BREAD-STALE or EXCESS --how to use it up

Uses for stale bread

At  the present time when shopping trips should be limited and only for essentials then it is important not to waste anything so here are a few of my ideas on what to do with stale bread.

Bread will freeze well so worth keeping space in the freezer for some –it can be just part of a sliced loaf

It is worrying to see pictures of rubbish bins with packs of bread and buns in them --from people overbuying

Refreshing the bread

Often if it is not too hard then brushing it with water and baking  a baguette, French loaf or small loaf will often revive it

Breadcrumbs

Easy to make in a food processor or with a grater and then freeze until wanted. They are useful for coatings of fish especially fish cakes and chops as well other items and make good toppings on dishes especially when mixed with grated cheese.

Croutons

Cut into squares and bake or fry and use to top soup –you can add grated cheese for more flavour. These freeze well.

Bread and butter pudding

My absolute favorite I cut up the bread –no butter for me, Put in layers in a dish with a sprinkle of dried fruit like sultanas add a mixture of an egg and milk and bake. It is easy to vary with spreading the bread with marmalade and omitting the dried fruit. I like to cook without recipes but this is a good one.

bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/breadandbutterpuddin_85936

 Bread pudding

I cut the bread into bits and soak it in water for an hour or more. I then add dried fruit –to plump this up I often soak it in fruit juice or even squash made up with water and drained off. Then I add an egg and the plumped-up dried fruit and mix well bake in a really well-greased dish at about 180 for an hour or more. Sometimes I sprinkle with sugar and other times add a bit to the mix. Check with a clean knife to see it is cooked.

I may put it in a microwavable basin and cook for 5 minutes –then take it out and check with a knife to see it is cooked and if still sticks –cook a bit longer. 

I do include a small amount of sugar in this mix. It makes a nice pudding with custard

htps://fyf20quid.co.uk/recipes/old-fashioned-bread-pudding