Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Snow Grapes!!!

I'd never heard of this recipe until I saw it on Allrecipes.com It sounded like such a refreshing fruit salad and it was so very easy to make...so I knew I just had to try it! Well, it was the talk of the party! It's healthy too! And low fat, which is always a plus! I'm posting the recipe with the changes I made (as suggested by an AR member named SunnyByrd)...
Snow Grapes


INGREDIENTS;
4 pounds seedless grapes - red & green
1 cup sour cream - low fat
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese - low fat
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one orange

Friday, February 3, 2012

Fun Desserts!

I'm always looking for desserts that are out of the ordinary! That's why I knew I had to try these next two recipes! The first recipe is called 'Surprise Inside Cupcakes' and what I love about the recipe is that's it's a 'made from scratch' batter, plus you can customize the cupcake to your liking! The surprise inside has so many options! I've tried it with chocolate covered caramels, chocolate peanut butter cups and chocolate covered peppermints! All were perfect for this cupcake. You can also use whatever flavor cake you like. I've made these cupcakes in chocolate just by adding about 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the batter.

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The second dessert recipe is so unique and interesting because it's made with a can of tomato soup. I've never heard of such a thing but this recipe got great reviews! It's fun to see every one's expression when they find out about the tomato soup...but I never tell them until after they take the first bite! This cake tastes very much like a carrot cake or a spice cake! It's delicious! I like to glaze it with a sweet cream cheese frosting!

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SURPRISE INSIDE CUPCAKES
SURPRISE INSIDE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS;
1 1/8 cups all purpose flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk, any kind (I used 1%)
Hershey's chocolate kisses
vanilla frosting, or any flavor you like

DIRECTIONS;
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tin with cupcake papers.  You will need about 8 to 10.  Fill the empty ones half way with water so that the pan doesn't burn.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream both sugars with the butter.  Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.  Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk.  Mix until just incorporated.

4. Fill muffin cups 1/3 full.  Place a chocolate kiss in the center. Top with more batter until 2/3 full.

5. Bake on center rack for 18 - 20 minutes or until the center of cupcake springs back when lightly touched.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Note: This recipe only makes about 8-10 cupcakes, but you can double all the ingredients to make more.  I've done that with no problems at all!

 


TOMATO SOUP CAKE

INGREDIENTS;
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup sugar 
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS; 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream the butter and sugar, add in the egg and beat.

2. Dissolve the baking soda in the tomato soup.

3. Sift together the flour, cinnamon and cloves.  Mix with the butter/sugar mixture.  Add the soup.  Pour into a buttered 8x8x2-inch pan.


4. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.  Test for doneness.  Let cool and top either with powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.
This cake tastes best when served cold, not warm!


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Great Food For a Crowd!

The Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon is the first recipe listed on this page of 'Great Food For a Crowd'... a delicious little hors d'oeuvre! It's crunchy, salty, smokey and sweet! I've made this many times for parties and it goes quickly! I double this recipe every time I make it! 
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The second recipe listed is Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches! This is the absolute, best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had! And I've had many, from many famous BBQ places! But none were as perfectly balanced in flavor as this one! The sweet barbecue sauce is a must on this sandwich! This recipe was originally posted by one of my favorite cooks, known to her foodie friends as Marky90.
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The third recipe listed is Mexican Meatballs! I tried these delicious little meatballs when I saw them on a cooking site! They were very popular and everyone on the site who tried this recipe loved them! The meatballs have a cube of jalapeno jack cheese inside each one! And the sauce has a very authentic Mexican flavor! I'm posting the recipe the way I made them and I'm adding my photo. I served these as cocktail meatballs and my guests loved them too!
The original recipe was posted by a cook known as Rosemaryblue.
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And the last recipe listed on this page is my own creation of Chicken Chili! Its always been a favorite of my family! The secret is the 6 simple spices that I use in many of my Southwestern recipes! Its a very mild chili, but you can double the cayenne if you want it a little spicier!
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Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon
Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon

INGREDIENTS;

1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts
1/2 pound uncooked bacon (not thick cut)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar 
toothpicks

DIRECTIONS;

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Drain the water chestnuts.  Slice each piece of bacon in half crosswise.

