MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
— ——CRAFT OF THE COUNTRY
COOK—————–
2 ga Milk, pasteurized and
-cooled to 90^F
7 tb Cultured buttermilk
6 tb Yogurt
-rennet to coagulate 2
-gallons milk (1/2 Hansens
-tablet) dissolved in about
1/2 c Cold water.

Usually makes 4 half pound cheeses.

Mozzarella is one of several kinds of “plastic-curd”
cheeses, originating in Italy. In making them the
curds are kneaded, which expels whey and produces
plasticity. Because of their dense texture they keep
well in warm climates and are ideal for smoking.

Provolone is an aged version of a plastic-curd cheese.
Mozzarella is one of the most versatile cheeses to
make at home, since it tastes wonderful freshly made,
freezes well, and can be used like an aged cheese in
cooking, melting readily when heated.

Start this cheese in the evening. Maintain the milk at
90^F in a double boiler. Mix the buttermilk and yogurt
separately with a little of the milk to remove lumps,
then blend into the rest of the milk. Add the rennet
solution and mix thoroughly. Let sit until the curd
sets and breaks clearly when tested with a finger –
about 20 to 30 minutes. Cut the curd into 1/2 inch
cubes as evenly as possible. Maintain at 90^F for 15
minutes, stirring with a clean hand. The curds are
fragile because they have not been cooked, so stir
very gently, just enough to keep them from matting
together. Gently pour the curds into a cloth lined
colander. When the whey has drained, the curd should
be in one solid piece. Rinse in cold water, then soak
in a pan of cold water for 15 minutes. If it is a big
batch, cut the curd into several blocks, 4 or 5 inches
square. Drain off most of the water, then refrigerate
the curds, or keep in a cool, 40^F place. Leave them
in a colander or other container that allows drainage.
(Commercially, mozzarella curds are shipped to
delicatessens at this stage, where the cheese is
finished.) The next day, warm the cheese to room
temperature so it will ripen, or become more acidic.
After an hour or so, test the cheese for acidity as
follows. Cut off a small piece of cheese and cut it
into three 1/2 inch cubes. Heat several cups of water
in a sauce pan to 165^F. Put in the cubes and stir for
5 minutes. Remove the cubes and mold them together
like modeling clay. Reheat the lump of cheese in the
water for a minute, then remove and work or mold it
together a little more. After repeating several times,
try to pull the curd apart. If it breaks or tears, and
clouds the water, it is underripe. Wait an hour or so
and test again. When it pulls into a long rope and can
be molded together again, it is ready. It will have a
glossy surface and* will cloud the water only
slightly. The whole cheese is treated somewhat like
the test sample to finish it. Cut it into small cubes
and put them in a pan. Heat water to 170^F and pour
enough over them, to cover the curds by about 2
inches. Keep a thermometer in the pan and let the
temperature drop to 135^F. Press the cubes together,
and then knead the cheese, by stretching and pulling
it, as if working modelling clay. It should become
“plastic” and stretch into long strands. When it does,
shape into half pound balls, or make a thick rope,
fold it in half, and twist several times to make a
decorative oblong cheese. Mozzarella can be dipped in
hot water to make a glossy surface, or wrapped in
cheese cloth to protect it. To keep the cheese very
fresh tasting for up to a week, keep it in a bowl of
water in the refrigerator, and change the water every
day. To salt mozzarella for longer keeping, or to
prepare it for smoking, soak it in brine for 4 or 5
hours (See Brined Cheese) The whey from mozzarella is
perfect for making ricotta because it does not have a
chance to develop much acidity.

Smoked Mozzarella: Mozzarella and other firm cheeses
can be cold smoked for flavor. Salting and smoking
both help preserve the cheese by drying it, and
discouraging bacteria and insects. Set the cheese on a
rack in the smoker, or wrap in cheesecloth and hang
it. Keep the temperature below 90^F to prevent
sweating off butterfat or melting. Smoke at 60 to 85^F
for 4 to 15 hours.

Brined Cheese: Press the cheese for 5 or 6 hours, or
overnight, without salting it. Make enough brine to
cover the cheese by about an inch, using 4.1/2
Tablespoons of plain salt for every quart of water
needed. Soak the cheese from 12 to 24 hours. A small
cheese requires less time than a large one. Turn the
cheese once or twice to ensure that the brine
penetrates all sides. Drain for about an hour on a
cloth covered rack. Cover and refrigerate. Keeps for a
week or more, longer than most fresh cheeses.

Posted on GEnie Food Wine RT Aug 22, 1992 by
COOKIE.LADY [MUMSIE]

MM by MMCONV and Sylvia Steiger, GEnie THE.STEIGERS,
CI$ 71511,2253, Internet sylvia.steiger@lunatic.com,
moderator of GT Cookbook and PlanoNet Lowfat
Luscious echoes

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GINGERY CARROT BREAD

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breadmaker

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
-FHMN87A
1 1/4 c Water
1 pk Yeast
3 1/2 c Whole wheat flour
2 tb Cashews
1 1/4 ts Freshly grated ginger root
1 1/4 ts Salt
1 1/4 c Grated carrots

Put in the bread machine in the manufacturers specified order. Let the
machine do its magic on white bread cycle.

