Blogtober Day 27: 6 awesome ways to use that (almost) stale bread...

 Hi Honeys, 

Because of the stranger-than-strange year we've all had this year, and of course because of the lock down where we all spent far more time than we would normally in our homes, we all seem to have had an awakening of sorts.  It's focused the mind, allowed us all the time to pause and think.  

We're all clearing out our clutter, organising our homes (still trying, it's an uphill struggle) and focusing on our budgets in order to try to be a little more frugal in how we live.   

Waste not, want not was a way of life for the generations before ours and this seems like a very good time to bring that mindset back.  There is so much waste around us honeys and if we just put a little thought into it, we could all save money in stretched household budgets, save precious resources and maybe even save the planet too 😍 

For today's post I thought I'd share six ways to use up that stale bread in the kitchen, those last few slices still lurking in the bread bin that no one wants to eat because it's not soft and fluffy anymore.  Six good ways to make something wonderful with it, you'll never want to throw stale bread away again 💖

Now, when I say "almost stale" I suppose I actually do mean stale, sort of... You know how it is honeys, if the bread wasn't bought/baked that day and as soft and squishy as a marshmallow,  some family members would rather open a new loaf than use those last couple of slices.   

Not to worry though, there are so many ways to avoid wasting that not-quite-so-appealing-anymore-but-not-mouldy bread.  Here are six of my favourites...     

6 Ways to use that (almost) stale bread...

1. Breadcrumbs: 

Why buy breadcrumbs when you can make your own, making good use of those last few slices of bread left over at the same time?  The uses for your lovely breadcrumbs will depend on how you've prepared them, whether they are fresh or dried breadcrumbs. 

Fresh breadcrumbs: These are made by simply tearing your bread into smaller pieces (small enough to fit into a blender) and blitzing them for a few seconds at a time (using the pulse setting.)  

Uses: Fresh breadcrumbs are softer than dried and will absorb moisture, so they're great to use to thicken and add bulk to sauces and soups, stirring a little through at a time until your sauce, soup (or stew) is the consistency you want.  They can also be used as a way to bind your ingredients together, such as when making meatballs or hamburger patties. 

Dried breadcrumbs:  I've heard of others making their dried breadcrumbs in the oven but I've always used our toaster.  I lightly toast the bread and then, as before, tear into pieces small enough to fit into the blender and then process until small enough.  I always make dried breadcrumbs much smaller than fresh if they're to be used as a coating.   

Uses: As a coating (dip item into flour, then egg and then coat with the dried breadcrumbs before cooking) perfect for chicken fillets, fish, homemade potato croquettes or scotch eggs. Try mixing some of your dried breadcrumbs with some grated cheese and sprinkling over the top of oven cooked macaroni and cheese for a yummy topping that adds a little crunch.  

Storing your breadcrumbs:  Both fresh and dried breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container or clip seal bag in the fridge (for 2 weeks to a month) and in the freezer (for up to three months.) 

             

2. Croutons:

Croutons are a lovely "extra" that can turn homemade soup into a real comfort food 💖 They're so easy to make too honeys that they almost make themselves. 

Homemade croutons:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C (or 160C if using a fan oven or gas mark 4) 

2. Cut your stale bread slices into small squares, add them to a bowl and sprinkle over a little olive oil and mix to make sure the bread pieces are coated.  

3. Add pepper and rock or sea salt (kosher salt for our American cousins) to taste. The slightly larger grains of rock/sea/kosher salt make the croutons special I think.  If you'd like to, you can also add a little garlic or dried basil from your spice rail too for extra yum 😋 

4. When the bread pieces are coated, place them on a baking sheet and (carefully, that oven will be hot) place them into the oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and crunchy.  

5. When cooled, sprinkle over soups, add to salads or mix some through your (cooked) scrambled eggs as a replacement for toast.  They make a delicious snack too 😋 

Storing your croutons:

As with your homemade dried bread crumbs, store in an air tight container or a clip seal (air tight) bag in the fridge (for two to four weeks) or in the freezer (for up to three months.)     

3. Pizza bases:

A great way to use the last couple of slices of going stale bread is to use them as pizza bases 😋  

1. Grill (broil) one side (use the grill on your cooker instead of a toaster honeys.)  

2. Drain a can of chopped or plum tomatoes and put them into your blender, add a little Italian herbs from your spice rail and blend until smooth.  

