Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
My last year in high school I started collecting a series of books by the people at Better, Homes & Gardens. They came one every couple of months or so and I thought they were just fabulous. They were some of the very first cookery books I used. There were quite a few volumes, each one pertaining to a different cookery subject. One on meat, another on chicken, there was a casseroles one, one on entertaining, etc. This recipe today came from a volume filled with money saving budget recipes and became a real favourite of my family through the years.
Its a great way to use up some of the ham left over from a roast ham, and in fact, I will sometimes pick up one of those small dinner hams at the grocery store, just so I can make this old standby of mine.
Cubes of cooked ham are mixed together with cooked macaroni and slices of sweet apple in a delicious, creamy sauce which is lightly flavoured with mustard and brown sugar. I am sure that it sounds a bit unusual, but it really is quite tasty. The original recipe called for plain ordinary mustard, but I now use Dijon, which is not as bright yellow in colour and has a nice depth of flavour without being too sharp.
Of course ham and mustard are perfect partners anyways, and who hasn't enjoyed a brown sugar glazed ham? I have often heard of people glazing their hams with apple butter, so really using sliced apple in this is not much of a flavour stretch, and the apple is a flavour partner, albeit it somewhat unusual, that goes amazingly well.
The sauce is creamy without being too rich. You can use whole milk in this but more often than not I use 2% or semi skimmed. It works just fine. I have even made it with re-constituted evaporated milk in the past when I was really having to pinch the pennies. All work well.
You can use white bread for the crumbs, although nowadays I am more apt to use whole wheat. I actually have come to prefer whole wheat bread now because of its almost nutty taste and texture, and of course it is much better for you. I usually serve this with salad and pickled beets.
*Ham and Mac Bake*
Serves 4 to 6
Serves 4 to 6
This is a wonderful casserole that is not only very tasty, but also very easy on the budget as well. My children always loved it when they were growing up and it was something different to do with the ham that was leftover from Easter. I often buy a slab of ham at the shops so that I can make this as well.
225g of uncooked macaroni (2 cups)
65g cup butter (1/4 cup)
45g flour (1/4 cup)
2 TBS Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
480ml milk (2 cups)
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 cups cubed, fully cooked ham (about half a pound)
2 medium eating apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 1/4 slices of bread made into soft bread crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 TBS butter melted
Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water until done, according to the packet directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until needed.
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Gas mark 4. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute over low heat. Blend in the mustard, salt, pepper and sugar. In the meantime bring the milk just to the boil. (Just until bubbles appear around the edges) Slowly whisk the heated milk into the flour mixture, cooking and stirring it until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Stir in the cooked macaroni, ham and apple slices. Turn into a greased 2 litre casserole dish.
Toss the bread crumbs with the 2 TBS butter and sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Simple, old fashioned and delicous, this recipe would be the perfect way to use up some of that Easter Ham. Over here most people cook lamb for Easter, but the North American in me always wants a baked Ham at Easter. Old habits die hard. Bon Appetit!
There is no more comforting a supper on a cold winter's than a traditional cottage pie. I wanted to share this cottage pie recipe with you today that I have downsized from my original recipe for a simple cottage pie which serves 4-6 people. This version is half that size.
This English classic need not be reserved just for the large family. Why should the smaller family suffer for lack of numbers? I am here to say that you can eat just as well when you are only one or two as you can when you are more.
You can make it with either leftover roast beef, as I have here today, or fresh ground beef, which is also the custom in many homes. It is very similar to its close cousin, the Shepherd's Pie.
You may find yourself asking the question, what is the difference between a cottage pie and a shepherd's pie? Great question.
They are very similar casseroles, but in a cottage pie beef is traditionally used as the meat and in a shepherd's pie the meat is usually lamb. You can use either leftover meat from your Sunday roast or fresh meat, depending on what you have in your kitchen.
This is one of the things I like to make whenever I have leftover roast beef in my refrigerator. It makes a great change from making hash or a pot pie, which are my usual go-to's.
You don't even need to have leftover gravy to make it. I tell you how to make a delicious beef sauce without any gravy, By all means, however, do use gravy if you are lucky enough to have some!
Not only is it very easy to make, but it is also incredibly economical. Something we are all aware of these days.
We all want the food we eat to fit within our budgets. That is especially important when you are a smaller family.
You might think that it is much cheaper for two people to eat than it is for four. Simply not true. In fact in many cases it may even cost more, especially if you tend to buy smaller packages of things.
Typically smaller packages cost more than the larger sized versions of the same per ounce/gram. I am not sure why that is.
