stale bread

Best Money Tips: How to Get Fresher Coffee With Stale Bread

Amy Lu — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 08:30:16 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on how to get fresher coffee with stale bread, foods that prevent hair loss, and easy ways to increase the value of your home.

10 Delicious Ways to Save Stale Bread

Marla Walters — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 10:00:10 +0000

After about three days of purchase, I'm eyeing our loaves of bread, planning the possibilities. Shall I make croutons? Stuffing? Bread pudding with bourbon sauce? See, stale bread can still be saved!

If you don't have time to deal with stale bread at the moment, just toss it into the freezer. When you're ready to make any of the items below, it won't have suffered much more in quality once it's defrosted.

1. Homemade Croutons

My family eats these out of the pan as fast as I can toast them. Just about any bread (except sweet ones) work. Adding warm, freshly baked croutons onto a salad is so delicious, especially if that salad also contains some avocado, tomato, and onion.

Here's how to do it: Slice up your stale bread into cubes. Heat a large skillet and add about four tablespoons of olive oil. Add your bread cubes and toss them until they are covered in oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and any other herbs you like (dried parsley and oregano are good). Over low heat, toast until golden-brown and crispy. Serve immediately. Or, just eat them right out of the pan.

2. Strata

A strata is an almost souffle-like casserole, usually prepared the night before — which makes it so easy to turn it into breakfast in the morning.

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Lightly butter slices of stale bread and put a layer on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Repeat until the pan is almost full, like you are making a lasagne. Next, crack four to five eggs — depending on how big a strata you are making — and whisk together with a half-pint of whipping cream. Pour over the top, add more cheese, and let it sit in your refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, pop it into the oven at 350ºF for about an hour (check it at 45 minutes). It will be puffy, cheesy, and delicious. Caution: This doesn't work as well with whole-wheat bread, so stick with French or sourdough. This recipe is very versatile. You can also add a layer of ham or tomato slices on the top. A layer of spinach is good, too.

3. Cornflake-Covered French Toast

Make French toast as usual, except... after dipping the bread in egg/milk, dip it into crushed corn flakes before adding to the skillet. Fry until golden and crispy. Keep pieces warm at 200ºF in the oven until ready to serve. I like mine drizzled with honey.

4. Stuffing

Stuffing is just too delicious to only eat at Thanksgiving. It also needs stale bread, so that it soaks up all the delicious things you will add to it.

Here is how I make mine:

Ingredients

10 cups of stale bread cubes (toast in a low oven and cool down, to make sure it will really soak up the other ingredients)
1 shallot (a whole shallot, not a section), finely chopped
¼ cup butter
2 T olive oil
1 cup sliced celery (with leaves)
1 t salt
½ t pepper
2 t poultry seasoning
2 cans chicken broth, heated

Method

Melt butter and olive oil; add salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add shallot and celery; stir until tender. Add bread cubes and stir until coated, and gradually add in chicken broth. If you like a moister stuffing, add hot water until desired consistency is achieved.

5. Meatloaf and Meatballs

I would be remiss if I didn't mention stale bread in meatloaf or meatballs. Our mothers and grandmothers called this "stretching" meat, but it does more than that. Adding bread gives the loaf, or meatballs, a lighter texture, and helps to bind the meat together. I soak my stale bread in milk before adding to the meatloaf mixture. This will keep the meatloaf more moist, too — no brick-like loaves.

6. Bread Pudding

It may be worth letting your bread go stale just so that you can make this bread pudding. If you don't like a traditional recipe with raisins, substitute chocolate chips. I like both, frankly. I also like mine with a bourbon sauce, but it's also good with some whipped cream. I have had a version with chopped pecans, and that was also a nice addition — just toast them first. No, the sauce isn't kid-friendly — although Grandma Ruth allowed us to have some at Christmas, when I was a kid. We'd sneak spoonfuls of it later.