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HERB CREPES WITH GOAT’S CHEESE STUFFING

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Eggs Cheese
Scottish

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
2 lg Eggs
120 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pn Salt
Pepper — freshly ground
3 dl Milk
2 tb Cold water
Few chives — snipped
1 sm Handful of parsley
Some fresh tarragon leaves
2 Sprigs of fresh dillweed
-Filling
450 g Goat’s cheese — rind removed
2 Egg whites

(Units: 100 g ó 1/2 oz; 1 dl ó 1/2 fl oz ò/5
cup; 180 oC ó50 oF; 200 oC ô00 oF; 230 oC ô50
oF; 250 oC ô75 oF; 2.5 cm ñ inch)

(Two crepes per person for a first course, serve with
the tomato sauce)

Break the eggs into a liquidizer or food processor and
add the flour, salt and pepper to taste. Whiz,
gradually adding the milk and water. Add the snipped
chives, which unless snipped just wrap themselves
around the blades, and the other herbs and whiz until
the herbs are fine. Pour the crepe batter into a jug
and leave to stand for half an hour.

To cook the crepes, melt a small amount of butter,
about 1 1/2 ts, in a crepe or omelette pan, and swirl
it over the surface of the pan. Pour in just enough
batter to cover the bottom of the pan, swirling the
batter around so that the crepe will be as thin as
possible. Over a moderate heat, cook for about 30
seconds, then turn the crepe over using a small
palette knife or spatula and your fingers.

As they are cooked, stack the crepes with a piece of
greaseproof (wax) paper between each, to prevent them
sticking together.

For the filling, put the cheese into a food processor
with the egg whites and whiz until smooth.

Put a generous teaspoonful of filling in the middle of
each crepe and fold into a fat rectangle. Put the
stuffed crepes into an oiled or buttered heatproof
dish and brush them with melted butter. Bake in a
preheated moderate oven 180 oC for 20 minutes.

From: Claire Macdonald, Lady Macdonald’s Scotland,
Bulfinch Press Book, 1990, ISBN 0-8212-1809-3

Typed for you by Rene Gagnaux @ 2:301/212.19

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UPTOWN POTATO SKINS

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Party

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
-Dottie Cross TMPJ72B
-MAIN INGREDIENTS
12 Tiny red (new) potatoes
-about 1-1/2″ in diameter
2 c (to 4) peanut or corn oil
1/2 c Sour cream or creme fraiche
-OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Salsa and chopped fresh
-cilantro
Crisp crumbled bacon and
-minced scallions
Caviar and minced chives

Chopped ripe olives and finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato
with a fork and bake until tender, about 40 minutes.
Let cool.
2. Halve potatoes. Cut a thin slice from the rounded
bottom of each potato half so it will stand upright.
Using a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out
center from each potato half, leaving a shell about
1/4 inch thick; reserve potato for another use.
3. In a wok or large heavy saucepan, heat oil to 360
degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Cook potato shells,
in batches without crowding, until just golden, 1 to 2
minutes. Drain on paper towels. (If made in advance,
cover and refrigerate as long as 24 hours.)
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a small spoon
or a pastry ball fitted with a star, fill each potato
cavity with 2 teaspoons sour cream. Arrange on a
baking sheet and cook until heated through, about 10
minutes. Top with desired toppings and serve warm.
Reformatted by: CYGNUS, HCPM52C

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Title: Determining Your Altitude Above Sea Level
Categories: Information, Canning
Yield: 1 text

It is important to know your approximate elevation or altitude above sea
level in order to determine a safe processing time for canned foods.
Since the boiling temperature of liquid is lower at higher elevations,
it is critical that additional time be given for the safe processing of
foods at altitudes above sea level.

It is not practical to include a list of altitudes in this guide, since
there is wide variation within a State and even a county. For example,
the State of Kansas has areas with altitudes varying between 75 ft. to
4,039 ft. above sea level. Kansas is not generally thought to have high
altitudes, but there are many areas of the State where adjustments for
altitude must be considered. Colorado, on the other hand, has people
living in areas between 3,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level. They
tend to be more conscious of the need to make altitude adjustments in
the various processing schedules. To list altitudes for specific
counties may actually be misleading, due to the differences in
geographic terrain with within a county.

If you are unsure about the altitude where you will be canning foods,
consult your county Extension agent. An alternative source of information
would be your local district conservationist with the Soil Conservation
Service.

===========================================================
* USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)

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Date: Wed, 10 Nov 93 16:39:37 EST
From: davenpor@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Donna Davenport)

LASAGNA

Since I come from an Italian family, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be anything
without pasta. We traditionally serve lasagna as the second course and
this year I’m making it again. I thought I’d share the recipe:

Marinara sauce:

3 cans of crushed tomatoes
5 – 6 cloves of crushed or chopped garlic
handful of parsley
basil if you have it
1 small onion
salt to taste

In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in a little water. Add the
tomatoes and basil. Let simmer on low for an hour, then add salt and
parsley to taste.