A good steward of the family budget needs to be able to make wise choices when it comes to the purchase of food. I have found that it is much more budget-savvy to buy the larger sizes, break them down and freeze the excess for a later date.
Being budget-savvy also means making the best use of what you have. Our fore-bearers knew exactly how to do that and dishes like Cottage Pie helped them to do just that.
As I said, you can use either cooked leftover roast in this or fresh hamburger. If you are using fresh minced beef you need to brown it. I find it is easiest to do this when you are sautéing the onions and other aromatics.
An aromatic is a vegetable used in cooking that develop deep and well rounded flavors to a dish when chopped or crushed and then heated and cooked. Aromatics most commonly used tend to be onions, carrots and celery.
Typically these are added at the beginning when you are cooking a dish. This helps them to add as much flavor and aroma as possible.
These are the things which bring others into the kitchen begging and answer to the question, "What's cooking?" These things typically set our tastebuds to tingling in overtime!
For this recipe I have minced leftover cooked roast beef and added it to onions, carrots, swede/rutabaga and celery. This is browned gently in butter, which adds much to the flavors.
Once browned a quantity of flour is added which will thicken the gravy. Make sure you cook it for a few minutes to cook out the flavor of the flour. This is a really important step to take as there is nothing worse than the flavor of raw flour in a sauce.
Once that is done a bit of beef stock is added along with some tomato paste, brown/HP sauce and herbs. You don't need to add the brown sauce, but I find it really adds a special something to the depth of flavor in this gravy.
You can add Worcestershire sauce in its place if that is all you have. It also works beautifully here.
I sometimes like to add a bit of creamed horseradish as well. Not a lot, only a dab. You want just the merest hint of it. Horseradish goes very well with beef.
Meat sauce made, it goes into the bottom of the dish and a layer of vegetables go on top. Typically I use frozen peas and I add them frozen, which not only helps to preserve the color of them somewhat, but also helps to keep them fresher tasting during the longer bake time.
You don't have to use peas. Some people use corn. Some people use both. Some people use a frozen mix of vegetables such as peas, corn, beans, etc. All work well.
The star of the show is the potato thatch which blankets the top of the dish. Creamy, fluffy and delicious, it seals in all the goodness of that rich and meaty base perfectly.
Our typical vision of the ideal English Cottage is one which is covered with a thatched roof of straw. That is why this covering of mashed potatoes is called the "thatch." I love the quaint reasoning behind these English recipes, along with their simplicity.
I like to score a pattern in the thatch which adds to the attractiveness I think. Its not really necessary. You can just pile it on and swirl it, or not. Just make sure it covers the filling all the way to the edges. Typically some of the juices will bubble up through anyways.
I cannot tell a lie, those rich corners where the juices of the gravy bubble through are my favorite bits. I love all of this comfort food casserole really. That rich and meaty filling, the crisp buttery potato thatch, those meaty juiced edges.
Its all pretty good if you ask me! Somehow, no matter what your day has handed you, even the worst day gets tangibly better when a Cottage Pie is on the menu! Today I served it with some coleslaw, but any salad will do, or even a simple slice of buttered brown bread. Enjoy!!
Cottage Pie for Two
Yield: 2
prep time: 15 Mincook time: 45 Mininactive time: 15 Mintotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Simple, delicious, and a family pleasing comfort food. Downsized for two people.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) leftover roast beef, roughly chopped, or browned ground beef
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1/2 small carrot, peeled and grated
- a 2-inch cube of swede (rutabaga) peeled and grated
- 1/2 TBS tomato paste ( tomato puree)
- 1/2 TBS plain flour
- 1 tsp brown sauce (HP sauce)
- 3/4 cup (200ml) well flavoured beef stock
- 1/4 tsp summer savoury
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (50g) frozen peas
For the potato thatch:
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- warm milk
- a knob of butter
- salt and pepper
- 1 TBS grated cheese (Parmesan or cheddar)
- melted butter to brush (optional
Instructions
- First make the potatoes for the thatch topping.
- Put the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water and
- bring to the boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes until soft. Drain well
- and then return the potatoes to the pan. Shake the pan over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out a bit and then mash the potatoes well until smooth with some warm milk, and a knob of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese. Set aside and keep warm.
- To make the filling, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the
- onion, celery, carrot and sweet. Cook, stirring frequently over medium low heat until softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour. Slowly stir in the beef stock and bring to the boil.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the tomato puree, brown sauce, and summer savoury. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and then stir in the chopped beef.