Ingredients

2 cups milk, scalded and cooled
4 thick slices of bread, lightly toasted
3 T butter, melted
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ t cinnamon
⅓ cup raisins OR chocolate chips (or both!)
3 eggs, beaten
1 t vanilla

Method

Grease or spray a casserole dish (9 x 9 x 2), or a little larger. Cut or tear bread into pieces and place into casserole dish. Drizzle with butter; sprinkle with sugar. Add the raisins or chocolate chips.

To beaten eggs, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and cooled milk. Pour over bread mixture and bake at 350ºF for an hour, or until knife comes out clean.

To make the hard sauce:

1 stick butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup of Jack Daniel's Bourbon

Melt butter; stir in brown sugar until melted. Add bourbon. Pour over bread pudding. Swoon.

7. Bread Salad (Panzanella)

This is more of a "stale bread in summertime" recipe, because in addition to the bread, you'll need ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. (You can get those things at a high-end grocery store in the winter, but then your budget will feel it.) I was concerned that the consistency would be soggy, but toasting the bread cubes and draining the tomatoes ensures it isn't. You can easily make this a main-dish salad by adding some sliced salami.

8. Bread Soup (Ribollita)

This is a lovely old recipe which comes from Tuscany. Done in a traditional manner, it takes about 25 hours. Yes, that includes soaking beans. I don't know about you, but it's a pretty rare week when I can devote 25 hours to making soup. Fortunately, there exists this recipe, which is not only delicious, but can be put together shortly before dinnertime. French or sourdough breads also can be used.

9. Bread Crumbs

Talk about a handy thing to have around, and they're so easy to make!

Ingredients

8 slices of stale white bread
1 T Italian seasonings
1 t garlic salt
1 t onion powder
1 t paprika
1 t dried parsley

Method

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Tear up the bread and put it in your blender or food processor. Pulse until you have crumbs.

In a large bowl, combine the crumbs with the rest of the ingredients. I like to rub them together with my hands to make sure it all gets well-mixed.

Spread onto a large cookie sheet and toast for five minutes. Remove and cool for 20 minutes. Store in airtight container. These can be used on pastas, meat, lasagnas, and so much more!

10. Homemade Shake'N Bake

No need to purchase bread crumbs when you have your own! Try dredging thinly-pounded chicken breasts in plain yogurt, with a little lemon juice, and then adding in bread crumbs. Bake at 375ºF for 50 minutes. Or, dredge a thin pork chop in an egg wash, then bread crumbs, and fry. Lastly, coat some halibut or cod with mayonnaise. Cover in bread crumbs, sprinkle with parmesan, and broil.

Lastly, if you are just too overwhelmed by thrifty cooking, there is still no need to waste food. Tear up your bread and go feed the ducks!

How do you use up stale bread? Share with us in the comments!

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Keep Bread Fresh

Daniel Packer — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:24:20 +0000

If you live alone, you're all too familiar with food going to waste. It's hard to buy single portions of many perishable foods, including fruits and vegetables. Let's tackle another food that can go bad before you're ready to say goodbye — bread.

Often known as "the greatest thing," sliced bread can go stale pretty easily if you don't care for it properly. Here are some tips on how to keep bread (sliced or not) fresh for longer. (See also: 17 Uses for Stale Bread)

Refrigerator vs. Room Temperature

Our first inclination is to keep food fresh by throwing it in the fridge. In the case of bread, that's the wrong move. Doing this draws out the moisture and causes the bread to go stale sooner.

Putting bread in the refrigerator is equivalent to three days at room temperature. To keep bread around longer, the best move is to store it at room temperature in a tightly closed package. Some people recommend linen bags because they can be tightly closed.

Different Breads Need Different Treatments

Not all breads have the same shelf life. For example, French bread can go stale in a matter of hours, not days or weeks. Crusty breads are best eaten on the same day you buy them. Don't plan on buying crusty bread and keeping it for the whole week.

