Imaginative Ways to Use Up That Loaf of Bread

So, you have a loaf of bread in your kitchen that is starting to go a bit stale and you are slowly walking over to the bin to throw it away. STOP! Think about what you are doing! If there are no mould patches on the bread it can still be used and that means you are throwing away food for no reason. If you are looking for a few imaginative ways to use up that loaf of bread then check out these helpful hints and tips.

First of all, if the loaf is not sliced and is one of those delicious bakery ones then you can perk it up in no time at all. Run the loaf under cold water for a few moments and then shake the excess water off. Pop it in the oven for about ten to fifteen minutes and you will have a loaf of bread that any bakery would have been proud of. You may think that this does not work but give it a go and you will be pleasantly surprised.

If you have a sliced loaf in your kitchen that is starting to go stale then why not use a blender and make your own breadcrumbs? You could even do this with the crusts as soon as you get the bread if no one in the household likes them. These breadcrumbs can then be used to make meat balls with sausage meat and herbs or as a wonderfully crunchy topping to pies, casseroles and even fruit crumbles. You could even make your own flapjack style biscuits with these with a little bit of sugar and some melted butter or honey.

Another way in which you can use up a stale loaf of bread is to make garlic fingers with them. Cut the slices into long, thin slices and then toast one side of them. Add butter that has been mixed with garlic to the other side and then toast this side as well and this makes the perfect accompaniment to pizzas and other Italian meals. These slices can also be frozen and re-toasted when you need to use them and you can even add chilis, herbs and other flavors to them to make them more unique.

If you are looking for a naughty but nice way to use up the loaf of bread then you can make small crispy croutons to be added to salads and soups. Cutting the loaf of bread into small cubes, you can give them a quick swirl in olive oil and then add as many flavors as you want to them. Herbs, garlic and perhaps a little chili is nice here and you can then add these to any meal after fried or oven baked or frozen when laid flat on a baking tray and then transferred to freezer bags.

There are so many ways in which you can use up the things in your kitchen before you need to throw them away and the loaf of bread is a prime example. Why not try a few of the tips out and let me know how you got on?