2. Wrap each water chestnut in the cut bacon pieces and secure with a toothpick.  Coat each piece with brown sugar.  Place each piece in a baking dish. Leave room between each piece.

3. Bake uncovered, on middle rack, for about 25 minutes or until sugar has melted and bacon is well browned. See photo.



Blot on paper towels and serve warm
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EASY PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
EASY PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
 Ingredients 
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1/2 cup water
4 large cloves garlic, minced
6-8 sandwich rolls or Kaiser rolls
barbecue sauce, for serving, a must! 

DIRECTIONS;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place one oven rack in the lowest position and one in the highest position.

2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

3, Place pork in a 5-quart Dutch oven or very large, deep, Pyrex baking pan and rub with spice mixture.

4. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 cup water.  Pour over pork.

5, Cover pot or baking pan tightly with tin foil and place in oven on lower rack. Bake until pork is very tender and separates easily when pulled with a fork. I always bake it for 3 hours.

6. Transfer pork to a work surface, reserving pan juices. With two forks, shred meat. Discard excess chunks of fat. Transfer shredded pork to a large bowl, and toss with pan juices to moisten (you may not need all the juices).

7. Pile pork on rolls, and top with barbecue sauce. I always use Sweet Baby Ray's brand BBQ sauce.

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MEXICAN STUFFED MEATBALLS
MEXICAN STUFFED MEATBALLS
INGREDIENTS; 
2 lb lean ground beef
 2 c crumbled corn bread
 1/2 tsp kosher salt
 3/4 tsp cumin
 1/4 c finely chopped onions
 2 lg cloves garlic-minced
 16 oz mild salsa-divide in half
1/4 c mild taco sauce-divide in half
 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper-divide in half
 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
 4 oz can mild chopped green chilies
 2-8oz. pkg jalapeno jack cheese-cut into 60 small cubes
*note...instead of using cheese cubes you can shred 8oz. of the cheese and just sprinkle it on top of the meatballs during baking

