Mega Croutons

At this time of year I crave a heartier salad.  I have been making big batches of croutons and putting them in jars so I can throw together a salad quickly. 

Olga's Cup and Saucer sells an un-sliced white bread available at the Aquidneck Grower's Market or at her bakery in Providence that makes croutons with a beautiful texture, crunchy but not too hard. If not available,  I use the best tasting baguette I can find locally.

Ingredients:

Loaf of favorite white bread (like Olga's) or baguette
1/3 c Olive oil 
garlic powder
kosher salt
pepper
1 tbs.grass-fed ghee such as Farm to Gold (available at Aquidneck Growers Market or online via their facebook page.) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread into big cubes. Place in big bowl. 

In a small pitcher add olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Whisk in one tablespoon of ghee. 

Pour oil mixture over the cubed bread and toss with hands gently making sure cubes are well-coated. 

Place cubes on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and bake until golden brown. 

Cool completely before adding to glass jars or ziplock bags to prevent croutons from getting soggy from condensation. Croutons will store for several weeks or longer in jars.