Homemade American Cheese!!

Oh my gosh, I made American Cheese and it was so easy!!  I see you shaking your head in disbelief.  I, too, was an unbeliever - HA!!  Wait to you see how simple this is!! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to make this and, oh my, is it ever good.  So much better than the stuff they call cheese in the store.  You will never go back to storebought again, I promise you!!!

I found this recipe looking on the American Test Kitchen website.  Most of the ingredients you can get at your local grocery store.  There was only one ingredient that I had to buy on-line.  The recipe calls for "Whole Milk Powder" - NOT the nonfat milk powder in the stores.  I was going to use the nonfat but since the recipe said NOT to use it, I thought I better go ahead and order the Whole Milk Powder - here is a link
King Arthur Flour - Whole Milk Powder  - it isn't too expensive.  Trust me, after you make this cheese, you will be glad you ordered the powder!!

Onto the recipe . . .

Ingredients
1 T water
1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin (like Knox - a packet of gelatin is 2 1/2 tsp)
12 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
1 T WHOLE MILK POWDER (not the nonfat powder!)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of WHOLE milk

For the whole milk, I bought Organic Whole Milk.  Make sure it says WHOLE MILK on the label. 

First, line a 5 x 4 inch disposable aluminum loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the excess to hang over the edge.

Place water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top.  Set aside to let the gelatin dissolve and soften.  Pulse cheese, milk powder and cream of tartar in a food processor for about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Taking the pan off the heat, stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved and transfer mixture to a 1 cup measuring cup.  With the processor running, pour the milk mixture into the cheese mixture until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Immediately, spoon the cheese mixture into the prepared pan, pressing to compact.  Wrap tightly and refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.  This will be the best American Cheese you have ever had!! 

It doesn't make a large loaf but enough to make several really great Grilled Cheese sandwiches!!  It was winner in our house!!

Blonde Brownies - YUMMY!!!

 

On my GOSH, these have got to be the best brownies in the world!! Well, the best blonde brownies in the world. My Mom had a recipe for blonde brownies, but I always thought they were rather dry. This recipe is without a doubt, the best I have ever tasted - moist, rich . . . you have got to try these!!!

I found this recipe in Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Foolproof Recipes You Can Trust. I have never tried any of her recipes because I have always read mixed reviews on her stuff. I recently saw on Amazon her new cookbook (listed upon) as one of the top 10 cookbooks of 2012. Hmmmm - maybe there is more to her recipes than what the reviewers are saying. So off to my local library I went and borrowed the book. The very first page I opened to was the recipe for Chocolate Chunk Blondies. Do you think God was talking to me??? Perhaps!

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (I omited this)
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/4 pound semisweet chocolate chunks (not CHIPS) - 2 bags

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 8 x 13 baking pan
Cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, making sure to scrap the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well, again scrapping the sides of the bowl.
In a separate small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda.
With the mixer still running on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, fold in the chocolates and walnuts if you are adding them.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top
.Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpck comes out clean. Do not over bake!!!
Cool completely in pan and cut in to bars - YUMMY!!!