Need to use three leftover loaves of Wonder Bread - no croutons or bread pudding! Ideas?

[ViolentScarlet]

I have 3.5 leftover loaves of Wonder Bread that we took from an event because we didn't want them to get thrown out, even though we rarely eat Wonder Bread. Does anyone have ideas of what we can do with them, or at least part of them? Don't want to make croutons, breadcrumbs, or bread pudding, so I'm a little lost for ideas.

[Billy33]

Make bread cases by pressing crustless slices into greased muffin tins - cut them into circles if you want them to be pretty or just leave them as squares if you want rustic. Do them in mini muffin tins if you want finger food. Bake until golden and fill them with what ever fillings you want - savoury or sweet. Or you can make up an egg mixture and make little quiches.

Here's a recipe for Cheese Rolls, which are an old-fashioned favourite snack/lunch/funeral food item here in New Zealand, particularly in the South island. I'm pretty sure they can be made up and then frozen before baking. Nice with soup, as well.

CHEESE ROLLS
Ingredients
Serves: 36
500 g cheddar cheese cut into small portions
3 med brown onions, roughly chopped
1 can of unsweetened evaporated milk
1 packet French Onion Soup mix
2 loaves of white bread, crusts removed
Preparation method
Prep: 30 mins |Cook: 15 mins
1. Process the cheese, onion, soup powder and evaporated milk in batches in a food processor until the consistency is that of thick porridge, not too wet, not too dry.

2. Empty into a bowl and repeat process until all ingredients have been processed. If the end mixture is too thick, add some more milk, or if too runny, add some more cheese.

3. On a slice of bread, (less crusts as the crusts left on make it too hard to roll) spread a small amount of mixture over 3/4 of slice then roll up. The bread should bind with the mixture.

4. Grill under griller turning once until brown, then apply a generous amount of butter along top of hot cheese roll.

5. These can also be baked at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes

[pamlet]

I don't think this counts as a bread pudding... Summer pudding. You can probably google a recipe on BBC Food. Essentially, you make a mold with the bread around the edge of a bowl, then patly fill with a boiled berry mixture... Currents are good with this, a bit of sugar. Then more bread and more berries. Weight down, chill in fridge overnight. Turn over on a nice plate, taje off bowl...very pretty, served with heavy cream.

[mamachef]

I always figure that when I see an old post revived, somebody somewhere is interested, even if the OP got all the answers he/she needed at the time. So:
You can use is, minus crust, as the foundation of an English Summer Pudding, in place of poundcake. It will be a titch less sweet, which IMO is much better anyway, and losing the cake means more calories for English Double Creme on top, yay/1
Roll them, again decrusted, until flattened. Spread w/ mayo and sprinkle w/ parm. Now roll an asparagus spear in it; fasten with a toothpick, and bake at 400 briefly until brown - even better if you butter the outside of that squished, beautifully no-longer-pourous slab of "bread."
Decrust; roll out, spread both sides w/ melted butter; bake til crisp and brown, use as patty shells. May be frozen.

[oldunc]

Got this from an old timer plumber: there's a problem with sweating ( soldering) repairs on copper pipes because water in the line can get back into the joint and suck up heat, leading to incomplete solder coverage and leaks. If you stuff some Wonder Bread into the line, it will hold back the water long enough to finish the job, then will blow out of the line when you turn on the water. The other 899 slices, you're on your own.

[chef chicklet]

appetizers
shrimp toast
Mushroom toast, press the bread with a rolling pin, cut the crust off, make a mouse of mushrooms, with onions, thyme, a splash of sherry, parsely, scallion, roll them up and brush with butter and bake til golden.
I make tuna sushi for my little one. Again press the bread, cut the crust spread tuna salad and slice into sushi like circles. He loves it!
There's also a bread appetizer I had that was pretty good, layered with egg salad, chicken salad, and whatever you like, stack using mayo or cream cheese, cut the crust off using and electric knife, coat with cream cheese, and fresh parsley. slice into individual slices. Pretty and tasty.
and also this is the bread my mother used at holidays for stuffing. Celery, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, butter, broth and a couple of eggs. Loved my mom's stuffing.
cinnamon toast

[somervilleoldtimer]

Oh year! Mushroom toast! I make those a million years ago, loved them! I would brush the slices with butter after cutting off the crusts and rolling them thin, and then also after they were rolled up again. Froze them as appetizers, worked fine. Tasty!

[luciaannek]

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/08/10/t...

[greygarious]

Just a heads up that this is a 7 month old thread so the OP's restrictions don't apply.

[inaplasticcup]

If you've got kiddies around, buttered cinnamon sugar toast is always a hit. Kinda like croutons, but cut into fourths, brushed with butter, baked until golden brown and crisp, with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top just when they come out of the oven.

[Antilope]

Who was the guy in the otner thread with the hot dog water? ;-)

[bushwickgirl]

I didn't read that thread, it kinda scared me that anyone would what, think of repurposing hot dog water? But that's just me. White bread has better repurposing capabilities.

prima, wheat bread = bread crumbs and much more, as useful as leftover white bread. Stratas are fine; anything you do with substandard white bread can be done with hopefully better quality wheat bread.

EDIT: Read the hot dog water thread, some seriously useful ideas, mostly from mamachef; good to know using leftover hot dog water to make oatmeal doesn't work.

[prima]

thanks bushwickgirl ;-) Will give my improv zucchini & chevre strata with whole wheat bread a try!

[prima]

How do you use up your slightly stale whole wheat bread? I've made stratas with white bread, but not sure about using whole wheat bread due to its texture.

Thanks for any ideas.

[magnolia]

Use some for melba toast. Cut off the crusts, butter, and bake in a slow oven until crisp.