- Pour this mixture into the bottom of a buttered 1/2 litre (3 cup) shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the frozen peas over top evenly.
- Spread the mashed potatoes on top tocover. Rough up the potato a bit with a fork. Brush with melted butter.
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake the casserole in the heated oven for 45 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes prior to serving. Serve hot with your favourite sides.
notes:
If you are using ground beef brown it in the skillet along with the onion, carrot, celery and swede. Proceed with the remaining recipe as directed.
I sometimes like to add a bit of creamed horseradish to either the topping or the filling depending on how I feel.
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There have been times when I have toyed with the idea of becoming a Vegetarian . . . I do love my vegetables . . . but, I also love some good beef once in a while. And nothing beats a tasty roasted chicken, a succulent piece of lamb . . . or a lovely pork chop now and again. I could never kill an animal to eat it. I'll be the first to confess that. I like to find my meat at the shop or the butchers . . . without eyes, or anything of the like, in a tidy package . . . so I don't have to think about it having once been cute . . .
It's what works for me. I do try to buy responsibly sourced, free range and organic protein whenever and wherever I can. I know it costs more . . . but I feel better about it and to be perfectly honest, we don't eat much red meat, it's only ever a rate treat. We eat mostly chicken or fish and that is only a couple of times a week. The rest of the time we do veg.
The other week I pick up some really nice free range organic Hereford Stewing Beef at a very good price. Hereford is known for being juicy, flavourful and tender. If there's one thing my Todd really loves, it's a good beef stew . . . him being the meat and potato man that he is and all. (Another reason I can't possibly go totally veg.)
I decided to make a Beef Daube with it. A daube is a southern French Stew, traditionally cooked for several hours in an earthenware dish. Normally they would never include parsnips in their daube, but I had a bag that needed to be used up and . . . since this is THE English Kitchen . . . and parsnips are a really English ingredient, I threw them in towards the end of the baking time.
Delicious . . . truly delicious.
We had this with creamy mashed potatoes. Todd was a happy man. It more than made up for the Pasta torture of the other night. ☺
*Daube of Beef*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
This stew is delicious on the day, but if you can possibly wait, leave it to ripen overnight and it will taste even better the next day!
3 1/2 pounds of good quality stewing beef, cut into large chunks
2 ounces seasoned flour
3 TBS olive oil
8 ounces of bacon lardons
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 strips of dried orange peel *
3 TBS tomato puree
1 bottle of good red wine
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into fingers
salt and black pepper
Toss the beef with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 TBS of the oil in a large pan. Add the meat and brown well, doing it in batches if necessary. Don't let it burn. Scoop into a large casserole dish.
Pre-heat the oven to 150*C/300*F.
Heat the last TBS of the oil in the pan you browned the meat in. Add the bacon, onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring from time to time until it all begins to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Pour in the red wine and bring it up to the boil. Add the herbs, the orange peel and the tomato puree. Pour this over the meat in the casserole dish. Cover and cook in the heated oven for about 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Check it from time to time and give it a stir, making sure it doesn't go dry. Once the meat is tender, stir in the parsnips and continue to cook for another 40 to 50 minutes, uncovered, until the parsnips are tender. Tast and adjust the seasonings as desired.
*Note - I make my own dried orange peel. Whenever we have oranges I cut the peel off in large strips, avoiding as much white pith on the peels as possible. I string them up on a string and hang them in the laundry room until they are quite dry and leathery in texture. Then I store them in a clean, airtight jar. They will keep quite a while and add a wonderful flavour to stews and tagines.
I recently received a gift certificate for Amazon.uk from the Fairy Hobmother so that I could buy anything I wanted to treat myself with. It was no surpise that I got myself several cookbooks. I know . . . I didn't really need them, but I do love my cookbooks and I am of the opinion that you can never really have too many! (Shhh Todd!)
Anyways, this was one of the ones I got and I fell completely in love with it. I have long been a fan of Bonne Maman conserves and compotes and so I was intrigued with the idea of a whole cookery book devoted to using them in a variety of ways!
This tasty book is a very appealing collection of 88 delicious looking "Seasonal" recipes for sweet and savoury dishes. The pictures are mouth watering, and I can tell you I have quite a few ear marked for trying out . . . recipes like Herby Lamb with Woodland Dressing, Lemon and Wild Blueberry Swirl Cake, Roasted Potato Salad with Apricot Chilli Mayonnaise, and this tasty one here for Crispy Crumbed Romano Peppers!