The good news is that once crusty bread dries out and the crust becomes chewy, it can still be used for croutons or French toast for the next few days.

Freezing Breads

If you want to store your bread until after the "best before" date, the freezer is your best option. Bread can be stored for up to three months in the freezer. Wrap it in foil and then put it in a sealed plastic bag to avoid freezer burn. When you're ready to use it, just defrost it at room temperature or wrap it in aluminum foil and stick it in a pre-heated oven for 5 minutes. (See also: Breaking the Bread Code: How to Get the Freshest Loaf)

How to Bring Bread Back From the Dead

If your bread has become a little stale, you're in luck! (But if it's moldy, all is lost and the loaf should be thrown out.) You can refresh your stale bread by wrapping it in aluminum foil and putting it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Once it cools, it should be eaten quickly. This process will dry out your bread more quickly, so don't count on refreshing your bread more than once. This works great if you just want one last hurrah for your bread.

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This article is from Daniel Packer of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

17 Uses for Stale Bread

Andrea Karim — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:36:17 +0000

Stale bread is a given in most households; even the best-intentioned foodies will occasionally find themselves staring down a rapidly drying loaf of white bread with no idea how to cope. Throwing away food isn't just a waste of money — it's a downright shame. (See also: Waste Not, Want Not: Stop Throwing Away Your Food!)

Bread is a varied and delicious staple that is delicious fresh and yet still incredibly useful when past its due date. In fact, one of the better supermarket/bakery deals that can be had is bags of day-old bread. A bakery near my house sells large bags of day-old bread for approximately $2, and it includes things like scones, cinnamon rolls, and raisin bread. Perhaps I could bake these things on my own for less, but considering what an untalented baker I am, these leftover bags are a real bargain. Check with your local bakery to see if they sell or even give away their day-old extras — you might even be able to make an entire meal out of a freebie bag of bread.

Here are some ideas on how to make the most of your leftover loaves.

1. French Onion Soup

You can have French onion soup without a cheesy toasty topper. Well, OK, you can, but no one will want to eat it. Try Alton Brown's recipe for the perfect French onion soup, but remember that your bread topping doesn't have to be perfectly even or perfectly round. You can toss a handful of stale bread on top of your soup and still find plenty of room for the cheese to settle in.

2. Easy Soufflé/Quiche

Stale bread and eggs were somehow made for each other. If you love soufflé but aren't in the mood to worry about it rising or collapsing, use this shortcut recipe for cheese, onion, and bread soufflé that is easy as pie. Love having quiche for brunch? You can even use that healthy, high-fiber bread for a delicious weekend quiche.

3. Stuffing/Dressing

Is stuffing too obvious a use for stale bread? It's my favorite, so I can't resist. The only dish at Thanksgiving that I would be heartbroken without, savory stuffing is a sure-fire accompaniment to any poultry-based meal. A small helping of rich, delicious stuffing can save a dry turkey dinner from despair or add some oomph to an otherwise normal chicken sandwich.

Stuffing doesn't always have to be served alongside fowl, though; it's also wonderful next to baked tilapia or oysters. Because stuffing has so many regional variations, you are free to branch out and try out all kinds of different recipes. Stuffing is also very forgiving — it will accept the presence of all kinds of other flavors, including squash, broccoli, spinach, sausage, nuts, cranberries, and more.

4. Breadcrumbs

Just how handy are breadcrumbs? You'll never know until you have your own stash in waiting, ready to top macaroni and cheese and casseroles, to coat your filet of fish or famous fried chicken, to use on top of cakes and cupcakes, or to coat the bottom of a cheesecake when you are low on graham crackers.

Breadcrumbs are incredibly easy to make — just bake your stale bread on low heat (say, 150°F) in your oven or toaster oven until the bread is extremely dry and brittle. Then place the bread in your blender or food processor and churn until you have a golden brown crumbs. Further drying can be achieved in the oven or on the counter.

