Cheese. Cheese is one of my favorite foods. I particularly love goat cheese and recently was fortunate enough to get my hands on some fresh, soft rosemary-garlic sheep's milk cheese that was amazing. Expensive, but amazing.
This cheese is pretty tasty, too. Paneer is a mild, fresh (unaged) Indian cheese that is used a lot in South Asian cooking. It is easy to make and even my picky 14 year old will eat it. Even if he has to pick it out of whatever awful thing I have put it in that he won't eat, he will eat the cheese. :)
Please note: This recipe uses fat-free milk. You are welcome to use whole milk or 2% milk for a 'richer' tasting cheese, but then it won't be fat free. Still good, though.
Fat Free Paneer
makes approximately 12 ounces of cheese
Ingredients:
1 gallon fat free milk ( or milk of your choice)
8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
What you do:
Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and set this in your sink. (If you want to collect the whey for other use place the colander in a large bowl.)
Pour your milk into a stainless steel or enamelled pot and set over medium heat. Heat slowly, stirring frequently so that the milk doesn't scorch, until it reaches a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt. After the salt is dissolved, slowly drizzle in the lemon juice, stirring constantly. Stir over low heat for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and let sit for about 15 minutes. You should now have curds floating in the liquid. Gently pour the contents of your pot into the colander (Or use a ladle and transfer it that way) and strain out the liquid, leaving the curds in the cheesecloth. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie it, squeezing out as much liquid as you can. Place back in the colander in the sink and let it drain for another 2-3 hours.
For firmer cheese, place a plate on top of the cheese and weigh it down with something heavy, like a large can or a brick while it is draining. This will press out even more liquid, giving you a nice, firm cheese. Store covered in the refrigerator after draining.
You can eat this as is, or use it in your recipes, and you get to feel all superior and brag to your friends because you made your own cheese! :) Next week I may tell you how to make your own crackers, too. :)
Friday, September 21, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Food Friday: Baked Pancake
Pancakes are good. This baked pancake is REALLY good. It's puffy (until it deflates or if it decides not to puff in the oven which happens sometimes), light and tasty.
The directions sound a lot harder than it actually is. Once you do it you will be like "Oh, that wasn't so bad!" And you will be right. It's not. :)
Please note that if your ingredients are room temperature, the pancake fluffs more than if you use everything cold.
Baked Pancake
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (2% and whole both work well)
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, cut into a few pieces (I use unsalted butter)
Heat the oven to 425, then put a 10 or 12 inch skillet (or Pyrex pie plate) in the oven to heat while you prepare the batter.
Beat the eggs in a medium-sized bowl, then beat in the milk, then the flour and salt and beat until the batter is just smooth.
By now your pan should be very hot. Quickly remove the skillet from the oven, drop the butter in and put the skillet back in the oven and close the door for a few seconds. Remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the melting butter around to coat the bottom of the pan. Now pour the batter into the buttery pan and return it the oven. Set your timer for 15 minutes, then go peek at it, you want it to be puffed and golden and quite brown in places, and it could take as long as 20 minutes, it depends on your oven.
Remove from the oven and the skillet. The pancake will deflate somewhat, but it will still taste yummy! These are good plain, sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with maple syrup or spread with jelly or jam or honey.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Food Friday: Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice. Such a simple recipe and yet it is so good. All three of us happily eat this. I do not use the ham that the recipe calls for, but I will use sausage (smoked sausage, kielbasa, or veggie sausage). My son picks out the sausage and gives it to his dad, but the beans and rice he devours. We have a friend from New Orleans and his mother gave me the cookbook that I adapted this recipe from.
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Take one-two pound dem red bean an' put dem in a big pot, dere. Den you wash dem bean real good an' watch out fo dem little rock an' chuck dirt. W'en dem bean real good clean, fill up wit planty water, fo'-five quart. Trow in nice ham bone wit planty meat lef'' on, or one-two poun' ham chuck. Don' fo'get to remember two-t'ree onion, fo-five toe garlic an' planty salt an' peppeh. Now, boil dat all down til dem bean planty sof' an' dat gravy planty thick. Serve dem over steam rice wit' Tabasco sauce.
Did you get that?
Would you like a translation?
2 pounds dried red beans
1 meaty ham bone or 1 1/2 pounds pounds ham chunks or smoked sausage of your choice (or none at all, but it will taste different)
2 large onions, chopped
4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (optional, but I always add it)
Tabasco to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash dried beans and remove any foreign matter (I often find rocks and dirt clods in my dried beans). Place in a large pot and add 4 to 5 quarts of water, the meat (or substitute if using), onions, garlic and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 3 hours until the beans are soft and the gravy is nice and thick. Serve over cooked rice with Tabasco sauce.
Yes, I just told you to cook the dried, unsoaked beans. Trust me. You do not need to soak them overnight, or do the quick soak method, either. The beans cook just fine without soaking. I have not soaked beans in years, I always do it this way (with one exception, but that is for another Friday).
