This might be my favorite “new thing I learned this week.” I’m talking about all the things you can do with leftover hot dog buns.

My husband will every once in awhile bring home a large bag of buns (with 10 or 12 buns) because they were on sale. And we always have some leftover that just hide away in the freezer until they get freezer burned, and then we toss them out to the birds. It’s such a waste, and really frustrating. Can anyone relate to this?

So imagine my delight when I found an inspiring article about this very topic on www.lovetoknow.com today. This site is aptly named because I think you just might love to know these ideas as well.

Their first suggestion is to use them for pizza boats. Pull out a little bit of bread down the middle of each bun half, then fill the depressions with cooked ground beef or sausage, flavored with Italian seasoning and a little pizza or marinara sauce. Top with some shredded mozzarella and brown (350 degrees F) until the cheese is melty and some of the bun is crispy-toasty.

Then there’s the French toast bake. You crumble leftover hot dog buns into a large bowl; mix in milk or cream (about ¼) and add 1 egg per bun used. Then stir in some vanilla (about ¼ teaspoon per bun, add cinnamon to taste. Pour it into a well-greased baking dish and bake this at 350 degrees F until the bread pieces turn crispy and golden brown. Top with fresh berries, butter, and syrup. It’s divine.

And an obvious use is to make croutons from your leftover buns. Depending on the size of croutons you cut, you can probably get at least a dozen out of one leftover bun. This works well if you have at least three to six leftover buns; the fewer buns used, the stronger the crouton flavor.

There’s no recipe per se for these. It’s all about personal taste. Start by cubing your buns; toss them into a large bowl that comes with a lid. I make my croutons using a seasoning made of onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and black pepper. I pour this mix over the buns, add the lid, and give the bowl a few good shakes.

Then drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top. Start with one tablespoon; cover the bowl with the lid and shake. Open to assess whether another tablespoon is needed to coat the croutons. Continue until all the croutons are coated.

Then spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until they’re well-toasted. From there I leave them on the counter for a couple days to harden.

Related to this crouton idea is using them for stuffing or cheesy fondue. Once cubed, let the set the bread out to get a little hard and they’ll be perfect for either use.

And they’re perfect for holding scrambled eggs with diced ham or crumbled bacon. Talk about a quick and handy breakfast sandwich!

Speaking of sandwiches, here’s LOVE TO KNOW’s last idea: hot dog buns work really well in a panini press. So don’t hesitate to whip up your favorite sandwich filling and panini away!

Honestly, who knew hot dog buns could be so impressive? You might want to cut and paste some of these ideas into your Cook’n 15 and then share share share. This news deserved being spread around!