Croutons

Croutons are one of the best ways for using up stale bread, and are lovely, crunchy additions to favorite soups and salads. We love these buttery bites in kale Caesar salad, creamy tomato soup and pork chili. Instead of serving toast at breakfast, try crisp, herbed croutons from the odds and ends of sandwich bread mixed into scrambled eggs. Or take croutons in a completely different direction with bourbon-nectarine ice cream sundaes—the croutons are made from sweet, all-butter pound cake. Whether you want to upgrade your clam chowder or enhance your lunchtime salad, Food & Wine's guide to croutons has plenty of ideas.