30-Minute Mozzarella

(Thanks to Ricki Carroll, Home Cheese Making)

Measure out additives before you start, in clean glass or ceramic cups. Use unchlorinated water.

1 gallon pasteurized milk (NOT ultra-pasteurized)
1 1/2 level tsp. citric acid dissolved in ¼ cup cool water

Stir the milk on the stove in a stainless steel kettle, heating very gently. At 55° add the citric acid solution and mix thoroughly. At 88° it should begin to curdle.

¼ tsp. liquid rennet diluted in ¼ cup cool water
Gently stir in diluted rennet with up-and-down motion, and continue heating the milk to just over 100°, then turn off heat. Curds should be pulling away from sides of pot, ready to scoop out. The whey should be clear. (If it’s still milky, wait a few minutes.) Use a slotted spoon to move curds from pot to a 2 quart microwaveable bowl. Press curds gently with hands to remove as much whey as possible. Microwave the curds on high for one minute, then knead the cheese again with hands or a spoon to remove more whey. (Rubber gloves help – this gets hot!) Microwave two more times (about 35 seconds each) kneading between each heating. At this point, salt the cheese to taste, then knead and pull until it’s smooth and elastic. When you can stretch it into ropes like taffy you are done. If the curds break instead, they need to be reheated a bit. Once cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls to eat warm or store for later in the refrigerator.

Lacking a microwave, you can use the pot of hot whey on the stove for the heating-and-kneading steps. Put the ball of curd back in with a big slotted spoon, and heat it until it’s almost too hot to touch. Good stretching temperature is 175 degrees.

submitted by Gianna Erickson - found on the website of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1/2 c spinach, chopped
1 c artichoke hearts
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, smashed
dash pepper

Cook spinach and artichoke hearts together until soft (or use frozen spinach and canned hearts and just heat up). Soften cream cheese in microwave for about 1 minute. Stir together and serve with tortilla chips or bread.

Serves 4.

submitted by Laurel Herbert

Sticky Chicken Salad (ala Wingers!)

Dressing:

1/3 c Franks hot sauce
3 TBSP corn syrup
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 c brown sugar

Combine in a sauce pan. Stirring constantly on medium high heat, boil for one to one and a half minutes. If you cook longer than that, the sauce will turn to candy - that would be bad :)

Salad:

2 chicken breasts, breaded & baked (or fried), then sliced/diced into bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, diced
croutons
1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
craisins
Ranch salad dressing

Serve the salad with the listed ingredients, then drizzle with ranch AND Stick dressing.

submitted by Melody Rasmussen

Spinach Salad w/Strawberries

Salad:

1 c sliced strawberries
1 c sugared cashew pieces
1/3 c bacon pieces
1 purple onion
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 package fresh spinach

Dressing:

2 TBSP red wine vinegar
3 TBSP white sugar
1/2 c oil
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c strawberry jam

Combine all salad ingredients and toss together. Combine dressing ingredients and beat together. Drizzle dressing over salad. Serve & Enjoy!

submitted by Meagan Smith

Pasta Salad

1 bag pasta
2 to 4 tomatoes
6 green onions
1 to 2 cucumbers
1 green pepper
pepperoni (optional)
1/2 bottle salad supreme
16 oz bottle Zesty Italian Dressing

Combine vegetables (except cucumbers) and marinate in dressing and salad supreme overnight. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add pasta and remaining ingredients and stir. Refrigerate before serving.

submitted by Diana Putnum

Gooey Layer Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cube (1/2 c) butter

Melt butter & mix with cake mix. Press into jelly roll pan. Top with:

1 bag milk chocolate chips
1 bag coconut
1 small bag mini marshmallows

Pour on top of all:
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

Bake at 350 for 20 min.

submitted by Marsha Neeley

Fried Zucchini

Slice zucchini
dip in egg w/milk
coat in flour
fry in butter

Yummy!

submitted by Julie Stephenson