This years cooking goals . . .

[codymax2]

I just made my first no knead bread yesterday!mmmm I was surprised! And it was whole wheat! I have been making all of our bread for about 4 months now! This was an easy one to do for company, start it the day before throw it in and yummy freash crusty bread! I have also beem making cheese and yogurt!!!! Mozzarella and ricotta so far! This weekend I'm gonna make my first hard cheese! So liberating being able to make your own food for cheap!
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[KatyTheChickenLady]

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What kind of cheese are you going to make? I made colby last Saturday and it is a lot of work but it turned out awesome. Will be making more this week. My sister makes cottage cheese, ricotta, and mozarella which I plan on making soon. You will need a cheese press for colby and other hard cheeses though. I ordered mine off of ebay for $70 and it included starter culture and the rennet tablets and the cheesecloth.


If you check out my blog you can see that I have been trying lots of new things this year-cheese, pretzels, meringue pies, cinnamon rolls, bread...(we haven't bought store bought bread since the first part of January!!) I am not sure what I want to make next but I just bought a new set of Stainless Steel pans (that I love!!) and will soon be buying a new kitchenaid mixer!! I would skip the bread machine if it were me, they take up a lot of space and bread is not that hard to make without one. I think one of my goals will to be buying a springform pan and making cheesecakes. My cousin's new wife makes the prettiest cheesecakes and I am jealous

Oh and once I get my mixer I will be making butter and other things! I can't wait!!

I have a pressure cooker but have only used it 2 times in the 3 years that I have owned it. It seems to be more of a pain, but maybe you will like it more. I used it to can green beans- the first time I used it I couldn't get the lid off for three days! It discouraged me and DH doesn't like green beans that much anyway. I mostly hot water bath can and if there is anything that needs to be pressure canned my mom does it for me since she has a good pressure canner. She has one that the top screw down- not the presto kind.

WOW! I'm not up to Colby, at least not this year I'm sure . . . I'm going to start with ricotta, then cream cheese, then cottage cheese, then maybe mozzerella & chevre . . . after I have perfected those I want to work on brie's & blues, but that could be into next year. Post a pic of your colby! that just sounds so cool, was it hard to do?
I can't tell you how much I LOVE my bread machine, I'm not a baker so it takes care of my shortcomings and gives me a perfect loaf everyday

my family is so happy and all my kids are declaring that they need one too. (lol even my ones getting ready to leave for the college dorms). Good info on the pressure canner, I'll look for one with a screw down lid. I'm going to use mine for pressure canning chicken & broth as I now raise all our own chicken meat. keep me updated on your experiences I love hearing/sharing

 

[BarefootMom]

The Colby was not hard to do-it just takes a lot of time. It took about 5 hours before it was ready to enter the press. Here is the recipe:

Colby Cheese



Ingredients:

■2 Gallons of fresh raw milk
■4 T of Mesophillic mother culture or ¼ tsp Mesophillic direct set culture
■1 tsp liquid rennet or 1 ½ rennet tablet diluted in ¼ cup cool water
■2 T REAL salt
■Ice cubes


Equipment:

■Stainless steel or aluminium double boiler pans large enough to hold 2 gallons ( I am using a hot water bath canner and an 8 quart saucepot)
■Digital thermometer
■Measuring spoons
■Cheese cloth
■Colander pan
■Cheese press


Procedure:

Heat the milk in a double boiler to 86° F. Stir in the starter culture and ripen milk for 45 minutes. Maintain the target temp of 86 and stir in the rennet. Cover the milk and let it rest at the target temp for 45 minutes, or until the curd develops a clean break.



Maintain the target temp of 86 and cut the curd into ¼ inch pieces and then let them rest for 15 minutes. Slowly heat the curds to 102 F. Occasionally stir the curds to prevent them from sticking together. This part of the process should take around 30 minutes. Once the curds reach the target temp of 102, hold at this temp for 30 minutes and continue to stir. Then let the curds rest for 20 minutes.



Remove the whey down to the level of the curds and then add ice cubes to get the whey to a target temp of 60 F. Gently stir curds for 15 minutes.



Drain the curds into a cheese cloth-lined colander pan and let them drain for 20 minutes at room temperature. Place the curds in a bowl and add the salt. Then use your hand to mill the curds into 1\\4 inch pieces.



Put the curds into a cheese cloth lined cheese press mold, wrap 1 corner o the cheese cloth on the top of the curds and press them at 10lbs or 15 minutes.



Remove the cheese from the mold, unwrap the cheese cloth, turn the cheese upside down with the cheese cloth and press again at 40 lbs for 12 hours. Repeat this procedure and press at 50lbs for 24 hours.

Remove the cheese from the mold and let it air dry on a cheese drain box in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Remember to turn the cheese several times each day to dry it evenly.



Aging:

Age the cheese at 50-60 F and 85-90% moderate ventilation.



Let a smear coat form in 7-10 days and continue to nurture this by rubbling wheels with hands dipped in a 5% salt solution and turning every 3-4 days for up to 2 months. Scrub off any molds that appear during this time. After this, let the rind dry while turning once per week. Age for 4-6 months for full fat cheese.

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My husband tried a little bit last night to see what it tastes like, and yes it tastes like a really mild colby. We will let it age a bit more for it get a better flavor though. I plan on making some more either tomorrow or the next day- need to get over to the neighbors to get some milk. I have a few pictures of the process on my blog. Will try to get a picture of the finished product up soon. My camera batteries are charging right now.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

hahahahaha! and that is why I have a bread machine! I would NEVER have the patience to do something that took 5 hours and still wasn't done. Good for you can't wait to see the pic

 

[TifsBroodyBabes]

This year I plan on canning more, and hopefully making goat cheese.

 

[BarefootMom]

I am a stay at home mom so I have lots of time on my hands. lol. and I like to kep busy. dough is rising while I type...lol.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

lol, MY dough is kneading while I type

 

[alabama49]

Katy-don'tcha just LOVE being able to multitask with the bread machine?

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

i do i do i do
oh i do i do i do I DO!!!!

It's the best thing I have bought myself in sooo long I can't believe I waited this long to do it, I am a foolish woman!
The new sauerkraut crock was worth the price too!