Homemade Croutons

Add crunch to your next salad with this simple recipe. Save your day-old bread and make delicious homemade croutons. Customize this savory recipe to your liking with your own blend of seasonings.

Croutons

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups of day old bread, cubed

Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Stir until combined and bread is coated well.
Place crouton mixture onto a large baking pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Stirring every 5 minutes.
Allow to cool. Store in air tight container and use within 2 weeks.

Makes 8 cups.

Helpful Tip:
When your bread is getting too dried out, cut it into cubes and place in a plastic bag in the freezer. Once a large gallon bag is full, you are ready to make the croutons.

Enjoy!  Click for more homemade recipes from Sustainable Blessings.

English Muffin Bread

This bread is not only super easy to make but it really holds true to its name. The inside of the bread is perfectly moist just like English muffins.

English Muffin Bread
makes 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups warm water
3 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar (or raw sugar)
5 1/2 cups flour (used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 3 1/2 bread flour)

By hand mixing method:
Mix together all ingredients in a stand mixer or by hand with a spoon. Cover bowl with a cloth and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled (skip this step if using rapid rise yeast).

Bread machine mixing method:
Place all the ingredients in the bread machine. Turn the bread machine on the dough setting. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Remove dough at this point if it has doubled in size.

Punch down and spoon dough into two well-greased loaf pans (dough will be extremely sticky). Let dough rise again in pans until it reaches the top of the pans, took about 20 - 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 ° F for 40 - 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven. Brush with butter if you would like.
Cool completely before cutting. Best served warm or toasted with butter and jam/jelly or honey.

To freeze: Let loaf cool completely. Put in an airtight plastic freezer bag and place in freezer for up to six weeks.

To thaw: Take loaf out of the freezer and allow to thaw for at least 3 hours prior to use.

Recipe adapted from Money Saving Mom.

Basic Sandwich Bread

When I look back at our journey to become more healthy and consume more natural foods, one event stands alone.  My husbands declaration that the we are not going to buy bread anymore but make our own.  We did this at first purely for the quality of the bread that we can make versus buy.  But making your own bread is one of the most frugal things you can do to help your family save money at the grocery store and nothing beats the smell of a fresh loaf in the oven!

When it comes to bread making there is a great division in our family... My husband prefers the "hands on" kneading method of bread making while I prefer the "hands off" bread machine method.  It is simply preference, you get the same result. We both agree the bread machine's cube shaped bread is not great. So when I make bread I only use the bread machine on the dough setting. The dough setting mixes your ingredients, allows the bread to rise, and kneads it for you. Then you can finish baking it in your regular oven.

The below recipes will get you started should you "rise" to the occasion!

Basic Sandwich Bread
makes 2 loaves

2 cups warm water (110 ° F )
2/3 cup sugar or honey (we use honey)
1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil (we use olive)
6 cups bread flour (we use 2 cups whole wheat and 4 cups bread flour)
1 Tablespoon vinegar (as a natural preservative) *
1 Tablespoon flax seed ground *
1 teaspoon wheat germ *
1 Tablespoon steel cut oats *

In a large bowl, completely dissolve the sugar or honey in warm water and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Add vinegar. Combine with the flour. Add any ingredients that have a (*) by them if you prefer. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. It should be slightly sticky but not so sticky that it clings to your hands. If it is, add a little flour to obtain the right consistency. If it's too dry, it'll break or flake apart in crumbs; use a little more water in this case.

Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into two loaves, and place into two well oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Cover with a kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 25-30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake at 350 ° F for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

We currently have a West Bend Bread Machine. It is works great and is very durable.

Bread Machine Dough Version
(makes 1 loaf, as most all bread machines can only hold 1 loaf)

1 cups warm water (110 ° F)
1/3 cup sugar or honey (we use honey)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 cup oil (we use olive)
3 cups bread flour (we use 1 cups whole wheat and 2 cups bread flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar (as a natural preservative) *
1 1/2 teaspoon flax seed ground *
1/2 teaspoon wheat germ *
1 1/2 teaspoon steel cut oats *

Add water, sugar or honey, vinegar and oil to bread machine. Layer bread flour, salt, flax seed, wheat germ, oats and yeast. Set bread machine to dough setting.
When dough setting is complete, remove dough.
Shape into a loaf, and place into a well oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise for 25-30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake at ° F for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

To freeze: Let loaf cool completely. Put in an airtight plastic freezer bag and place in freezer for up to six weeks.

