Homemade Cheese Spread (from "spoiled" milk)

Spicy Garlic Spread with Cracked Pepper

Don't you hate it when you drink only 1/2 gallon milk before the other 1/2 expires?  Next time, up to a week after that 1/2 gallon expires, you can make homemade cheese., traditionally called farmer's cheese. Thanks to the many bloggers for the basic recipe! So there must have been some creativity stirring in my brain today...here is recipe #2:

Homemade Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon expired milk

1/4 cup and 1 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Whole-Ingredient Mix Ins (add before heating milk; optional):

1/2 tbsp crushed pepper (like leftovers from takeout pizza)

2-3 peppers, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

or any other finely diced fresh spices

Ground Mix Ins (add after straining; optional)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp Basil

1 tsp black pepper

Any other ground spices

1. Pour milk into dutch oven or large pot. (Add any whole-ingredient mix-ins.)
2. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
3. Bring to about 200*.  For those of us who don't use themometers, but go for the feel of things, bring to the point just before boiling (one bubble blops on top).
4. Remove from heat and slowly mix in vinegar.
5. Let cool to room temperature (or whatever temperature you can handle).
6. Set a strainer in the sink.  In the strainer, place a fine cloth (cheese cloth, clean handkercheif, or scarf that is large enough to cover strainer).
7. Pour milk mixture (also known as Ms. Muppet's curds and whey) in cloth.
8. Gather up corners of cloth above strainer.  Starting from the top, twist the cloth in order to cause the extra liquid (whey) to strain out.  The curds will remain and form a ball as you squeeze.  After the majority of the whey is removed, untwist the cloth and lay the cloth with the curds back into the strainer.
9. Run warm water over curds and mix with spoon (curds and water are still in cloth and strainer).  This will remove any lingering vinegar taste.  Twist the cloth again as in step 8.
10. Repeat step 9 to remove the last of vinegar. Twist the cloth once again.
11. Untwist the cloth and lay cloth with cheese in strainer.  Mix in salt and any additional spices with spoon.
12. For the final time, gather corners of cloth and twist in order to form a ball with the cheese spread.  You may also form a cylender or cube with the cheese at this time.
13. Place the cheese on small plate tightly covered in Saran Wrap.  Store in the refridgerator.  Serve chilled with crackers or use in a recipe.

Today I combined salt, crushed pepper, garlic powder, no-salt seasoning, and black pepper for a spicy garlic spread... Yum!  It is recommended that you add additional seasonings; otherwise the cheese is just a creamy bland taste like plain yogurt.

Homemade Granola

Here is a recipe (like most of my recipes) for you cooks that "feel" your way through instead of "measure" your way through a recipe.  As you can see, most of the ingredients you will have on hand, and more than half are optional to your liking.

Homemade Granola



Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter (optional)
1 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup oil
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup cocoa (optional)

1 cup wheat germ (optional)
8 cups oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 325*
2. Spray 2 cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans with cooking spray.
3. Mix first 8 ingredients (water through cocoa) in a large dutch oven or large pot.
4. Place over low-medium heat on stovetop, stir constantly.
5. Bring to slow boil. Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat.
6. Stir in wheat germ until mixed thoroughly.
7. Stir in oatmeal until all oatmeal is sticky and coated with sugar mixture.
8. Crumble oatmeal mixture in an even layer on cookie sheets.
9. Cook at 325* for 20-30 minutes or until toasty brown, stirring every 10 minutes. 
10. Cool. (Mixture will harden and crip while cooling.)
11. Stir in any extras at this time (1 cup of chocolate chips, berries,  nuts, or raisins).
12. Enjoy as snack or for breakfast over milk or yogurt.

Like Putty in Your Hands

Last Friday was one of those days when I look around my house and just want a change.

 

I go through these phases of wanting to display every art piece and memorandum we have every owned...and then a few weeks later I look around and can't see our walls; so the process of restoration begins. Only a few chosen items get to remain hanging dainty on the off-white background, while the rest get to see a new home in a matter of hours. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes your mind to a whole new level. To see more clean white walls gives your eyes a place to rest and think of nothing to allow your creative juices to flow. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all of the pictures off the walls are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of those holes are small, they are awfully noticeable on a pure white wall. They need to be filled with soft, moldable putty in order to blend in. Friday, I finally decided to patch all the holes in my wall after the "peace ceremony" of discarding. I whipped up some putty (see recipe below) and was able to fill each and every tiny scar with pureness. If I forget to putty, sure, the walls are free from clutter, but the holes are still there. It was like bandaging an open wound, except better. Clean. Pure.

