Crunchy Croutons

This recipe is super simple and totally worth the extra effort. Everyone will notice how amazing these croutons are compared to store bought and it's a really nice touch for your guests. Since salads are usually pretty easy to throw together this is a great homemade addition to augment your greens!

GARLIC CHEESE CROUTONS

What you need for the croutons:
1/2 a loaf of Italian bread (can be a couple days old) cut into cubes
5-7 tablespoons of melted butter
2 large cloves of garlic
1/2-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

To make the croutons:
1. Cut your bread into cubes and place on a cookie sheet.

2. Crush two garlic cloves into a bowl, add the butter and then melt.

3. Brush the melted garlic butter on the bread cubes; be sure to cover all sides of each cube. This means you may have to move the cubes around to be sure they're coated.
4. Now sprinkle Parmesan cheese all over the bread cubes. Try to get it on top of the pieces of bread. It's okay if it gets on the cookie sheet, too, as the butter that's spread on the pan will keep the cheese stuck together. You'll get croutons with pieces of crispy cheese stuck to them- these are the best ones!!

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 6-7 minutes. Then, if your oven allows, turn on High Broil for the last 2-3 minutes until the croutons looks golden. Be sure to keep a close eye on these while in the oven- you don't want to walk away for too long because they can go from done to burnt in a matter of a minute!

ENJOY!

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