Paneer and Whey Drink
Steps In Making Cheese
Paneer was my next step in cheese making. Paneer is like a pressed ricotta cheese. If you’re new to cheese making, as I am, it is best to start small and work your way up.
I started with yogurt cheese made in a crock pot. If yogurt sounds intimidating, try this reader tip to get you started:
“Simply boil a cup of milk, and then let cool to room temperature. Stir in a tablespoon of yogurt, let sit (don’t move the cup) and voila, the next morning you have yogurt!”
After yogurt, I moved to ricotta cheese, which involves heating the milk, then adding something like vinegar to curdle the cheese.
So now it is time for paneer, which is like ricotta, but it is pressed, which gives me practice for the hard cheeses.
Instructions:
1) Heat a half gallon or gallon of milk to a low boil
2) Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice per half gallon. (I used lime juice.)
3) When you see the milk curds, separating from yellowish liquid, the whey, take it off the heat.
4) Line a colander with a cheesecloth or thin fabric. Put it in something like a pot to collect the whey.
4a) Optional: add in spices. I added some cajun seasoning and an Italian spice blend. Paneer is from India, so I am all over the place with this cheese.
5) Set up a press, wrap cheese in cloth and press until firm, about two hours. It won’t be firm like a block of cheddar, but it will be more firm than cream cheese.
There are lots of ways to make a press, but for the one pound of cheese I made, I found two plates to be just right. Next time, I may put the bottom plate upside down and put it in a pan to catch any excess whey. I might have gone overboard with the books, but I wanted to be sure.
My cheese cracked because I kept playing with it during the pressing stage. I’ll know better next time!
Paneer is a cheese that doesn’t melt, like ricotta. We’ve used it on quesadillas, in place of the cream cheese, broken up in our eggs, like an omelet, and smushed on plain tortillas. It is not something we will have to have on hand all the time, but I think it will have a place in our menu from time to time.
Whey Drink
Saving the whey and using is effectively is what makes or breaks the future of cheese making for me. One gallon of milk makes one pound of cheese… and three quarts of whey. Some of that whey can be used in lacto-fermenting, but if I’m going to be making most of our cheese, we are going to have more whey than I know what to do with. Paneer whey isn’t bitter like yogurt whey, and I read somewhere that the whey of hard cheeses is almost sweet.
So, I made whey limeade. I used lime juice as the medium to make the milk curdle. To make limeaid, I added more lime juice and some stevia and chilled the drink. It has most of the nutritional value of milk and is loaded with protein. It tastes like limeade. I think there are probably a lot of drinks that could be made with whey and I’ll let you know which we like best.
Next up: making mozzarella!
You might want to check out my new comment policy .
Copyright Under $1000 Per Month, 2009-2010
Continue reading Paneer and Whey Drink …
From Under $1000 Per Month.
Quesadillas – $3.00
Quesadillas are our favorite meal. It’s pretty tricky to calculate the actual cost of a quesadilla meal, since it changes every time based on what we have on hand. So, I’m calling it $3.00 even.
First, make tortillas. Mix
2 cups whole white wheat flour
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cups water
For a soaked grain tortilla, add 1 tablespoons of whey, yogurt or cider vinegar, mix dough the day before and leave at room temperature until you are ready to cook it.
Divide the dough into however many quesadillas you want. We make seven, two for each adult, one for each Bobby and Daniel, and one for Dan’s lunch the next day. Roll the dough into a circle. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just symmetrical. Then, fry it in a dry pan on both sides.
Now, for the filling. Quesadillas can have anything you want as long as it includes cheese. We like to spread cream cheese on one half when we have it. Then start loading in meat, veggies and spices, then put more cheese on top.
Here are some combinations we like:
chicken, green onions and Cajun spice
sausage and bell peppers
beef, peppers and onions
chicken and salsa
taco beef, salsa and green onions
garlic and chicken
You can use whatever cheese you have, whatever fillings you have. It’s great for using up leftovers. When you’ve got your ingredients assembled, fold the tortilla over. Fry it in a hot pan, flipping it over halfway through, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.
Continue reading Quesadillas – $3.00 …
From Under $1000 Per Month.
Salsa – $1.97 and Two Cent Apples
Last week I posted my taco seasoning recipe, so now for salsa. It’s funny, when I bought a jar of salsa, it didn’t fit into my $1 per pound produce rule, as I got 24 ounces for $1.98, GV brand. Now I make 32 ounces for $1.97.
I was using the lacto-fermented recipe from Nourishing Traditions,
Salsa has proven to be a better solution to getting some lacto-fermented veggies into my husband than pickles. Although he likes the pickles, unless I put them on his plate, he doesn’t think to eat them. Since I’m obsessed with salsa, I just put it on his food when I put it on my food.
