Who wants to make some cheese? (ARE YOU GOODA WITH GOUDA?)

peteyfoozer

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I have a Jersey cow who puts a LOT of HEAVY cream on my milk...do I skim this off, or use it with it?
 

Queen Mum

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Go ahead and make whole milk feta cheese. It will be yummy. The ricotta cheese from the whey will be extra tasty.

Ricotta cheese

Bring the whey to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Be careful, it will have a tendency to foam and boil over at this point.

You should see very fine particles of "cheese". (If you don't add 1/4 cup of vinegar.)

cool and drain through a very fine cheese cloth.


The results are DELICIOUS. It is pure protein. There won't be very much, but it's worth the effort. (I make 5 gallon batches of cheese so I get about 2 cups of ricotta.) A 3 gallon batch may yield much less ricotta. You can freeze it.

I like to mix mine with a bit of garlic and herbs with some salt. It makes a great spread.

It is also great mixed with some honey and berry jam and spread on toast.
 

peteyfoozer

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oh! I like the idea of mixing the herbs with the ricotta. I have not been making much lately cuz I don't have that many things to do with it! Now I need some crackers! :celebrate
 

Queen Mum

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Well, since you mentioned crackers... Here is a recipe for crackers:

Herbed Vegetable Thins

2 cups Flour
1/4 cup shortening
1 Tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons mixed herbs (I use Mrs. Dash)
1/4 cup dried soup greens (ground in a blender, coffee grinder or food processor)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Mix the dry ingredients in a food processor

Then slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup cold water. Process until it makes a ball of dough

Chill the dough until it is cold and then roll until it is VERY thin.

Cut with a pastry cutter and place on a cookie sheet.

Prick with a fork all over.

Bake till golden brown.

Optional: You can add 1/4 cup sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds. You can also add 1/4 cup of finely grated cheese.

You can baste the crackers lightly with water and sprinkle very lightly with salt if you desire before baking.
 

SmallFarmGirl

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:frow

Raising my hand! Do I have to make cheese ??? Or can I just listen in and ask questions?
 

Queen Mum

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Soup greens are dried vegetables like you get in a package of dried soup mix. Sometimes you will get big jars of soup mix at the grocery for making instant soup that has bits of dried carrots and onion and celery and parsley. You can skip that and just use some dried onion flakes, parsley flakes, maybe some other dried herbs. Or leave it out all together.
 

peteyfoozer

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oh! ok, I dry my own, so I could do that! I just had no idea what it was :p
 

Queen Mum

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SmallFarmGirl said:
:frow

Raising my hand! Do I have to make cheese ??? Or can I just listen in and ask questions?
Of course you can listen in and ask question. Auditing is allowed. Smileys are welcome.
 

Cricket

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Oh, thank you for the Ricotta recipe, too! I'm running way behind, but have my buttermilk for sour cream and am getting milk tonight when I go to work. I found a recipe for ice cream that uses sour cream, yogurt, and honey. I bought one of those electric ice cream makers where you freeze the bowl and don't have to use ice and salt and I am in heaven. THEN the Feta!

This summer I was using my crock pot to make a water bath to make yogurt in--it worked well with the lid off, could check temp occasionally if it was getting too cool. Left to milk one night with it on and the lid on and by the time I got home, the whey was separating. I heated it quite high for a little bit on the stove and it separated more, then hung it in cheese cloth for 24 hours or so. It was crumbly, and mixed with herbs, onion powder, salt and a little cream it made a decent boursin-like spread and I didn't have to use my cream. Happy accident!
Cricket
 
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