Lasagna:

1 and 1/2 box of lasagna noodles – you will have some left over
3 – 4 lbs of Fat Free ricotta cheese
4 egg whites
2 cups of steamed spinach leaves, de-stemmed
2 cups of boiled and mashed carrots
3 long zucchini, cut into long strips and steamed
sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine (or, buy the flakes)
white pepper
black pepper
crushed garlic or garlic powder
chopped mushrooms

Boil the lasagna noodles and lay them out on a tablecloth so they remain
flat and dry, set aside. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese with egg,
white pepper, black pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. Place 1/3 of the
mixture in a separate bowl with the spinach and 1/3 of the mixture in a
separate bowl with the carrots (add extra pepper to carrots) – you should
have 1/3 plain cheese left. Ladle some marinara sauce on the bottom of a
large lasagna pan and then add noodles to cover the bottom. Layer the
steamed zucchini on top of the noodles — spice the zucchini as you like
garlic and pepper is good. Add another layer of noodles. Add the carrot
and cheese mixture and another layer of noodles. Add the spinach and
ricotta mixture and another layer of noodles. Add some marinara sauce and
the remainder of the cheese. The top layer is the topped with noodles
tomatoe sauce and the copped mushrooms plus any left-over sun-dried
tomatoes and/or parsley you have around. Bake at 350 for about 45
minutes. Serve with marinara sauce.

Enjoy. My family was amazed that this was “healthy”!

Notes:

You can substitute tofu for cheese if you don’t want to eat cheese, and
egg beaters for the egg whites. Also, I’ve made this with only 3 layers:
the zucchini, the carrot cheese, and the spinach and cheese — when I
was feeling like less cheese was in order and it was still delish.

4 Sins Dessert *

Recipe By :Patti Anderson
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts Ice Cream
Nuts

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–

—–1ST LAYER—–
24 Oreo’s — crushed
1/4 c Butter — melted
—–2ND LAYER—–
1/2 gal Ice cream — softened
—–3RD LAYER—–
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c Butter — softened
16 oz Chocolate syrup
1 tsp Vanilla
—–4TH LAYER—–
8 oz Cool Whip
1 c Pecans — chopped

Mix cookie crumbs with melted butter. Press into 9×13″ pan. Freeze 30
minutes. Top with softened ice cream. Freeze 30 minutes. Make a syrup with
the condensed milk, chocolate syrup and butter. Combine in saucepan and
bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Pour on top of ice cream.
Freeze 30 minutes. Spread Cool Whip over top. Sprinkle with chopped
pecans.
About 30 minutes before serving, place in refrigerator to help ease in
serving.

Recipe from Sallie Kratz a few years ago.

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Cream of Asparagus Soup

Recipe By : Found on Internet
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups Stews Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears
1 medium onion — diced
1 Tbsp butter
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium potato — peeled and diced
1 rib celery — chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to
taste

Preparation Instructions:
Soak and rinse asparagus. Remove top 1 inch of each spear, discard tough
lower part, reserving middle portion of stalks. In a 3-quart saucepan
over
medium heat, sauté onion in butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until
translucent. Add chicken stock, asparagus tips and stems, potato,
celery,
thyme, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and
simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from
heat
and let cool.
Remove asparagus tips and set aside. Place half of the soup at a time
in
a blender container. Cover and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds
or
until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and return blended soup to
saucepan. Add reserved asparagus tips and cream (or half and half, or
milk) and heat thoroughly, or refrigerate to be served cold.
Serves 4

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NOTES : This soup is wonderful served hot or cold. Half half or milk
may
be substituted for the cream if fat content is a concern,
although
it won’t taste quite as good. Be sure to adjust the seasoning
after you add the cream (or half half, or milk), especially if
you plan to serve it cold.

I found this recipe last year on the internet, and unfortunately
I
did not record the author’s name, I apologize as I would like to
thank them, Dennis I used this recipe many times this spring
when the asparagus was so plentiful in our Ontario market.

EASY MEXICAN MOLE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
3 Boneless chicken breasts
2 tb Vegetable oil
15 oz Tomato sauce
1/2 c Picante sauce
4 ts Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t Cumin
1 t Oregano
1/2 ts Garlic salt
ds Cloves, nutmeg, allspice

Brown chicken in oil and drain fat. Combine remaining
ingredients and mix well. Pour over chicken in
skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and
simmer 10 minutes. Remove chicken to serving platter.
Cook and stir — Sara E Stortenbecker
sestort@iastate.edu

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Title: COTTAGE CHEESE CAKES
Categories: Breakfast
Yield: 1 servings

3 md Eggs
1 c Small curd cottage cheese
2 tb Corn oil
2 tb Flour or cornmeal

Combine the ingredients in order in a blender. Blend
well until mixture is smooth. Cook on a slightly
greased griddle or in a hot skillet. Since the
consistency of the cakes is light keep the cake size
small. Randy Rigg

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