Recipe? We don't need no stinkin' recipe!

I will be the first to admit most of the things I learned to cook early on in my life did not come with a recipe. My mother was one of those cooks who'd eyeball things. You know the type, dump an ingredient in the pot, stand back and say, "that looks about right". Most of the time I do the same thing, having been raised by this no-holds-barred, who-needs-a -measuring-spoon woman. I will endeavor to be a bit more precise here, as not everyone, including me, always gets it right with the dump it in and pray you got it right method.

As I type this post tonight, the tantalizing aroma of garlic and herbs is enveloping the house, as I have a batch of homemade croutons in the oven. If you've never made your own croutons before, I really suggest you try it, as the flavor and texture is far superior to anything you can get at the mega mart.

Garlic and Herb Croutons
1 loaf sourdough bread
1 to 1 1/2 sticks butter
4 good size garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cube the bread. Melt butter in large sauce pan or small-ish stock pot. When butter is melted, add in the minced garlic and turn off heat. Stir in italian seasoning and toss in bread. You may have to do this with only half the bread at once, depending on the size of your loaf, repeating the process for the other half. Toss bread well to coat and spread out in an even layer on a sheet pan. Put in oven and let bake until golden brown and toasted. In my oven this takes about 60 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to start checking on them around the 40 min mark.

Let cool and enjoy! I keep a batch of these around all the time. They keep really well in a plastic zip top baggie and are great for snacking even without the salad.

P.S.

This recipe was given to me by a dear friend who is no longer with us. It seemed only fitting that I start out with something she shared with me, as I know she'd have been the first to read this blog. Here's to you, Sweet Pea.