Spicy Sourdough Croutons

You may never want to buy croutons again... These are super easy to make and soooo addictive!  I end up making extra because I know I'm probably going to eat half of them before they ever make it to the soup or salad.  If you don't have day old bread, you can dry it out by cutting the cubes and then heating them in the oven at 200 F for a few minutes.  Also, these croutons freeze really well- just take them out of the freezer long enough to allow them to come to room temperature.

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pasted or minced

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp crushed red pizza pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups sourdough baguette, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (day old bread works the best)

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, pizza pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt.

2.  Add the cubed bread and toss well so that they are evenly coated.

3.  Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes (till they turn light brown).