I am becoming a cookbook junkie!

My name is Diane E and I am a cookbook addict!  I wonder if there is such an organization as cookbook anonymous!  I am sure Amazon and Half.com just love me!!!  I have bought almost every cookbook imaginable!  Don't have a favorite one yet.  Now how's this for a Julie/Julia project - a cookbook called Pie.  Can you imagine making a pie a day - 2000 pounds later!!!  It has every possible pie recipe - fruit pies, cream pies, meat pies, etc.  I have a Cupcake cookbook by Martha Stewart - I must say this is my favorite cupcake cookbook.  I bought a muffin cookbook - which is OK - definitely not a keeper!

I guess my two favorite cookbooks are the cookbooks that I inherited from my Mom and my Mother-in-Law.  These books have a lot of wear and tear from many years of lovingly preparing meals and baked goods.  Looking through the cookbooks is like looking through an old picture album - brings back so many good memories.  The "special" recipes usually have some notation in the margins for suggestions on improving the recipe.  You can tell which ones are the "good" recipes because those pages are usually stained with food splatters.  My Mother-in-Law's Joy of Cooking was a wedding gift she received.  The poor book is now being held together by duck tape.  My husband told me he would buy me a new copy but it won't be the same.  I guess I could always start a copy for my someday daughter in law.

Mozzeralla Cheese

I know this isn't exactly baking but it is so easy to make and you can use store-bought milk!   This will make about a pound of mozzeralla cheese.

You will need the following supplies.  You can order these from New England Cheesemaking Supply (http://www.cheesemaking.com/).  I think it all will be under $20.

Citric Acid
Lipase Powder
Rennet (I always get vegetable rennet)

Recipe:

1 gallon milk  (I use Vitamin D Milk - this doesn't work well with skim milk)
1 1/2 t citric acid
1/4 t lipase powder
1/4 t vegetable rennet

dissolve the citric acid in 1/2 cup cold bottled water (do not use tap water!!)
dissolve the lipase powder in 1/4 cup cold bottled water
dissolve the rennet in 1/4 cup cold bottled water

heat the milk to 55 degrees
add the dissolved citric acid and lipase powder
continue heating the milk to 90 degrees
slowly add the rennet
reduce heat
the milk should curdle and separate from pan
(the curds should be surrounded by a clear liquid - the whey)
remove pan from heat
ladle the curds into a microwave bowl
drain whey
(You can save the whey to use in baking - it also freezes very well)

You will need playtex gloves for the next series of steps, the curds get really hot!
put in microwave - heat at high for 1 minute
knead the curds and drain whey
heat in microwave at high for 35 seconds
knead the curds and drain the whey
heat in microwave at high for 35 seconds
knead - the curds should get taffy-like and look shiny
form into balls and drop into ice cold water
drain and enjoy

If you want to use the cheese for pizza, freeze the cheese - it will grate easier (wrap the cheese in saran wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil).

This is so much better than store bought and so simple to make!

Enjoy!