You can add herbs and salt if you want a savory mix for dishes. Add some brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and coconut flakes for a delicious ice cream topper, or leave the crumbs plain for versatility.

Freeze breadcrumbs in an air-tight container for maximum storage time.

5. Meat Loaf

Probably one of the best-known uses for stale bread, meat loaf can be a family favorite if you make it right. Breadcrumbs are often added to meat loaf in order to add heft and save money, and they can also act to make meat loaf more tender by keeping the protein separated. The best meat loaf recipe that I have ever tried called for crushed saltine crackers, but crumbled stale bread is a logical (and inexpensive) substitute.

Meatloaf doesn't just have to be made out of beef, of course. Salmon loaf (top with dried dill and sour cream) makes a wonderful treat either hot or cold.

Did I forget to mention crab cakes? Like meatloaf, crab cakes are held together by a small amount of egg and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs (also, I've learned that using one chopped scallop per crab cake will add a certain cohesiveness to the patty without changing the flavor). Used canned crab for the best, and cheapest, results.

6. Refreshed Bread

OK, so let's say that what you really want is fresh bread. You can always refresh your stale bread using this trick.

7. Cinnamon Toasts

Think you know how to make cinnamon toast? You probably do. But we're talking about cinnamon toasts. You've never made cinnamon toast quite like this. It's the perfect way to use up fluffy-but-stale white bread, and the results last for days and are a perfect treat to take with you to a party (scroll down a bit for the recipe and pictures).

8. Bisques and Bread Soups

I'm a big fan of bisque as a pre-meal appetizer (slowly sipping a cup of bisque will help you eat less in your main course), and stale bread is a great carbohydrate that you can use to thicken your soup if you lack potatoes or yams. Just toss the bread in and let it get mushy like the veggies, then blend carefully in batches.

If you don't feel like blending, bread soup is big in Italian cooking, so try out a new recipe while using up leftovers.

9. Bread Salads

Bread salad, also known as panzanella, is a nice change from regular old lettuce-and-dressing and often a hit at parties. Remember that the word "salad" comes from the Latin word for "salt," and it refers to salted things, not necessarily to veggies. If you want to throw a can of artichoke hearts, some sliced tomatoes, a few handfuls of stale bread, some leftover chicken, and some dressing in a bowl and call it a salad, you're well within your semantic rights to do so.

10. Bread Pudding

I don't have a big sweet tooth — I can honestly pass on most candy, ice cream, and even pie. But bread pudding? Nearly impossible to resist. Also, it turns out, it's incredibly easy to make. I avoided making bread pudding because I was terrified that it would end up being as tragic as my cheesecake disaster, but bread pudding is delicious and simple. It's a good way to use up dessert-y breads, but don't let the rosemary loaf go to waste — just combine the flavors with complementary tastes, like rosemary with lemon.

Similar to bread pudding (and yet different) is fruit charlotte. A good way to use up both old bread and excess apples, charlotte may not be the healthiest dessert, but it's certainly among the most warming.

11. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Hey, half the point of grilling a sandwich is to get the bread nice and crispy, and with dried sliced bread, you're already halfway there. To get a perfect grilled cheese, I lightly butter and grill both sides of the bread before applying the cheese. That way, the bread is extra crispy on both the outside AND the inside, and the cheese melts faster.

12. Open Faced Sandwiches/Bruschetta

Feeling like you want less bread and more filling? Toast stale slices, and then top with anything you like, from olive tapenade to leftover meat loaf. Any variation of bruschetta will do, and the crunchy, toasty base will hold together better than fresh bread in the face of moister toppings.

13. French Toast

French toast practically begs for the use of stale bread, and there's no reason to limit this tasty treat to breakfast time — you can enjoy French toast for dinner, too. I personally love all flavors of French toast, but my new favorite involves spreading one side of the stale bread with a light layer of cream cheese (or chevre), and the other side with a tart jelly (like cherry or marmalade) before dipping it in egg batter and cooking.