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Take one-two pound dem red bean an' put dem in a big pot, dere. Den you wash dem bean real good an' watch out fo dem little rock an' chuck dirt. W'en dem bean real good clean, fill up wit planty water, fo'-five quart. Trow in nice ham bone wit planty meat lef'' on, or one-two poun' ham chuck. Don' fo'get to remember two-t'ree onion, fo-five toe garlic an' planty salt an' peppeh. Now, boil dat all down til dem bean planty sof' an' dat gravy planty thick. Serve dem over steam rice wit' Tabasco sauce.
Did you get that?
Would you like a translation?
2 pounds dried red beans
1 meaty ham bone or 1 1/2 pounds pounds ham chunks or smoked sausage of your choice (or none at all, but it will taste different)
2 large onions, chopped
4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (optional, but I always add it)
Tabasco to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash dried beans and remove any foreign matter (I often find rocks and dirt clods in my dried beans). Place in a large pot and add 4 to 5 quarts of water, the meat (or substitute if using), onions, garlic and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 3 hours until the beans are soft and the gravy is nice and thick. Serve over cooked rice with Tabasco sauce.
Yes, I just told you to cook the dried, unsoaked beans. Trust me. You do not need to soak them overnight, or do the quick soak method, either. The beans cook just fine without soaking. I have not soaked beans in years, I always do it this way (with one exception, but that is for another Friday).
Monday, September 3, 2012
Food Friday--Two-fer. Flour Tortillas and Sodium Free Taco Seasoning
So, I am in school yet again. All of my classes are online which is nice for convenience sake, but the amount of homework is insane. The homework is why I missed posting on Friday, so I am making up for it by giving you two today. Though they kind of go together. One of them is the sodium free taco seasoning I have been using for years now. It's really good, and better for you than the packaged stuff you get at the supermarket. I have pictures to share, but they will be uploaded later. The battery in my camera is dead and must be charged before I can get the pictures.
Sodium Free Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika (sometimes I use smoked paprika for a slightly different flavor)
1 teaspoon ground oregano
Mix everything together and use, or make a whole bunch and store it in an airtight container, which is what I do. It's really tasty .
This recipe makes approximately the same amount you would find in a boughten packet, so enough to season about 1 pound of whatever you are wanting to season. This can also be used as a nice salt-free rub for dry marinating stuff. Just rub it in, cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.
The other recipe I have for you is an experiment that I decided to try a few days ago. I was very pleased with the results and will be making these again.
Flour Tortillas
What you need:
2 cups All Purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
3/4 cup warm water
What you do:
Combine your flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and using a fork or pastry blender, cut the oil into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs. Add the water and mix until thoroughly combined. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap, a tea towel, foil, or whatever you have handy for covering bowls and let the dough sit for 30 minutes. It will NOT rise during this time, it just needs to rest.
Heat a dry heavy skillet or griddle. I use enamelled cast iron. Once the dough has rested, flour your hands and pull off a golf-ball sized piece and shape it into a ball. Place on a floured surface and roll to desired size and thin-ness. Place it gently into your hot skillet and cook about 30 seconds, until it is starting to blister. Carefully flip it over and cook the other side about 30 seconds, then remove to a plate lined with a towel and keep covered while you cook the other ones.
Eat them warm with butter and honey, or use them for their actual purpose. They are good for soft tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, wraps, whatever! They are fluffy and chewy and tasty.
Sodium Free Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika (sometimes I use smoked paprika for a slightly different flavor)
1 teaspoon ground oregano
Mix everything together and use, or make a whole bunch and store it in an airtight container, which is what I do. It's really tasty .
This recipe makes approximately the same amount you would find in a boughten packet, so enough to season about 1 pound of whatever you are wanting to season. This can also be used as a nice salt-free rub for dry marinating stuff. Just rub it in, cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.
The other recipe I have for you is an experiment that I decided to try a few days ago. I was very pleased with the results and will be making these again.
Flour Tortillas
What you need:
2 cups All Purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
3/4 cup warm water
What you do:
Combine your flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and using a fork or pastry blender, cut the oil into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs. Add the water and mix until thoroughly combined. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap, a tea towel, foil, or whatever you have handy for covering bowls and let the dough sit for 30 minutes. It will NOT rise during this time, it just needs to rest.
Heat a dry heavy skillet or griddle. I use enamelled cast iron. Once the dough has rested, flour your hands and pull off a golf-ball sized piece and shape it into a ball. Place on a floured surface and roll to desired size and thin-ness. Place it gently into your hot skillet and cook about 30 seconds, until it is starting to blister. Carefully flip it over and cook the other side about 30 seconds, then remove to a plate lined with a towel and keep covered while you cook the other ones.
Eat them warm with butter and honey, or use them for their actual purpose. They are good for soft tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, wraps, whatever! They are fluffy and chewy and tasty.
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