[junescook]

Fried baloney sandwiches either with or without cheese.

[bushwickgirl]

Now there's a classic use for Wonder Bread. I never had fried baloney until well into adulthood; I went to visit a girlfriend who was frying baloney for sandwiches for her kids. I was initially skeptical but it's really quite good. Just a bit of mustard (the yellow kind) pulls it together.

[grangie angie]

Cheese strata ?

[greygarious]

I like to use condensed tomato soup in addition to milk and eggs for cheese strata; an homage to grilled cheese with cream of tomato soup. Lightly toast the bread first.

[Isolda]

This is the strangest recipe you're going to read today, but it's delicious.
Medieval Gingerbread
Take about a pound of bread (crusts are okay, too) and process into crumbs.
Bring to a boil about one quart of honey. Begin adding bread crumbs, a handful at a time, simmering and stirring until mixture begins to thicken. Add 1 TBSP ground ginger and about 2 tsp cinnamon. You may also add a little freshly ground pepper to taste. Add rest of breadcrumbs. When mixture is very thick, remove from heat and let cool a bit. Then, roll into walnut size balls or press into a pan and let cool. When cool, slice into 1 inch squares and serve. This freezes very well. Modern palates also enjoy this rolled in a bit of sugar.

The texture is chewy, not bready. It's more of a candy than a cake. People never know what they're eating, but everyone I've served it to really enjoys it.

[JerryMe]

Wow! Wow! Wow! I've GOT to try this! I was trying to come up w/ a dessert that did not require an oven. Thank you Isolda!

[somervilleoldtimer]

another one, somewhat related, is Hungarian "mother in law" cake. (Don't know why it's named that.) Break a chocolate cake into crumbs, mix up with a good amount of currant jelly and chocolate icing, roll into balls and chill, and then roll the balls into cocoa or chocolate sprinkles or coconut or what-have-you.

[Chris VR]

If you want to go nuts and embrace the white breaditude, go whole hog and make Cheesy Poofs. Recipe is in this post http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5770... You can freeze them and take them out to bake as you want them for appetizers for indulgent friends.

[greygarious]

I buy cheap bread and cheap peanut butter, make sandwiches, cut them into 1" squares, and put them out for the squirrels and blue jays. Sometimes I make a lot and freeze them. Growing up, my mother melted suet and leftover bacon fat or other drippings and mixed them into cubes of cheap bread, then sent me outside to strew them on the ground for the birds in winter. As I recall it was a favorite with the starlings and grackles.

[ipsedixit]

They are the perfect vehicle for PB&J in my opinion.

[Breadcrumbs]

+1 . . . and leftover turkey sandwiches

[bushwickgirl]

Perfect, with mayo, for less "stick to the roof of your mouthivity."

[Breadcrumbs]

Precisely!!

[ipsedixit]

Or if you are Chinese and poor (like me), they are perfect for Chinese pork floss sandwiches.

(Pic not mine, just for illustrative purposes)

[chefj]

do you put the mayo on the outside?

[bushwickgirl]

Of couse not, but I do masticate, and the mayo is a great lube. Sure, squishy Wonder Bread does have a tendency to compress and cling, maybe just part of the fun of eating it, but it's still good for certain things.

[chefj]

Wonder bread? Bird food or Crab bait are great uses for that stuff.
I really do not think that wonder bread is appropriate for many of uses suggested above. Its texture dose not lend itself to most European applications.
It would completely disintegrate into bread soup, romesco and tea sandwiches would have that gluey stick to the roof of your mouth texture.

[Eat.Choui]

Edit: goodhealthgourmet beat me to french toast and tea sandwich

Wonder bread are kind of thin, but maybe french toast?

Ice box cake? Cut of the crust, mush each slice, brush with litte bit of sugar syrup, them bake. Cool, then layer with a mousse and freeze?

Maybe you can use slices as the crust for individual quiche/ breakfast cups?

Have a tea sandwich party?

[goodhealthgourmet]

there's always *savory* bread pudding.

other ideas:
- romesco
- french toast
- grilled cheese
- stuffing
- stale it, buzz into crumbs, mix with herbs and store in the freezer
- tea sandwiches
- panade for meatloaf
- make this: http://hedonistin.blogspot.com/2008/11/kirschen-brot-kuchen-mit-kardamom.html
hopefully your browser gives you a "translate" option!
- bread soup:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid...

[bushwickgirl]

Wow, again we think alike, and were posting some similar ideas at the same time!

[tzurriz]

Garlic soup? http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/20...

[bushwickgirl]

Garlic soup is great and delicious, but I prefer a more crusty loaf.

To the OP-Grilled cheese sandwiches, let the bread dry and use it for stuffing, as a panade for meatballs or meatloaf when soaked in milk, classic pb & j or fluffernutters, as a toasted crouton base for eggs baked in a muffin tin...the donation idea is a good one, as well, although while it's very possible that food pantry recipients would be grateful, they may not like Wonder Bread any more that you do.;-)

Here are more dinner ideas, from the Wonder bread website:

http://www.wonderbread.com/dinner-rec...

[Johnny West]

Freeze and save for another day.

We make chicken supreme - boil a chicken, debone, make a savory dressing, add chicken, cover with gravy made from broth and bake till hot all the way through. That should get rid of 1.5 loaves.

[darklyglimmer]

Replying to an old post on an old thread. Hooray.

Anyway: the only time my mother ever bought the stuff was for her amazing turkey stuffing (very traditional; onion, sage, celery, butter, some other stuff I can't remember right now), which she cooked in the bird, salmonella be damned. If one must use up Wonder bread, seems like an excellent way to do it.