To thaw: Take loaf out of the freezer and allow to thaw for at least 3 hours prior to use.
 

Amish Friendship Pancakes

Looking for even more uses for your Amish Friendship Starter?
The pancake recipe makes quite possibly the fattest pancakes ever. You can even freeze them for a handy quick breakfast option.

Amish Friendship Pancakes
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Combine in a smaller bowl:
2 cups Amish friendship starter batter
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 c milk
1 egg

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a smaller bowl combine Amish friendship starter batter, oil, milk and egg. Add ingredients of smaller bowl to larger bowl. Mix together with whisk or beat together on medium speed with your mixer.
Spoon batter onto greased warmed griddle. Cook at medium to low heat, flip after 2-3 minutes.

Optional add-ins: ground flax seed, ground cinnamon, finely chopped apples, pears, or berries.

Freezing: Allow waffles to cool. Place waffles in large plastic bag in a single layer, then place plastic wrap or wax paper and make another layer of waffles. Repeat until bag is full or out of waffles.
Reheat frozen waffle in toaster or toaster oven.

Amish Friendship Waffles

Besides making the traditional Amish Friendship Bread, you can use the Amish Friendship Starter for waffles too. Not only are they delicious but you can fill your freezer with them for a busy morning breakfast option. You will never have to buy frozen waffles again.

Amish Friendship Waffles
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Combine in a smaller bowl:
2 cups Amish friendship starter batter
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 c milk
1 egg

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a smaller bowl combine Amish friendship starter batter, oil, milk and egg. Add ingredients of smaller bowl to larger bowl. 
Preheat waffle iron to medium-low heat.
Spoon batter onto greased warmed waffle iron. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Optional add-ins: ground flax seed, ground cinnamon, finely chopped apples, pears, or berries.

Freezing: Allow waffles to cool. Place waffles in large plastic bag in a single layer, then place plastic wrap or wax paper and make another layer of waffles. Repeat until bag is full or out of waffles.
Reheat frozen waffle in toaster or toaster oven.

Amish Friendship Bread

One of the classic sweet bread recipes is Amish Friendship Bread. Our family loves this bread for breakfast or with a little butter spread on it. On day 10 you are ready to use the starter and then every 5 days after that if you keep any for yourself.

Amish Friendship Bread

1 cup Amish Friendship starter
2 cups flour
6 oz package of vanilla pudding
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil *
1/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
your choice to grease pans (olive oil, Crisco, or non-stick spray)

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk together in a medium bowl the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine starter, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla; mix together well.
Stir in the flour mixture, mixing only just until combined; do not over mix.
Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to cooling rack.
This recipe is can easily be frozen once cooled. Simply wrap in foil. Label. Freeze. 

(*) Variations:
  Can use half fruit sauce (apple or pear) and half oil to equal 2/3 cup oil.

Directions to be included if giving away Amish Friendship Starter:

Amish Friendship Bread Directions

Day 1 Do nothing
Day 2 squeeze the bag several times
Day 3 Repeat day 2
Day 4 Repeat day 2
Day 5 Add 1 c flour, sugar, and milk. Squeeze bag several times to mix.
Day 6 Repeat day 2
Day 7 Repeat day 2
Day 8 Repeat day 2
Day 9 Repeat day 2
Day 10 Add 1 cup flour, sugar, and milk. Squeeze bag several times to mix. Pour 1 cup of starter in a bag to pass on.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

1 cup Amish Friendship starter
2 cups flour
6 oz package of vanilla pudding
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk together in a medium bowl the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine starter, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla; mix together well.
Stir in the flour mixture, mixing only just until combined; do not over mix.
Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to cooling rack.
This recipe is can easily be frozen once cooled. Simply wrap in foil. Label. Freeze.