There are extra tips and suggestions included with many of the recipes; and there’s a special section with clever ideas for using the very last teaspoon from the jar.
There are also lots of inspirational ideas, beautifully illustrated, on how to use the iconic jars creatively. Things like attractive storage for cooking spices, seed packets, buttons and cotton reels, novel Christmas candle holders or chic summer cordial glasses . . . included are many wonderful and imaginative suggestions on how to use the timeless jars and make a stunning style statement.
I guess you can tell that I am well pleased with this book. The peppers turned out fabulous. It seems quite an unusual combination . . . beautiful romano peppers stuffed with a mixture of golden onions, chopped capers, and blueberry jam . . . then topped with a goats cheese and egg topping, rolled into crispy bread crumbs and then roasted until the peppers are meltingly soft and delicious. As odd as the ingredients may sound, they really do work together wonderfully!!
*Crispy Crumbed Romano Peppers*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Beautifully roasted romano peppers, stuffed with a delicious mixture of onions, capers, blueberry jam and goats cheese, and then rolled in panko crumbs and baked. Scrummy yummy!
2 large spanish onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 TBS butter
4 TBS wild blueberry conserve
2 TBS capers, drained and coarsely chopped
4 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
2 X 200g packs of Romano peppers (4 peppers)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
4 ounces soft goats cheese
8 TBS dried white bread crumbs or panko
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with some baking parchment. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet until foaming. Add the onions and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the blueberry conserve and tomato puree. Set aside to cool.
Slit the peppers along one side of each. Open out just a little, remove any seeds and discard. Divide the onion mixture between each pepper. Beat half of the egg mixture into the goats cheese. Spread this mixture over top of the onion filling in the peppers.
Put the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish. Brush the outside of the peppers with the remaining egg, then roll in the bread crumbs, patting lightly to help them adhere.
Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Roast in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden brown.
After his hospital procedure today I wanted to make Todd something he would really enjoy for his tea. Apparently he was talking about stew and dumplings in the operating theatre and how good my stew is that I make. I didn't have any stewing beef or lamb in the house, and no way of getting to the shops to get any, but I did have some leftover cooked chicken, and another of Todd's favourites is a nice and creamy soup. I had found this recipe on the net the other day and thought it looked pretty good and so I decided to make it, but with a few adaptions.
I love these kinds of recipes. You know the type I mean . . . the kind where you just go to the fridge and see what you have in there and then throw it all together to come up with something tasty? Yeh . . . I love those. I used to love watching Ready Steady Cook when I first moved over here to the UK.
I had the family over for Sunday supper this week. We had grilled chicken and a variety of salads along with some garlic bread sticks and roasted asparagus. My sister brought a sugar free apple pie for dessert. It was just nice to get together here at my place as a family. Usually we go to my sister's!
Like always, however, I did cook too much and found myself with some leftovers that I needed to use up. Today I thought I would make myself a delicious Dinner salad! Salad for dinner is a good thing, and this is the start of salad season after all!
WHAT IS A DINNER SALAD
The simple answer is a main dish salad that is hearty and filling. A salad that won't leave you hungry and wanting more!
Dinner salads are usually composed of a delicious mix of salad greens, a variety of crisp vegetables, as well as a protein of some sort. You can make them all vegetarian, or you can add proteins such as cheese, meat, fish or poultry.
They usually also include a delicious dressing that is drizzled over top, and some croutons always go well sprinkled on top.
I had some chicken leftover from yesterday and I also made good use of the soft bread sticks that were leftover to make some croutons. I also was able to use the last of the Boursin cheese that I had in the refrigerator.
I combined that with a few other bits and pieces and some crisp lettuce and I had a salad that was incredibly delicious and substantial.
A touch of Dijon mustard, olive oil, some seasonings, a bit of honey . . . garlic. It was lush and delicious!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A DINNER SALAD
There is nothing written in stone. Here is what I used and what worked well together.
- 2 cups coarsely chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 2 pieces of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (about 1 cup, cubed)
- 1 3-inch piece of English cucumber, peeled and cubed
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small ripe avocado, cubed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/4 of a red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (60g) cubed cheese of some sort, pick your favorite
- crisp croutons to sprinkle
Of course any salad is only as good as its dressing and this is what you will need for this one. Its fabulous.
For the dressing:
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one small clove, peeled and minced)
- 1 tsp good Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid honey
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
You don't need to use chicken. Steak or roast pork, leftover ham, lamb, or turkey. You can even use leftover cooked fish. Salmon is particularly good.
