Make It Yourself Monday

Make it Yourself Monday is a chance to share your favorite recipe, tip, or strategy for eating more at home from scratch and skipping the fast food lanes and convenience food aisles. Post a link to your blog showing us how you "Make it Yourself". If you are just learning the ropes of Making It Yourself then post a question about how to make something you always have a hard time saying no to. The experienced frugalites are sure to respond with a great solution.

This week I made homemade croutons and bread crumbs.

Every time we get down to the end of the bread bag, I throw it in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. When I have acquired many bags of frozen heels and ends, I take them out and make croutons and bread crumbs.

Here's how to make bread crumbs:

1. Lay the bread ends on a baking sheet and put into a 350 degree oven until the ends turn nice and golden brown.

2. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

3. At this point I put the toasted ends into my food processor and give it a whirl. After just a few minutes all of the toast is turned into fine bread crumbs.

4. I store them in my "Great Value" bread crumb container that I saved years ago when I actually bought bread crumbs in Walmart.

I use bread crumbs to bread items that I fry, like pork chops. I also use them on the tops of my casseroles. Yum!

Here's how to make croutons:

Store bought croutons pale in comparison to homemade! Trust me, once you make them yourself you won't be buying them anymore.

1. Take your end pieces of bread and cut them into crouton size squares with kitchen scissors.

2. Toss the bread squares into a bowl and douse them with olive oil (or spray them with Olive Oil Pam).

3. Sprinkle in a variety of spices. I like rosemary, parsley, and sometimes basil. Be generous with the spices.

4. Toss the oiled bread and spices around until the squares are covered pretty good in spicy goodness.

5. Spread the bread onto a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden brown.

6. Allow to cool and then package into either a Tupperware like container or a large Ziplock bag.

7. I keep mine in the refrigerator so that when I'm making a salad I see my glorious croutons and remember to use them.

Now, I know that bread crumbs and croutons aren't that expensive to buy but why buy them when the ends of the bread are already paid for. Most people just throw them away. I use them up and turn them into something I like to have on hand. I do this about once every 3 months. So for a little time in the kitchen, I have yummy, preservative-free food. And they taste so much better than the store-bought kind.

What are you making yourself? or What would you love to make yourself?