You don't want your tomato topping to be "runny" that's why it's important to drain the canned tomatoes honeys.  If you'd like to you can add around a tablespoon of tomato paste too (my favourite tomato paste from our local supermarket has garlic through it too.)   

3. Spoon your tomato topping onto the untoasted side of your bread slices, be generous and spread it up to the edges of the bread. 

4. Finish with a generous topping of grated cheese and place under a warm grill until the cheese is bubbling and starting to look a little golden 😋

5. Share with loved ones and await their compliments 💕  Enjoy your pizza 😋  

4. French toast:

Who doesn't love french toast honeys 😊  There are so many different ways to make french toast so I'll share mine, loved since childhood, when I always thought it was such a treat, and adored just as much now 💗 

1. Fetch a bowl and into it crack 2-3 large eggs (this will coat approximately 4 slices of bread, enough to share with a loved one.) Beat the eggs until combined. 

2. Place a slice of bread into the bowl and coat both sides in the egg (I use a fork to do this, I can't do "icky hands")  

3. Add the egg coated bread to a warmed skillet or frying pan and cook each slice until egg coating is cooked.   

4. Serve and enjoy. Bonus points if there is any egg left in your bowl and you toss it into the frying pan to make a fluffy mini omelette to place between your slices of french toast 😋 

I've seen recipes online where all kinds of fresh fruit is added as a topping to french toast or syrup is poured over the top? That kind of thing (while it looks pretty) just never happened in this wee lassie's Scottish kitchen, either as a child or as a cook myself.  

It's probably lovely but nope, not in my kitchen 😊 Now, lovely fresh berries or diced fruit on the side, in a pretty bowl, absolutely! I adore fruit, but not over my lovely french toast😋   

5. Bread & Butter Pudding: 

Another treat honeys, and a great way to avoid wasting bread that's a wee bit past it's best 💖

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C (or 160c for fan ovens and gas number 4) 

2. grease an oven proof dish.

3. Cut the crusts off 4-6 slices of bread. Butter one side of the bread slices. Cut the buttered bread into halves or quarters and begin layering them in the ovenproof dish, butter side up. 

Each layer of bread slices should be topped with a sprinkle of sugar.  Plain granulated sugar will do honeys but I like to use demerara sugar to make it a real treat.  If using plain granulated sugar, why not add a teaspoon of cinnamon and mix it through the sugar?  

In additions to the sugar add a handful of sultanas to each layer of buttered bread slices.  Make sure you finish with a layer of bread.  Set your dish to one side. 

4.  In a bowl, add 400ml milk to two eggs and whisk together.  Pour over the layered bread slices in your ovenproof bowl and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to let the mixture soak through all of the bread.  

5 Carefully place the oven dish on the middle shelf of your pre-heated oven and allow it to bake until set and the top is a lovely golden colour (approx 35-45 minutes depending, check the middle is set)   

 6. Enjoy 😋 Bread and butter pudding is another dish that every cook makes differently, the trick is to tweak it until the recipe it's all yours honeys 💖 Check Pinterest for lots more ideas on how to make it dear ones 💖

6. Toasties:

Oh my, I haven't had a cheese & onion toastie (my favourite) in so, so long! OK, To the kitchen honeys! To that cabinet where we all store our seldom used gadgets and thingumybobs to retrieve the toastie machine 😊 

The toastie machine, with its two hotplates designed to seal two slices of bread together, locking their delicious filling inside, while making the resulting golden brown "toastie" appear to be made up of two joined triangles, is an absolutely perfect way to use up stale bread 😋   

To make toasties, bread is buttered on one side, which is then placed on the hotplates, butter side down, the filling is added and the top slice of bread is added, again butter side facing the hotplate.  The lid is closed and after around 5 minutes, there are two yummy toasties ready to be enjoyed 😋  

Fillings: 

Everyone has their own favourite fillings for their toasties honeys, mine will forever be cheese (Scottish cheddar of course) & onion 😋  Raiding the pantry can produce interesting toasties, canned baked beans, macaroni cheese and even spaghetti bolognaise are all popular choices to fill up toasties.  Hubby's favourite is slices of corned beef (I just asked him 😊)

There we have it, six awesome ways to use up that stale bread so that it doesn't go to waste.  What's your favourite way to avoid waste in the kitchen honeys? Why not share in the comments below? 

Till next time dear ones, stay warm and safe everyone, hugs always xx