Bread Crumbs

Bread Crumbs. © Erin Huffstetler

Save yourself a few bucks by turning stale bread into bread crumbs. Just cube your bread; toss it on a cookie sheet; and dry it out in a 300 degree oven, until it feels really dry and crunchy (usually around 10-15 minutes). Then, pulse the bread in a food processor until you reach your desired consistency. Allow your bread crumbs to cool completely; then, store them in an air-tight container in your pantry. They'll keep for several months.

To make Panko bread crumbs, simply pulse the bread for less time, so you're left with bigger crumbs. To make Itailian bread crumbs, just add some Italian seasoning to the food processor before you pulse. Use your homemade bread crumbs in all of you favorite recipes.