Basic Soft Cheeses...

Yogurt being poured so you can see the texture at room temperature.
It thickens up nicely in the refrigerator

I shared how to make yogurt recently and in that post I shared how to make your own form of "cream cheese" I used goat's milk yogurt and cow's milk yogurt. You could also use sheep's milk yogurt and soy yogurt to make this.

Finished yogurt ready for storage - made this week

Two other soft cheeses that are rather easy to make at home are Mascarpone and Ricotta cheeses.

Mascarpone Cheese

64 ounces heavy cream (1.92 Liters)
1 to 2 Tablespoons tartaric acid (cream of tartar) (2.5 mL)

1. Heat the cream to 180 degrees F or 82 degrees C, stirring often to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat. Add the tartaric acid and let the cream coagulate into a curd.

2. Drain the curd for at least 24 hours under refrigeration in a strainer lined with a coffee filter.
(first put into strainer last night)

The mascarpone is now ready to use. Alternatively, transfer to a storage container and hold, covered, under refrigeration for up to 1 week.

Yields 32 ounces or 960 mL

Mascarpone transfered to just cheese cloth this morning to sit for 24 more hours.
The whey is straining off nicely! :)

What can you make with Mascarpone?

Well, I like to make desserts with mine. It is PERFECT for Tiramisu.

I will put up my own recipe for this when I have a bit more time. I want to share a little more of what we did today first. Another blog post coming immediately...

A few recipes for your February...

I am a contributor to a newsletter online for the recipe column. These are two recipes I shared this month and I thought you might enjoy them, too.

Something pink for Valentine’s Day…

Strawberry/Banana Smoothie

* 6 to 8 strawberries, hulled
* one banana cut into pieces
* 1/2 cup skim milk
* 1/2 cup plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 6 cubes ice, crushed

In a blender combine strawberries, banana, milk, yogurt, honey and vanilla. Toss in the ice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve.

Something Chocolate to stir up a little romance…

I picked this recipe up from a Country Woman Magazine back in 1995. It is THE BEST brownie recipe I have EVER had!!!

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted and slightly cooled but still liquid
1/4 cup shortening, melted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until well mixed. Add butter and shortening. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; stir into egg mixture and mix well. Add nuts if desired. Line a 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan wiht foil and grease the foil. If you prefer not to use foil you can just use a non-stick spray and cover the corners well so it won’t stick. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until brownies test done with a wooden toothpick. Cool in pan. Turn the brownies out of pan onto a cookie sheet (this is the reason for the foil) and remove the foil. Place a wire rack over brownies; turn over and remove cookie sheet. Cut with a heart shape or into bars for a scrumptious Valentine’s Day treat. Yields about 3 dozen brownies.

Enjoy!!!

You can read the complete newsletter here.

My New Comfort Food...

Let's just say I had a really bad afternoon and leave it at that, shall we? That being spoken out loud I really really REALLY deserve that Blue Bell Cookies and Cream ice cream in my freezer but, being the good girl that I am, I had a smoothie instead. I will often have a banana, peanut butter, and cocoa smoothie blended with yogurt and rice milk but today I shook things up a bit and put a new concoction together. Shall we say it was yummy? Well, it was and here is the recipe...

Power Packed Smoothie

1 cup rice milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate (right out of the freezer can and dumped right in)
1 whole banana
1/2 cup goat's milk yogurt (plain natural unsweetened)

I just chunked it all right in the blender and blended together nicely. Pour in glass and there you have the quickest and healthiest thing you can imagine right there in your glass in 30 seconds or less. The orange juice was the perfect compliment to the blueberry and the banana added sweetness without having to add honey or sugar. SCRUMMY!!!

Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 2 whole tiny new potato, thinly sliced
• 3 green onion, sliced
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved (I used ones from my garden picked fresh today - YUMMO)

Directions

1. In an oven transitional skillet melt margarine or butter. Add potatoes, and green onion. Cook over medium heat until potato is tender, turning occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine eggs, milk, basil, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook about 2 minutes or until egg mixture is set, running a spatula around edge of skillet and lifting mixture to allow uncooked portion to run underneath. Top with cheese and tomatoes.Remove and move to 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Makes 2-3 servings. I served with fresh cantaloupe and French bread. Good for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. :)

You can also add mushrooms as you are browning the potatoes but I did not have any today so I didn't.

Adapted from a Better Homes and Garden recipe from their website.

Spinach Quiche...

This one is still kinda in progress but it is really good as it is here.

Spinach Quiche
Cook 4 slices of bacon and crumble, set aside.

Mix 1 small can mushroom pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup cooked spinach
brown all vegetables in skillet and set aside.

Mix:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
2 Tblsp. all purpose flour
1 cup cheddar cheese
In a pie crust, place crumbled bacon and sauteed vegetables. Pour egg mixture over the top of bacon and veggies in pie crust. Place quiche into shallow baking pan on oven rack. Pour boiling water around quiche in baking pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake in a 325* oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 6.

Banana, Peanut Butter, Cocoa Shake

(I use this as a quick pick-me-up mornings and afternoons)

1 banana

1 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter

a few cubes of ice

8 to 10 ounces of milk

Throw it all in a blender and mix well. Pour into glass and enjoy. It is quite sweet without sweetening it and it is very filling. I will multiply this recipe to serve my kiddos, too so we get several servings out of it. Play with the recipe to get the taste and amount you want.