DIRECTIONS;
In a large bowl combine corn bread crumbs, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, chili powder, green chilies and 1/2 the salsa, 1/2 the taco sauce and 1/2 the cayenne pepper,
Add ground beef and mix well.
Shape into 1 inch little meatballs and form the meatballs around each cheese cube. Make sure none of the cheese is exposed.
Place in baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for about 15 minutes.
 Meanwhile in a small saucepan heat the tomato sauce and the remaining salsa, taco sauce and cayenne pepper. Heat til simmering then pour over cooked meatballs and bake for another 10 minutes.
To serve, stick one toothpick into each meatball, pour sauce from baking dish on top. And serve warm.
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CHICKEN CHILI
CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients;
1 1/2 lb chicken cutlets-cut into small pieces
 1 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
 1 lg onion-chopped
 8 oz pkg. sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
 1-14oz. can(s) low sodium chicken broth
 1-4oz. can(s) green chilies-chopped
1-19oz. can(s) cannellini beans-undrained
 1 bx yellow rice-prepared according to pkg.
 ~~~spice blend~~~
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 Tbsp chili powder
 1/2 tsp dried oregano
 1/2 tsp cilantro, dried
 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions;
Heat oil in very large saucepan over med.-high heat.

Add chicken and onions - cook for 5-10 min.

Stir in all dry spices - cook for 2 min.

Stir in broth and green chilies - simmer for 30 min.

Stir in beans - simmer for 10 min.

Mix in cheddar cheese and prepared yellow rice.

Serve warm.






Monday, January 30, 2012

The Buffalo Wing Journey!

I tried many different Buffalo wing recipes but I stopped searching when I found this one! Its perfect! And they're baked, not fried! So it's a little less fattening! This is a mild version, but you can make it as spicy as you like by just adding more cayenne pepper and less honey. This is my slightly tweaked version!

Best Buffalo Wings Ever
Best Buffalo Wings Ever

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Unique Snacks

I love finding new and intertesting snacks to munch on! Well, I came across 2 fun ones this week and I'm hooked on them already! One of them is store bought and one is an easy homemade treat! This first one I found at Trader Joe's market...I love that store!
These are so crunchy! Kind of like a cheese doodle but with a snap pea flavor!  They're low in sodium and fat! They have lots of fiber! So, this is a much better choice than chips! Guilt free snacking...I love it!
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This next snack is not as healthy! I found this recipe through a fellow foodie named Caroline Ann Savage. She posted this recipe on Allrecipes.com and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it! Its salty, spicy hot and sweet, all in one crunchy bite! I couldn't stop eating these! They're called Firecrackers!

 I made them using 'Andy Capp Hot Fries', you'll find them in the potato chip isle. I coated them in white chocolate! And then to make them even more spicy, I sprinkle them with cayenne pepper! Caroline's original recipe called for 'Flamin Hot Cheetos', but I couldn't find them, so I used the hot fries! Here's the link to the original recipe...Firecracker Recipe - click here

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

My First Published Recipe!

This recipe was my first recipe to ever be published onto a cooking website in 2008! I was so over joyed when Allrecipes.com picked my recipe for their site!  This is a salad I've made many times for family gatherings! Its a garlic and seafood lovers dream!

Italian Shrimp and Scallop Salad
Italian Shrimp and Scallop Salad
INGREDIENTS;

Friday, January 27, 2012

My Journey For The Best Beef Stew!

Today a food friend gave me a great review of my recipe! So that reminded me to post that recipe here for you! Thank you Laura O'Brien!

I've tried soooo many beef stew recipes! And they were all very good but were always missing something. So I decided to take the best parts of all the recipes I've tried and I came up with the 'Ultimate Beef Stew' ...

Ultimate Beef Stew
Ultimate Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS;

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Super Quick & Easy Candy


Chocolate Cherry Porcupines

Ingredients;
Dried Cherries - Benjamin Twiggs Dried Red Cherries
Dark Chocolate-melted-Olive & Sinclair
Shredded Coconut

I made another candy using the ingredients from the Foodzie Tasting Box that I showed you in this post...'It Pays to Be Good'... This is really good!  I love dried cherries and I love coconut...and who doesn't love chocolate! All I did was dip the dried cherries into melted dark chocolate and coated them in shredded coconut! Then I put them in the fridge to set! This is one of those candies that you just can't stop eating! I call them Chocolate Cherry Porcupines! My foodie friends gave me the idea for the name!


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

It's a Party!

Party Poppers
Party Poppers
Everyone loves party poppers! These are the ones I made when my kids were in elementary school! I would send these to school, with cupcakes, for the class to celebrate! It was always a huge hit with the kids because it was different and fun to open! And its so easy to customize for any occasion...birthdays, baby showers, holidays, etc....
How to make these...

Monday, January 23, 2012

It Pays To Be Good...

              ...to your friends! Today I received a nice surprise in my mailbox! It was a Foodzie Tasting Box! I was given this gift through the Cooking Channel Cookie Swap Contest! I didn't enter that contest, but my food friend (Wendy Rusch) did! She asked her friends to vote for her 2 cookie entries, everyday, until the contest was over. I did just that! And about a week ago I received an email from the Cooking Channel that said my name was picked from the list of voters, and that I will be receiving my gift shortly! I never even considered this during all the times I was voting for her cookie recipes!  I guess 'one good turn deserves another'! Here is my Foodzie Tasting Box. To see a larger view just click on the photo.
This box contains Saigon Cinnamon, Dried Cherries, Dark Chocolate Almond Brittle, Hazelnut Butter, Hard Red Winter Wheat Flour, 67% Dark Chocolate Bar and Recipe Cards for these ingredients!
 If you would like more info on Foodzie, check out this link                      http://foodzie.com/how-it-works/

       Thank you so much Cooking Channel and Foodzie!

I decided to try a recipe that came with my Foodzie package! The recipe caught my eye because it sounded very unique! It's called Sponge Candy. The reason it's called that is because it looks like a sponge, as you can see in my photo. But it is definitely not soft like a sponge! This candy is very crunchy, chewy and sticky!
This candy is not for people with delicate dental work! The flavor is like peanut brittle without the peanuts!

Sponge Candy
Ingredients;
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tbls. distilled white vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbls. pure vanilla extract
1 tbls. baking soda
3 oz. dark chocolate - optional

 Directions;

Liberally grease a 10-inch round spring form cake pan with vegetable oil. Trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper. Line the bottom of the pan with the parchment paper circle. Line the sides of the pan with a parchment paper so that the parchment paper creates a collar that sits 1 to 2-inches above the pan. Liberally grease the parchment paper.

In a deep medium saucepan add sugar, corn syrup, vinegar, salt and vanilla. Over medium-high heat bring the mixture to a boil (without stirring) and cook until hard crack stage, i.e. until temperature reads 300 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. This should take about 10 minutes. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan during the cooking process, brush the sides of the pan with a clean pastry brush dipped in water.

Remove from heat. Working quickly, add the baking soda and quickly blend to incorporate the soda into the sugar mixture, about 5 seconds. The mixture will bubble up when you add the baking soda. Be very careful not to touch the hot mixture.

Immediately pour the hot toffee into the prepared pan.
Let cool and set completely before touching.
Cut into pieces. It will makes a huge mess, but the messy little crumbs can be saved for your ice cream! You can stop here if you like or you can take it to the next level by melting the chocolate and drizzling it over the sponge candy pieces.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

A Slow Cooker Kind of Day!

Yes, its just another one of those days! Plus, I can use it to get more points in the Allstar program! This month the Allstar members were encouraged to try at least 3 slow cooker recipes from the Allrecipes.com site! We get one point for every recipe we make (up to 3 points)...these points go towards chances to win a prize at the end of each month.

So, today I'm planning on making a cassoulet...isn't that just a fancy way of saying casserole!  The 'cassoulet' has chicken and kielbasa in it! Along with beans, onions and some other tasty ingredients! It sounded unique, so I thought I would try it because I just LOVE unique recipes! If its a winner, I'll post it here later...with pics!

I just realized that I blab...I mean blog, so much about the Allstar program, but I've never supplied ALL the info on the program! Here's the link to everything you may want to know about this fun program! If it sounds like something you might be interested in, then sign up! Its free and fun!     Allstar Program Info - Click here

