the easiest one? Adding flavor to homemade croutons!
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.” I try as best as I can to live by this mantra, which is how I first came to make my own croutons. I bought two baguettes (something you should avoid) thinking I would eat them both immediately, but a few days later the remaining baguette was hard as a rock. I could have killed someone with this baguette. Birds would have ate the murder weapon. How’s that for the perfect crime? I decided to forgo the murder and figure out what to do with my baguette bat.
Ingredients:
- Any hard or stale bread
- Olive oil (bonus points if it is rosemary infused)
- Seasoning of your choice
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Carefully slice the stale bread and cube it
- Toss in olive oil
- Season with salt and pepper
- Spread croutons on a baking sheet
- Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown
Personally, I love the simplicity of salt and pepper. In the past, I would sprinkle on a little of this and a little of that. It wasn’t until a friend made them using only salt and pepper that I truly craved croutons. I was grabbing a crouton or two every time I went into the kitchen. However, if you want to spice your homemade croutons up a bit, try garlic and parmesan, basil and oregano, garlic and onion or a little bit of butter and garlic. Those four combinations are the perfect topping to any salad. Have another seasoning combo you think I’d crave? Pass it on please!