Its been a thrifty Christmas affair this year. From recycling old christmas wrapping and ribbons to making gift tags and christmas tree ornaments with the kids.
During the cleaning process that is the start of preparing for Christmas Day at my house I find all sorts of weird and wonderful leftovers. From limp celery to chilli shallots and a couple of gerkins at the bottom of a jar. I find purpose for everthing. Like mixing a berry bramble with two softish strawberries and a lemon and a bloody mary with the gerkins and celery stalks. But what to do with the last few slices of bread in the bag.
Ok so who doesnt have week old bread lurking in the panty forgotton behind the fresher loaf. Stale but still eadible. What to do? Well I often dry these out to make breadcrumbs for my meatballs or apple crumble but this year I have made Summer Pudding and Rosemary Croutons for the Christmas table. I am happy when I dont waste food and turn scraps into scrumptious!
Rosemary croutons make the perfect last minute christmas gift. Presented them a hand made paper cone. Cut a 15 x 5cm square from christmas paper then fold the square in half, sticking the long edges together with double sided tape. Now you have a paper cone for the croutons.
Rosemary Sourdough Crouton recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of stale bread cubes (about 1-2 cm in size)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of rosemary simple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
- sprig of rosemary leaves
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, olive oil, and rosemary simple syrup. Toss well to evenly coat the bread cubes with the mixture.
- Spread the coated bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown and crispy. Make sure to stir or toss the croutons halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning.
- Once the croutons are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Once cooled, you can store the rosemary syrup croutons in an airtight container for up to a week.
These homemade croutons with a touch of rosemary syrup are perfect for adding a flavorful crunch to salads, soups, or even as a snack on their own. Enjoy!