~~~Update~~~

The cassoulet tonight, needed a super tweak! I tasted it before I served it and it was very bland! So I decided to fix it by adding some liquid smoke, chicken broth, shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese. This gave it some creamy texture and a perfect smokey, cheesy flavor! Here is my photo and the link to my version of the recipe!
Slow Cooker Cassoulet

Here's a little kitchen tip that I'd like to share! I've been doing this for many years and it's so helpful! I used to have such a problem with where to put my recipe while I'm cooking...no matter where I would put it, it would always be in the way! So I finally came up with a solution! I  glued a magnet on the underside of one of my top kitchen cabinets. This is just a piece of a refrigerator magnet. You know the kind that local businesses give away as advertisement! I cut it into a strip and just glued it under the front edge of my upper cabinet.
Strip of magnet glued on underside of upper cabinet.
    Then I cut another same size strip to use as the holder for the recipe. So when I want to keep my recipe at easy sight, I just put it between the two magnets and its right there for me to see, without being in my way! The recipe stays off my counter top and out of my way, but not out of my sight!


This is how the recipe hangs from the cabinet.
Its right next to my stove. 


Saturday, January 21, 2012

Snowed In! So LOTS of Cooking Today!


Well, we finally got our first snow storm of the year today! It's only about 5 inches so far, but it's enough to keep all of us home! YAY! I love it when my whole family is home! Today is the perfect day to try some of those tasty looking recipes I've been wanting to make! I already have the slow cooker going with a posole recipe! I also have an applesauce loaf in the oven! I'll be making a couple of loaves of crusty bread to go with the posole! And I want to make another Chef Boyardee concoction to enter in the that contest that I mentioned in my other post! If the recipes turn out REALLY good, I'll post them here later!

I wonder what my fellow foodies are cooking today!

                                  ~~~~ Update ~~~
The applesauce loaf is delicious! The aroma of apple/cinnamon spice filled my house while this was baking! I just enjoyed 2 slices with a cup of coffee! What I love about this recipe is that it is VERY low fat...only 2 tbls of butter and 1 egg! And its not overly sweet either!  Here is my photo and  recipe link to my tweaked version of this tasty snack!
http://allrecipes.com/customrecipe/63073538/applesauce-loaf/detail.aspx 
Applesauce Bread

Posole
The posole recipe was a winner....such hearty, authentic, flavors! Perfect for this snowy day! Here's my photo and the link to my tweaked version of this tasty recipe!

