Breadcrumbs - How to make your own

There is nothing like homemade bread crumbs to improve the taste of your dish and fresh homemade bread crumbs are so easy to make! This also saves money since store bought bread crumbs can be pricey. I like to use whole wheat bread, which has alot of great fiber! Save those end pieces from your loves of sandwich bread, you can stash them in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag until you have enough to make a batch of breadcrumbs.

Any type of bread (white, wheat, sourdough, rye, etc.) can be used. There's nothing wrong with combining various breads; why let them go to waste? The mixture of various breads also gives your dishes some wonderful taste! Avoid using stale bread as it makes for stale tasting breadcrumbs.

If your bread is too fresh, just bake fresh bread slices in the oven until slightly dry. You will get a better drying result in the oven rather than the toaster. Place bread piece/slices on an ungreased baking sheet, or directly on the oven rack. Allow a bit of room between pieces to dry properly. Bake in a 300'F oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes; flip halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool.

Slice dried bread into smaller pieces and place in your food processor.  Pulse about 30 seconds or until desired coarseness.

Store in an airtight container to preserve freshness. Add your homemade breadcrumbs to meatloaf, as a topping for a casserole, for breaded chicken or fish or even as a garnish on top of soup. Get creative! Let us know about your favorite recipe that incorporates breadcrumbs.