If you don't have leftovers, then use cubed deli-meats. Tinned salmon and tuna broken into bite sized chunks are also very nice.
Any cheese goes! You want something nice and creamy and rich in flavor. Today I used Boursin, but goats cheese is lovely as is a nice creamy cheddar. Blue cheese goes especially nice with beef.
Boiled egg is a lovely addition. The yolk from the egg almost emulsifies with the dressing as you are eating it. Loads of crunch from the vegetables. Cucumber is nice, as is celery, hearts of palm, radishes, etc.
I added some halved cherry tomatoes, but any diced tomato would do, and chopped peppers are also nice, raw or even roasted.
Just use what you have! Just make sure all of your vegetables are lovely and fresh and crisp. You might be surprised at the delicious combinations you can come up with!
HOW TO MAKE A DINNER SALAD
It might seem silly to some for me to explain this, but there are some people who do need a bit of direction and there is nothing wrong with that! I'm always here to help!!
First make the dressing. Measure the mustard into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, one tablespoonful at a time. Whisk in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley flakes. Set aside.
Divide the chopped lettuce between two pasta bowls.
Top each bowl of lettuce with the egg, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and cheese, placing each ingredient on top in an enticing manner, and dividing them equally. Sprinkle the chopped onion and croutons on top of each.
Give your dressing a final whisk and drizzle half over each salad. Serve immediately.
This made for a really hearty and filling supper. I was quite happy with it and felt good that I was eating something healthy as well as using up my leftovers!
We won't talk about the piece of apple pie I finished off with. 😁 It was also very good, and sugar free, so I don't feel too awfully bad about it.
Some other salads here in my English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
SALAD COMPOSE - Very French with crisp salad leaves, boiled egg, sweet plum tomatoes, crisp salty bacon and buttery crisp garlic baguette croutons. Finished off with a beautiful sherry vinegar vinaigrette dressing!
STEAK MUSHROOM AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD - Perfectly cooked grilled medium rare pieces of steak, combined with tasty rich sauteed mushrooms, capers, creamy tangy blue cheese all tossed together with a rich sherry and honey vinaigrette dressing. Delicious!
LOW FAT CHICKEN TACO SALAD - A mix of salad greens, black beans, corn, peppers, black olives, along with crispy chicken strips combined with a low fat creamy spicy dressing and some baked tortilla crisps on top. Fabulously tasty!
Dinner Salad
Yield: 2
Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min
With the warmer temperatures some nights we enjoy a delicious salad for our dinner. This is one really fabulous version, with plenty of crunch, protein and a killer honey mustard vinaigrette dressing. Sized perfectly for two. Its also a great way to use up any bits and bobs you might have in the refrigerator that need using up!
Ingredients
- 2 cups coarsely chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 2 pieces of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (about 1 cup, cubed)
- 1 3-inch piece of English cucumber, peeled and cubed
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small ripe avocado, cubed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/4 of a red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (60g) cubed cheese of some sort, pick your favorite
- crisp croutons to sprinkle
For the dressing:
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one small clove, peeled and minced)
- 1 tsp good Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid honey
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- First make the dressing. Measure the mustard into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, one tablespoonful at a time. Whisk in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley flakes. Set aside.
- Divide the chopped lettuce between two pasta bowls.
- Top each bowl of lettuce with the egg, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and cheese, placing each ingredient on top in an enticing manner, and dividing them equally. Sprinkle the chopped onion and croutons on top of each.
- Give your dressing a final whisk and drizzle half over each salad. Serve immediately.
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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CROUTONS
I found myself with some leftover garlic bread sticks after the weekend. I think it was a bit of a stretch for the maker to call them bread sticks, as they were more like hot dog buns brushed with a bit of garlic butter. Anyways, I had some leftover and I used about six of them to make homemade croutons.
Making your own homemade croutons for salads and soups is really easy, and (you will discover) much more delicious than any ready-made variety!
All you need is a quantity of somewhat stale bread or rolls. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes with a serrated knife and place them onto a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
Spread the bread cubes out into a single layer on a lipped baking sheet. Give them a good spritz with some olive oil spray. I find the spray the best thing to use because it allows you to evenly coat the bread pieces, whereas if you use just oil, it soaks into some and misses others.
Toss together with your hands along with some of your favorite seasonings. I used 1 tsp of garlic Italian seasoning today. But you can use any combination of herbs or seasonings you enjoy.
Toast them in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes or so, until crisp and golden brown.
Store in an airtight container. They will keep for a few weeks or even longer depending on how crisp you get them. Great sprinkled over salads or soups!
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