French toast doesn't have to be limited to large slices of sandwich bread — a popular snack in my household is French toast bites made of slices of tiny French baguettes that are past their prime.

14. Gourmet Croutons

Nothing can be easier than turning stale bread into delicious gourmet croutons for soup and salad toppings. Simply toss the bread in a mixture of olive oil, dried herbs, and salt and toast until golden brown. You can add parmesan cheese after toasting (adding it before toasting might cause some burning).

Croutons are great for fondue and also to top off a particularly gourmet Bloody Mary.

15. Potato/Rice Substitute

Are all carbs created equal? Could you substitute bread for rice or potatoes? There are some who might disagree, but consider that a very popular Moroccan dish is basically a chicken stew poured over day-old bread. You don't even have to make Moroccan bread to make this dish. Just tear us slightly stale bread into bite-size pieces and smother the bread with your own curry, Irish stew, or whatever floats your boat.

16. Bread Dumplings

Semmelknoedel are German dumplings that are a little bit like Italian gnocchi, but are made using stale bread and milk. Enjoy in a soup, topped with mushroom gravy or marinara, alongside meats and fish, or however you like your dumplings. Create a slightly sweeter version (minus the garlic, pepper, and herbs) and eat warm with honey, almonds, and ricotta cheese.

17. Bird Food

OK, I've heard that bread isn't good for birds and all that. I'm sure that the Audubon Society would have me stuffed and mounted for saying so, but seagulls aren't really birds, are they? No, they are just big, flying cockroaches, and bread won't hurt them at all.

Storing Old Bread

How you store your bread depends an awful lot on the kind of bread it is. When I buy "artisanal" loaves of bread from the supermarket, I do so with the understanding that the bread will last approximately four days on the kitchen counter, wrapped in a paper bag and then loosely in a plastic bag. Regular sliced bread from the bread section of the store (as opposed to the actual bakery) can last for as long as two weeks, so long as the last week is spent in the fridge. Your own storage methods and preferences probably depend a great deal on your climate and your ability to spot the first few strands of mold.

Incidentally, if you see a loaf that is just starting to mold, there is no shame in cutting off the fuzzy part and saving the interior.

The freezer, though, is where stale bread goes to await its reincarnated fate. If you've never frozen bread before, Martha Stewart can tell you how to do that. Much of my bread ends up in freezer-safe Ziplock bags, which seem to do the trick. I don't recommend keeping bread frozen for more than six months, but how long you can tolerate the bags of bready scraps might also depend on your type of freezer and how much space you have.

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This article is from Andrea Karim of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

stale bread

Best Money Tips: How to Get Fresher Coffee With Stale Bread

Top 5 Articles

Other Essential Reading

10 Delicious Ways to Save Stale Bread

1. Homemade Croutons

2. Strata

3. Cornflake-Covered French Toast

4. Stuffing

5. Meatloaf and Meatballs

6. Bread Pudding

7. Bread Salad (Panzanella)

8. Bread Soup (Ribollita)

9. Bread Crumbs

10. Homemade Shake'N Bake

Like this article? Pin it!

How to Keep Bread Fresh

Refrigerator vs. Room Temperature

Different Breads Need Different Treatments

Freezing Breads

How to Bring Bread Back From the Dead

Like this article? Pin it!

17 Uses for Stale Bread

1. French Onion Soup

2. Easy Soufflé/Quiche

3. Stuffing/Dressing

4. Breadcrumbs

5. Meat Loaf

6. Refreshed Bread

7. Cinnamon Toasts

8. Bisques and Bread Soups

9. Bread Salads

10. Bread Pudding

11. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

12. Open Faced Sandwiches/Bruschetta

13. French Toast

14. Gourmet Croutons

15. Potato/Rice Substitute

16. Bread Dumplings

17. Bird Food

Storing Old Bread

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