And this is the bread I made to go with the posole... I always use this recipe because it tastes just like the bread I get from my favorite bakery! And its so easy to make with a few simple ingredients!
Easy French Bread
http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/lilliancooks/simply-easy-french-bread/other-bread?k=french+bread&m=Lilliancooks&p=1&o=r

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Did You Know...

...that hamburger buns are great for making stuffed French toast?
Stuffed French Toast

Well, I found this out when I had some burger buns that I wanted to use up! It was morning and I felt like having stuffed French toast, so I took the burger buns and made a stuffing with 

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Allstar Program

Allrecipes Allstar Ambassador Program

I was invited to be an Allstar Brand Ambassador by Allrecipes.com, when the Allstar program first started in June 2011...And I gladly accepted!
As part of the program, Allstar members are often given food items from various manufactures. We are asked to use these food items in different recipes and to then give our honest review of that item, along with a photo of the finished recipe. On this page I will show the products and recipes I have made with these items. This is a fun program for me because I'm doing everything I love doing...trying new recipes, reviewing recipes and photographing recipes!
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 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
I was given this product and asked to make a Hidden Valley Ranch recipe from the Allrecipes.com site. I chose this recipe...

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/out-of-this-world-pasta-salad/detail.aspx

 And it was very good! Of course I tweaked the recipe, as I usually do! This is my photo of the finished dish along with my review.

This was very good! I made it as written except I used regular broccoli...I couldn't find the alien kind! And I used all wagon wheel, no spiral. I may add some green onion next time...just for more flavor! I did use the black olives, as suggested, and it went very well with this salad!
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Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
This was an easy one for me because I've always liked this product! We were asked to make 2 recipes using this item. Here are my photos and reviews. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crescent-Pizza-Pockets/Detail.aspx


I made these exactly as written, but I used the reduced fat crescent rolls! I just shaped them into domes because it was so much easier! These were VERY good, as I knew they would be because I love anything made with crescent rolls! These were like little fluffy pillows of pizza goodness!

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 http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pulled-Chicken-Crescents/Detail.aspx


This was pretty good...but I would probably use my own pulled chicken recipe next time!

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Barber Foods
This was one of my favorite Allstar assignments so far! The Barber foods company sent us 9 coupons for free stuffed chicken breasts. My family loved this product! Here is the link to their website and below is my photo of their product!
http://www.barberfoods.com/Our-Products.aspx


I selected their chicken Parmesan stuffed chicken and their broccoli & cheese stuffed chicken. Both were very good! Just bake for 30 minutes in the oven! I served it with a recipe from the Barber foods site...grilled sweet potato fries. http://www.barberfoods.com/Dinner-Ideas/Easy-Side-Dishes/sweet-potato-fries-recipe.aspx
I highly recommend their recipe! And the dipping sauce in that recipe is just PERFECT with the grilled sweet potatoes!

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Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips
We were given this product to use for a Cookies Across America campaign. The Allstars were to bake Nestle Toll House cookies for the holidays and give them away! I always make dozens of cookies for the holidays, so this was a pleasure! 
This is the photo of my cookies...
I made my chocolate chip cookies into biscotti shapes!
 
 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Recipes I've Tried and Loved

Cucumber Fruit Salad
This is a recipe I found on http://allrecipes.com/ Its similar to a Waldorf Salad. I've made it many times and LOVE it! I love the contrast of the tart sour cream and the sweetness of the apples and cranraisins! I also love the freshness of the cucumbers with the parsley. All of these different flavors just dance on your tongue! This is a very impressive salad!
The photo is my own.

Cucumber Fruit Salad (Waldorf Salad)
INGREDIENTS;
1 english cucumber - peeled into stripes and sliced as in photo
1 Macintosh apple - cored and cubed
1/2 cup cranraisins
1/2 cup sour cream - I used fat free
1 Tbls. sugar
1 Tbls. fresh parsley - minced
1/3 cup walnuts - chopped

DIRECTIONS;
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, apple and cranraisins.
In a separate small bowl combine the sour cream, sugar and parsley.
Pour over cucumber mixture and toss to coat. Stir in walnuts. Serve immediately.

