Munchie Monday: Homemade Bread Crumbs/Croutons

We were getting ready for a lovely social occasion this weekend which entailed bringing potluck treats.  Since I am death on sweets right now, at least in our home, I thought I would make the Spinach Balls that Dear One likes so much.  I, myself, prefer savory over sweet anyway.  I thought we had everything in the house to make the spinach balls.

Well, we did not have bread crumbs.

Since they are so easy to make, I decided to spend a few minutes throwing them together.

This is what I did:

Took a loaf of un-sliced bread and cut 1-inch thick slices.  This was a large Italian loaf so I only needed four slices. I then turned them on their sides and cut them into 1-inch 'fingers' then sliced those  fingers into 1-inch cubes.

Placed the cubes in a large bowl and drizzled  on 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil then tossed well to get some olive oil on each cube of bread.  Sprinkle on 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning (not the Good Seasons salad dressing seasoning) and toss again.  Try to have a little herb covering each cube.  If you are a real salt hound, add a little salt, but they do not need it.

Bread cubes ready for the oven

In a preheated 350 degree F. oven, bake the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir well then return to the oven to bake another 10 minutes.  They should be ready by then but if you want to make them into harder croutons, let them go another little while. I did not do this so I cannot give you a time.

Remove from oven and let cool, then put the cubes (and the crumbs that came off when you stirred them) into your food processor and pulse until they are the texture you are seeking.

Bread crumbs ready for Spinach Balls

At our house we make these a different way sometimes (when we are longing for chips of various natures and don't want that much fat and salt in our diets).  Only we up the quantity to 3 Tablespoons of olive oil, and add onion granules, garlic granules, and a teaspoon of coarse salt to the Italian seasoning to sprinkle over the bread cubes.  When they are "done" we throw them into a bowl and put them out to munch on.  The grandkids love them, too...