THE CHEF FROM HELL

One way to make a mixed greens salad come alive is to focus on the supportive elements of flavor such as a unique dressing or, in this case, homemade salad croutons!

Ingredients:

5 cups cubed fresh Bread

Note:  For optimum flavor, you're better off purchasing your bread from a baker, not a supermarket

2/3 cup Olive Oil

Note:  For this procedure, I usually use a hybrid olive oil such as pommace oil which is much cheaper than the high grade stuff

1/4 cup fresh Basil, rinsed well & diced fine

1/4 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper

1 1/2 TBS grated Romano Cheese

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees

In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, fresh basil & pepper

Whisk until completely blended

Place the cubed bread in another mixing bowl

Gradually drizzle the seasoned oil over the bread

Using your hands, toss well to coat the bread with the seasoned oil

Sprinkle the romano cheese over the bread

Toss well once more

Place the croutons on a baking tray in a single layer

Place the croutons in the oven & bake them for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown

When the croutons are done, remove the baking tray from the oven & plade it on the counter to allow the croutons cool

When the croutons have cooled down, store them in an airtight container