If you want to make this salad ahead and store it in the fridge, just do not add the dressing until just before serving. And add a little lemon juice to the apples to keep them from browning. I mix the dressing and store it in a separate container. Then just add to the salad when needed.

Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes
I found this recipe on a cooking site, posted by a cook named Malinda Coletta at http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/appetizer/cheese-appetizer/homemade-mozzarella-cheese-in-30-mins.html?p=1 I tried this and it was perfect! The supplies can be found at www.cheesemaking.com. They ship fast and the prices are great! When you make this cheese, taste it while its still warm...YUM!
My photo.
Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS;
2 gal. very fresh milk
1/2 tsp. lipase powder - optional - I didn't use this and it was fine.
3 tsp. citric acid
1/2 tsp. liquid vegetable rennet
2 tsp. kosher salt or cheese salt

DIRECTIONS;
  • We start by dissolving ½ teaspoon of Lipase powder in ½ cup of cool water; it needs to sit for about 20 minutes before adding to the milk.
  • I pour two gallons of milk in to a CLEAN stock pot (stainless steel DO NOT USE an aluminum pot)and bring it up to 55F over a medium heat stirring constantly; this step goes quickly so be sure to have your thermometer in the milk most of the time. When the milk reaches 55F, add 3 teaspoons of Citric Acid and your Lipase.
  • Heat the mixture to 90F over medium to low heat you will see the milk start to curdle. Off to the side I have waiting in a glass ½ teaspoon plus 2 drops of rennet mixed with ½ cup of water. When the milk hits 90F I add the rennet mixture. Gently stir in an up and down motion, while heating the milk to 105F. Turn off the heat. The curds should be pulling away from the pot and they are ready to be scooped out.
  • Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon or a Chinese spider (that is what we use) put into a microwave safe bowl. Press the curds with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible.
  • We then microwave the curds on high for 1 minute. Drain off the whey again. Gently fold the cheese over and over as if you are kneading bread. Again, microwave for 30 seconds on high drain off whey and add 2 teaspoons of salt.
  • When the cheese is smooth and shiny we roll, it into medium size balls and place them in a bowl of water and ice to cool. Once cool we pat dry and wrap in plastic. This makes about 2 pounds of cheese. We also make ricotta cheese for the remaining whey…but that is another post!!
Whey Ricotta
This is another recipe I made from Malinda Coletta. I made this ricotta from the leftover whey from the mozzarella recipe. The only thing I would do is to add salt to taste. This is very good and very easy to make. I added some italian seasoning and drizzled my ricotta with extra virgin olive oil. I served this as a cheese spread.
My photo.
Whey Ricotta

INGREDIENTS;
Leftover whey from making mozzarella cheese
1 qt. whole milk or heavy cream
1/4 cup cider vinegar
kosher salt to taste

DIRECTIONS;
Add milk or cream to whey and heat to 200 F.
Once the mixture hits 200F turn off heat, add vinegar and stir. You will start to notice tiny white particles. This is curd. Add salt to taste.
Ladle the curd into a colander lined with cheesecloth or a light weight kitchen towel. Allow to drain. Once you can handle the cloth, tie it into a knot and hang over a bowl to drain for several hours.
If you will be using this as a cheese spread, season with whatever you desire...garlic, italian seasoning, olive oil, etc.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

One Pan Greek Skillet Supper

I found this recipe on the Internet and tried it...It was amazingly good! And easy too! I love one pan meals! Especially pasta ones!  I love that the pasta is put in uncooked and it cooks with all the other ingredients...no separate pasta pot! This recipe was posted by a cook known as Nanacooks2...I'm posting it, but showing my version with my photo.
 
One Pan Greek Skillet Supper
One Pan Greek Skillet Supper

INGREDIENTS;
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion-chopped
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (14oz.) beef broth
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes-undrained
2 tbls. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 cup frozen chopped spinach-thawed and squeezed
1 container (5 oz.) feta cheese

DIRECTIONS;
In a large skillet on med/high heat, cook ground beef and onions til meat is well done. Stir often. Drain liquid.

Then add oregano, cinnamon and garlic powder. Mix well. Stir in beef broth, wine, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and stir in pasta.

Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach and feta cheese. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.

Serve warm. For 6 people.


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