How many years has it been since I have bought a container of breadcrumbs from the store? Has it been 8 or 10 or 12? I am not really sure, but it has been a really long time. I make my own, and it doesn’t cost me any extra money. I make it from what I already have.
Some people might like the heels of their bread, but I personally am not really hot on having a PB & J on heels. Somehow, I could picture in my head my PB & J walking around my counter in a pair of red pumps, but I digress. Ha!
I take the heels of my loaves of bread, stale pieces of bread, white or wheat, or overdone rolls from the oven and toss them into my food processor. I grind them up until fine.
I then spread out the crumbs on a cookie sheet and leave it out on my kitchen counter for 24 hours. Every 8 hours or so, I mix the breadcrumbs around and reposition them on my baking sheet. My goal is to get the breadcrumbs nice and dry. I don’t want the breadcrumbs sitting on the top to get dry, and the breadcrumbs trapped underneath to stay moist. Dry breadcrumbs will not mold, and that is my objective.
Once 24 hours have passed and/or the breadcrumbs are dry, put into an air-tight container and keep indefinitely. If you need breadcrumbs, just measure out what you need just like in any other recipe. Need Italian breadcrumbs, just measure out your breadcrumbs and add some Italian seasoning in with them. It doesn’t get much easier than that, and it is economical too. Happy cooking!