To keep the lacto-fermented benefits, I add it to the food when it’s on the plate ready to be served, not when it’s cooking on the stove. I add it to eggs, tacos, quesadillas and taco mac. By adding it to our eggs in the morning we are getting a lacto-fermented condiment every day, which I am thrilled about.
1 lb tomatoes – $1.19
2 small onions – $0.13
2 jalapeno peppers* – $0.25
3 cloves garlic* – $0.20
1/2 tablespoon cilantro* – $0.06
1 teaspoon oregano – $0.04
2 tablespoons lemon juice – $0.06
1 tablespoon sea salt – $0.02
4 tablespoons whey (or additional tablespoon of salt) – $0.02
1/4 cup water – $0
I don’t bother peeling or deseeding my tomatoes, but you can.
Chop the veggies, then put all ingredients into the blender, a few at a time if necessary. Put in jars, covered and let sit at room temperature for two days. I had divide mine into two jars, since I was using old salsa jars. Then move it to the refrigerator.
*The garlic and cilantro are optional. I put in half the amount most recipes call for because I like the flavor of both, but I don’t want them to be overpowering. You can add more jalapenos, but I add less because the hotter it is, the less I use. By keeping it mild, I can pour it on my food.
If you don’t want it lacto-fermented, reduce the salt to a teaspoon, add more water, and refrigerate immediately.
Two Cent Apples
I’m not sure if this is regional, but my Walmart has apples on sale for $0.06 per pound. It was not an error. I checked with the produce guy. We bought over 21 pounds for $1.30. My husband put a limit on how many we should get, but I thought this was an amazing deal. I’m processing them into applesauce so I can freeze it. I’m going to have a busy crock pot!
Continue reading Salsa – $1.97 and Two Cent Apples …
From Under $1000 Per Month.
Easy holiday side dishes
photo by plasticrevolver
Try something new for the holidays. Whether dinner is at your house or you’ve been asked to bring a dish to pass around, the following side dishes are crowd pleasers. They’re all familiar, so they won’t be avoided and will go well with most menu plans.
Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cooked
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/4 cup onions, …
Continue reading Easy holiday side dishes …
From Frugal Village.
Kitchen Q&A: Can You Freeze Bacon Grease? (And More)
Would you freeze bacon grease to keep a steady supply on hand? Or do you know how to convert your favorite cake recipe to cupcakes? What about how to bring eggs to room temperature quickly? This week’s Kitchen Q & A answers these questions and more.
Kitchen Q&A: Can You Freeze Bacon Grease? (And More)
Can bacon [...]
- Also See These Tips:
- 25 Vintage Kitchen Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection
- 12 Kitchen Tip Quickies
- Why a Cake Fails
Continue reading Kitchen Q&A: Can You Freeze Bacon Grease? (And More) …
From TipNut.com.
Day 2~Last Minute Thanksgiving Preparations
This is it folks! The final few days to get your preparations complete before the big turkey day! Are you ready? Here are some great tips for you for the final days of Thanksgiving.
November 25: The Day Before
• Check your last list.
• Buy last-minute perishables.
• Pick up food ordered ahead of time.
• If using giblets in the gravy, simmer them with the neck until well cooked; cool and
refrigerate.
• Consult your food preparation schedule.
• If brining the turkey, prepare brine and soak turkey in refrigerator overnight. (If you don’t have room in your refrigerator, use a cooler and a bag of ice. Works just the same!)
• Bake pies or other desserts.
• Set the table and lay out all linens and serving dishes.
November 26: The Big Day
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Wash turkey inside and out; dry thoroughly. Do not let it set at room temperature
for more than one hour before cooking.
• If stuffing the turkey, do so just before putting it in the oven. (Check to make sure
you removed the giblets!) Place the turkey in the oven and start your timer. Put
any remaining stuffing in a buttered casserole or baking dish; cover and
refrigerate.
• Consult your food preparation schedule. Cook any recipes that can be done
completely or partially ahead, such as potatoes (mash when ready to serve, not
beforehand) and other vegetables that can be reheated for serving.
• Put the extra stuffing in the oven during the turkey’s last hour of cooking.
• Prepare any other foods that need last-minute attention.
• When the turkey reaches 180°F, remove it from the oven, let it rest and get ready
for the most hectic 20 minutes of a cook’s year!
I hope that our Thanksgiving countdown has been a blessing to you! On Wednesday, we will share some of the great Black Friday deals going around. I *think* we might just have a great deal for you as well!
Continue reading Day 2~Last Minute Thanksgiving Preparations …
From Econobusters.