Rich Homemade Cottage Cheese Food

RICH HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• 1) Add milk, cream and salt to a saucepan and bring to a medium heat.
• 2) Add lemon juice, stir occasionally, when bubbles start to form around the edges, remove from heat, curds will have started to form
• 3) Let mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• 4) Set a sieve lined with paper towel in a bowl.
• 5) Pour the mixture into the sieve.
• 6) Allow the water to drain for about 1 hour.
• 7) When water has drained squeeze the cheese gently in the paper towel (if you squeeze too much the cheese will be too dry).
• 8) Remove the cheese from the paper towel and put in a container. it can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge.

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the milk to 190F.
• You will need a thermometer for other cheeses but you can get by here turning off the heat just before the milk begins to boil.
• Add the vinegar and allow the mixture to cool.
• When cool, pour the mixture, which now consists of curds and whey into a colander and drain off the whey.
• Pour the curds into a bowl and sprinkle on the salt and mix well.
• You may wish to use less salt or more, depending on your taste.
• A little cream could also be added, for a more silky variation.
• Now the best part, enjoy fresh or use in a cooked dish such as a lasagna!

COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and add half of the marinara sauce. Spread evenly and set aside.
• Add water to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, then add the jumbo pasta shells. Cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
• Spoon out mixture into the jumbo pasta shells and place them into the baking dish.
• Cover the shells with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle more mozzarella cheese on top of the shells.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat milk to a low boil in a small saucepan, stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Using a thermometer, position it so that is it touching the milk but not the pan. Heat the milk up to 120 degrees.
• When it reaches that temperature, turn off the heat. Add the vinegar. Let sit for a half hour.
• Put a cheesecloth in a colander and pour the mixture out into it. Let the green liquid drain away for about 3 minutes. Wrap the cottage cheese in the cheesecloth and run under cool tap water for about 3 more minutes. While you do this, knead the cheese with your fingers.
• You have made cottage cheese!

COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour milk into a small pot; bring to a boil. Add vinegar and remove from heat. Stir mixture slowly until curds form, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Allow liquid whey to drain off as curds cool, about 15 minutes. Season curds with salt.

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE PIEROGIES / PEROGIES - THE OLD FASHIONED

Steps:

• Cottage Cheese Filling: Combine the cottage cheese with the egg and season to taste with the salt.
• If the cheese is very dry, an additional egg (or egg yolk) or thick sour cream can be added.
• Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.
• Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough.
• Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth.
• Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts.
• Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape.
• Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.
• Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most old-world grandmothers did, with the open end of a glass.
• Put the round in the palm ofyour hand.
• Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers.
• The edges should be free of filling.
• Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out.
• Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
• COOKING: Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Do not attempt to cook too many at a time.
• Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes.
• The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling.
• Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed.
• Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly.
• Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking.
• Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked.
• Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them.
• Top with melted butter- chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.
• REHEATING: One of the great things about pierogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without loss of quality.
• Many prefer reheated pierogies as compared to freshly boiled ones.
• To re-heat, you can 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or 3) deep fry them.

HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE (CROCK-POT)

Steps:

• Add the rennet liquid to the 1/2 cup of water, set aside.
• Heat skim milk to 85 degree F and maintain temperature for one minute.
• Add buttermilk and Rennet solution and stir well.
• Cover with towel and leave at room temperature (70 degrees F) for 12 to 18 hours. A firm curd will forms and a little Whey will appear on the surface. (To test for firm curd, remove a milk sample at a point near the edge of the pan or bowl with a spoon. The curd is ready when the coagulated milk sample holds its shape and the edges are sharply defined.).
• Cut the curd into 1/2 inch squares by passing a long knife through the curd lengthwise and crosswise of the container.
• Heat curd slowly over hot water until temperature reaches 110ºF.
• Hold this temperature for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to help distribute the heat evenly and keep the curd from sticking together.
• Note: If using a double boiler bring the water to boil and then turn off and watch closely, otherwise it may overheat and you'll have 'cheese'. In my crockpot I turn to high and keep a close eye on the temperature; stirring around the edges and bottom every 5 minutes. Once it gets up to 100 degrees, I turn it to low until it reaches 110, then turn to the keep warm setting. Each crockpot is a little differnt so watch it carefully. I've also read where the container with the curd can be microwaved on high for 1 minute, then stirred and let stand for 5 minutes; but I haven't tried this method yet.
• Immediately pour the the curd into a bowl, or collendar that is lined with cheese cloth and drain for several minutes; shifting the cloth occassionally to help drain off the Whey.
• Once the Whey has been drained off, immerse curd in the cheese cloth in a bowl of cold water for approximately 2 minutes.
• Drain the Whey from the curd and transfer the cheese to a bowl.
• Mix in salt and cream.
• Chill before serving.

GOOD EATS QUICK HOMEMADE COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• Pour the skim milk into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat to 120 degrees F. Remove from the heat and gently pour in the vinegar.
• Stir slowly for 1 to 2 minutes. The curd will separate from the whey.
• Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into a colander lined with a tea towel and allow to sit and drain for 5 minutes.
• Gather up the edges of the cloth and rinse under cold water for 3 to 5 minutes or until the curd is completely cooled, squeezing and moving the mixture the whole time.
• Once cooled, squeeze as dry as possible and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the salt and stir to combine, breaking up the curd into bite-size pieces as you go.
• If ready to serve immediately, stir in the half-and-half or heavy cream. If not, transfer to a sealable container and place in the refrigerator. Add the half and half or heavy cream just prior to serving.