#261_Homemade Croutons for Turkey Stuffing or Dressing

What exactly are Croutons?

Croutons refer to small, crisped pieces of bread that were sautéed or baked to remove moisture. Croutons are used as a garnish and sometimes to add seasoning to dishes as well.There are several dishes that are typically served with croutons. Soup is one of these. Salad is another. Croutons may also form an ingredient of a bread stuffing.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-croutons.htm
In simple homemaker words, croutons are bread that are cubed and dried, plain or seasoned.

How to make Croutons
for Turkey dressing or stuffing

Store-bought French Bread

Making croutons is real easy. Use day old bread such as French bread, baguettes or your home made loaf of bread. Slice the bread into about 5/8-inch thickness and spread some butter on each slice. Season with garlic salt if preferred. Cut these pieces into cubes.

Spread the cubed bread on a shallow baking sheet and bake in a
pre-heated low temp oven, 275 degrees,
until the bread cubes are dry and crisp, about 25-45 minutes.
Done!

Turkey Dressing with Italian Sausage

Recipe #42, click here

Notes from MaMely:

1) time for drying bread cubes varies depending on the amount and size of the cubed bread on the baking sheet. Start testing the cubes after 25 minutes of baking and go from there. You want your bread cubes to be dry and crisp.

2) If using pre-sliced sandwich bread, cube the bread into same thickness as the slices.

3) I use homemade Garlic Butter on the bread slices, which gives the croutons simple but wonderful flavor.

For Garlic Butter recipe click here.