How to make breadcrumbs

Tina: I don’t use breadcrumbs a lot in my cooking, but at some point I always need them.  For instance, I have a great recipe for Mac n’ Cheese that requires some breadcrumbs on top. My husband (the “health freak”) pointed out to me that almost all store-bought breadcrumbs are full of unnatural ingredients. It got me thinking back to the days when I was a teenager working in a restaurant. All the leftover bread from the day would be cut into slices then air-dried until dry enough to make into breadcrumbs.

I love having dinner parties at my place and I quite often end up with a lot of leftover bread. Since I hate to let food go to waste, making my own breadcrumbs is a great solution. I tend to bake bread with various whole grains, but for wine and cheese parties I usually serve fresh baguette. I’ve found that making breadcrumbs with a mix of  different types of breads adds a great texture and flavor.

All you need are your breads of choice and a tool to grind the dried bread (such as a mortar & pestle, a blender, or a food processor).

How to make breadcrumbs

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina

Ingredients

• Dry bread

Directions

• Cut the bread into slices or cubes and let it sit out for a day or two. Make sure that the bread is completely dry other breadcrumbs will start to mold.
• Use your grinding tool to crush the bread down to your desired texture.
• Store the breadcrumbs in an airtight jar in your cabinet.
• If stored properly, the breadcrumbs will last for a very long time.