Beyond Bread Pudding and French Toast

Fondue.

When my bread begins to get stale I butter it and make a hot ham and cheese sandwich in a frying pan.

Dry on the countertop a few hours and make bread crumbs. Mix crumbs with enough butter to moisten them and store in the freezer. You'll have Crunchy topping for casseroles at your fingertips.

Apple Brown Betty

Mom tossed left over bread in a cake pan and stored it in the oven. Eventually it got dry and she crushed it with a rolling pin. She mixed it with sugar and melted butter and "toasted" it in a hot cast iron frying pan.

When done, she put a layer of crumbs on her biggest platter, then a layer of applesauce and another layer of crumbs. Topped with real whipped cream and a few dabs of red jelly to make it pretty. It got passed around and everyone took what they wanted. It doesn't keep well.

I've attempted to make it, but my crumbs get soggy and it doesn't taste or look like hers.

SwanInWA wrote:

My next carb loading session might be reserved for that!

TucsonJim wrote:
Another option - Toast in the oven on a cookie sheet. When crunchy, run it through a food processor for bread crumbs.

Yes! Or just run it through the food processor w/o toasting and you have fresh breadcrumbs.

Extra bread is also useful for making what the Italian and French call a persillade. Does a luverly job of lightening and flavouring meatballs, meatloaves or just as a light herb filled stuffing.

I generally just put extra bread into a freezer bag until a need arises in the waste not, want not mode.

Oh and I just rememberer: a bread base makes a nice oven or crock potted base for a brunch type egg casserole like a stratta.

Blueberry Cinnamon Baked French Toast is always a hit. I use the recipe that the Pioneer Woman uses, but there are lots of them out there. Easy and delicious.

Murphsmom wrote:
Stuffing! I use it under pork steaks either done in the oven or the Dutch. You can add just about whatever you would usually put in stuffing. Mine is basically the same as turkey stuffing.

Great idea: forgot about stuffing!

Home made croutons.