I have been a foodie for years. Some of my earliest memories involve helping in the kitchen. My Grandmothers and Mother were kitchen powerhouses. I picked up tips and tricks from them all and use them every chance I get. Cutting, shopping, canning, freezing, preserving, baking, and serving large groups of people were strengths that they all shared. I have found my own tricks that work well and help keep me sane, and keep my family coming back for more.
Today, I just finished making 2 lbs of fresh mozzarella cheese. Cheese making is a new enterprise for me, and one that I have found to be very rewarding. After a particularly nasty knee surgery I found myself sitting at home trying not to feel sorry for myself. A do-it yourself magazine arrived with an article on Easy Cheesy: 4 Super Simple Recipes written by Tabitha Alterman. There were beautiful color photos of various cheeses. One of the photos was a plate of mozarella cheese. The article stated that you could make your own in 30 minutes..........30 minutes....... Ya. right...Sure I thought. There's no way. I read the article and became intrigued. The photos were beautiful, the process not too daunting, the ingredients easy to get, and to be honest, it just looked fun! I decided that when I was back on my feet (literally), I was going to try it.
My family are total cheese hounds. We love it. Any shape or form will be quickly devoured and we all have our favorites. From my husband's love of extra sharp cheddar, to my son's love of string cheese, to my love of any kind of cheese melted and gooey! I was healthy and back in the kitchen and the cheese making process began. There were mistakes, but even the screw-ups were tasty! Before I had it figured out, I had made several batches of mozzarella that were not well formed, and melty in consistency. Put salsa in that, and oh my goodness! Homemade salsa con queso! (Not so great for the waistline, but oh so good in the mouth!) In a few batches, I had it! Alterman was right! You CAN make mozzarella in 30 minutes! It was so exciting. Watching the cheese form was like cooking, science, and kitchen magic all rolled into one!
Today's adventure was mozzarella. I will use it on a margherita pizza and on ciabatta bread with fresh tomatoes and basil. Golden days of summer are the best.
 |
| Mozzarella and Basil |
WEEKLY MENU
Monday
Pasta with homemade pesto
Green beans
Grilled garlic bread
Tuesday
Rotisserie Chicken
Peanut Satay Sauce
Carrots
Rice
Wednesday
Steak Fajitas
Homemade Salsa
Cucumbers
Thursday
Ramen Noodle Stir fry with Chicken and Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges
Friday
Grilled Portobello Burgers
Mediterranean Salsa
Corn on the Cob
Baked Beans
Saturday
Grilled Turkey Sausages
Corn on the Cob
Mediteranian Orzo Salad
Chocolate No Bake Cookies
