My pantry is now home to four boxes of assorted croutons.  We have a partial box of garlic flavored, some herb flavored, some plain, and even some Parmesan croutons.  My family likes croutons on their salads, but we’re beyond our quota at this point.  Before they get stale, I would like to know if there’s anything I can make with them.

Sometimes when a casserole calls for a buttery breadcrumb topping, I’ll just grab a pile of croutons, crush them up, and use those instead of breadcrumbs. Since my croutons are normally flavored, they make a great topping for oven-baked vegetable dishes.  A nice, cheesy broccoli casserole is the perfect dish to top with these croutons.

What do you think about using crushing up croutons for a crunchy coating for fried fish or chicken?  If you use the really flavorful ones that should be delicious, right?

Now, if all this talk about garlic and herb flavored croutons has you craving them, I do happen to have a recipe to make your own.  Give this a try the next time you’ve got to have croutons and, unlike me, don’t have a pantry full!

Skillet Croutons:

Dice up bread into tiny, bite size squares.  Think about 1/4 to 1/8 inch squares.  You can use any kind of bread you wish, even rye or pumpernickel.  In a big, heavy skillet, brown the bread pieces in a bit of butter mixed with canola oil.  Drain on paper towels, but while they’re still hot, sprinkle with salt and any other seasoning you wish, like garlic powder, onion powder, or crushed thyme, or even curry powder.

These are very yummy.  I think I’ll make a batch once I figure out how to use up the ones I’ve already got… Help please!