Old Heels Get New Life - Homemade Croutons

I always save all the unused heels of bread from our homemade bread in the freezer.  Once I get enough, I make homemade croutons.  We love them on salads but the are especially good on steaming bowls of soup.

I thaw the bread and cube it into "bite sized" chunks.  I toss them in a big bowl with olive oil and a mix of seasonings (listed below).

I spread them in a single layer on a jelly roll pan and bake @ 350 for 30 min., stirring every 10 min.

Times may vary based on the humidity in your area, but I bake them until they dry out and are crunchy.  Then I cool them well before packing them into air tight jars.

I usually get 2 quarts per batch and they keep well in a cool dry place.

Seasonings:

1 t poultry seasoning

1/2 t celery salt

1/2 t dill seed

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t rosemary

1/2 t garlic granules

1/4 t white pepper

add or subtract for your taste - sometimes this is too much for one batch (depending on the amount of bread) so I will save it for the next time.  All measurements are approximate - I cook with dashes, splashes and pinches - I am trying my best to make it measurable for those who like numbers.

Let me know if you make them, like them or added something different.

Enjoy!