*****

Sometimes we go through phases of wanting to do every good deed listed on the church bulletin and attending every program, ballgame, meeting, and party there is. Then we look around and can't see ourselves. We are lost in the shuffle. It is time for restoration. Choose only a few items that should remain dainty in your life, the rest should be discarded awaiting a new soul to take on the good deed or tossed out to the trash. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes you mind to a whole new level. To allow time alone with God gives your soul a place to rest and think of nothing other than Him to get your juices flowing. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all the clutter off our schdules are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of the emptiness remain small, it is awfully noticeable on a pure white soul. It needs to be filled with gentleness, moldability, and rest in order to blend in. To whip up some putty, read your Bible daily (even just a verse and mediatation will do for a starter), talk with your Friend (the God Almighty), and make a list of what needs to continue to stay out of your life (business), and what needs to fill in the holes (true good deeds...not just programs). If you forget to putty, sure, the business may be gone, but the emptiness will still be there. It is like bandaging an open would, except better. Clean. Pure.

______________________________________________________________________

Recipe for literal wall putty:

3tbsp flour
1tbsp+ water
Acrylic Paint (color of wall)

1. Place flour in small bowl.
2. Make a "well" with the flour (like making tortillas).
3. Add 1tbsp of water in the hole. Don't mix.
4. Add a couple drops of acrylic paint to the water. Your paint should be 5-10 shades darker than your wall color. (Hints: red+yellow=orange, blue+red=purple, yellow+blue=green, yellow+red+blue=brown, red+white=orange, white+black=gray; most "white" walls are not pure white but have a hint of pinkish-orange in them or a light blue-grey tint.)
5. Swirl the water and the paint together. At this point, your water should be a shade or two darker than your wall color.
6. Slowly mix in the flour starting with the inside of the well. Mix until soft dough forms (like tortilla, pasta, or cinnamon roll dough). Add more water if too stiff. Add more flour if too watery. Add more paint if too light in color (hold up to wall to test).
7. Knead until all parts are incoorperated.
8. Test on inconspicuous area.
9. Fill holes with putty (it doesn't take much).
10. If wall has a "bump" from the nail pushing out the wall, simply take a hammer and lightly tap against the wall to flatten surface.
11. Let dry :)

----------------------------------
To not remain empty any more...look at this: how do we get saved

How to Make Homemade Pizza (in 30 minutes)

It is Saturday evening, and as usual, our weekend ritual did not cease. My husband loves pizza.--Confession: I do too!-- From the time we got married, I have been working from day one to make the perfect pizza. My poor husband has had to put up with the all-too-many failures, and I still fail occassionally. Of course, my mother-in-law makes the perfect crust; but, alas, you must use yeast (and wait...and wait...and wait...just like that homemade pasta from the kneader's kitchen). Thus, I have attempted to create a 30 minute pourable crust. The crust, I dare say, is most important. Too fluffy or crisp and the whole thing is ruined. Without it, it would just be a pile of soggy meat and vegetables.

Oh, but the crust without the toppings would just be bread. The pepperoni, the salami, the ham, the sausage, the chicken...and that's just for the meat lovers. The zucchini, the tomatoes, the bell peppers, the onions, the mushrooms, the mozzarella and cheddar cheese...scrumptious toppings. And yet, without the sauce it would just be dry. The spices, the tangy tomato sauce, the creamy luscious Alfredo dressing, the spicy buffalo for heat...all unique and delectable.
"The more toppings the better!" we always say.

Have you noticed I love food? And have you noticed I love the church? Christ is the necessary foundation for the perfect church. The One that establishes us and makes us delectable. Without Him, we would just be a soggy mess. But the variety is SO good: the elderly women who hardly speaks, but will always bring you a pie when you need it the most...the loud mouth man, who without him, there would be no direction....the fast and furious mother with five little ducklings in a row that tries to attempt to organize a tea and conduct VBS on top of teaching Sunday Bible school...the soft-spoken but structured man who utters a word only when truth is needed. All of them are founded on Christ Himself. All of them work together through their differences to enhance the flavor of one another. "The more the better!" we always say.

The perfect pizza.

The 30-minute Pourable Pizza

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt (garlic salt is even better)
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp sugar (yes, sugar)
2 tbsp baking powder (double acting)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 eggs

Sauce (we prefer the zesty italian or pasta sauce for more flavor)

Toppings:
"The more the better!"

First 7 minutes
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredient (first 5) in large mixing bowl with whisk.
3. Add wet ingredients (last 3) and mix with whisk.
4. Pour two large, greased cookie sheets (or pizza pans), making 2 mounds.
5. Spread mounds into 11 inch circles by slowly tilting the cookie sheet in a circular motion or use the back of a spoon. (It is very important to get the batter thin and level as the batter will double to triple in thickness. If thick, the batter will end up like cake. If thin, the batter will rise to a normal size. For an even denser and thinner crust, leave out the baking powder and cook longer as the batter will be thick. If your pans are too small, make a rectangle crust on a cookie sheet).

Next 13 minutes
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Meanwhile, prepare toppings by chopping into bite-sized pieces. Prepare sauce if needed.

Last 10 minutes
8. Carefully remove pizza from the oven and spread sauce until 1 inch from sides. Use back of spoon.
9. Place toppings on top of sauce, leaving cheese for last. Sprinkle cheese over top.
10. Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.
(Set table and clean up while waiting on finishing touches)

ENJOY!