Making Dry Bread Crumbs

I was just reading a segment on leftovers and the many good ideas people had for using them. To add to that discussion, I wanted to share what I do with breadcrumbs.

All stale bread, muffins, pancakes, wraps, buns or rolls are set on a cookie sheet to dry in my oven (cold). It becomes a habit to remove what's in the oven before you turn it on. When everything is dry, I use my food processor to make crumbs.

These are then used for homemade shake and bake type coatings for meat, as well as a meat-extender in meat-loaves, ground beef patties or meatballs. Even in baking with a canned fruit, it is good to put a thin layer of breadcrumbs between your cake base and the fruit. This absorbs some of the extra moisture and will not be noticed in the finished product.

We often waste just because we can, and that reflects how we think about our plenty. Someone said that every time we waste we are disrespecting those who go hungry. After all, we did not "deserve" to be born into our abundance any more than someone halfway around the world "deserved" to be born into their poverty. Let's not treat our abundance with disdain, but rather live carefully so we have more to share.

By Dorothy