Onion Cheese Ball Recipe

For this recipe you will need a package of onion soup mix, two bars of cream cheese (brought to room temperature), and additional herbs of your choice. In a large bowl, mix the onion soup mix and the cream cheese. Some people prefer to add a teaspoon of freshly chopped dill (or herb of your choice). Mix the ingredients thoroughly together by hand. Place on a plate and wrap with clear cellophane.

You may want to
add a box, or sleeves, of crackers to the gift. Wrap the crackers in seasonal gift paper. You can add a festive bow to the top of the cheese ball, and tie a matching ribbon around the crackers. The cheese ball tastes better when made at least one day ahead of serving.

You can also find lovely serving dishes to put the cheese ball on. Crystal plates and mirrors make unique receptacles to serve the cheese ball on. Brighten up the recipe by placing olives or salad tomatoes around the bottom of the cheese ball. Shrimp can also add to the color scheme around the cheese ball. A bed of greens can be used under the cheese ball prior to serving. Choose a serving knife with a patterned handle to place in top of the ball. Holiday serving knives can be found at reasonable prices in specialty shops, and in department stores during the season. Adding these utensils to the gift will make them special. If you know the person well who will be receiving the gift, pick out a knife with a handle that reflects an activity that they enjoy such as music, hunting or sports.

By Carol French

How to Make Mozzarella Cheese

There a few sites out there that tell you how to make mozzarella cheese, but I wanted to put together an article that gives a little history and explains the simple way of how to make mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella is one of several kinds of "plastic-curd" cheeses, originating in Italy. Mozzarella is one of the most versatile cheeses to make at home. It tastes wonderful freshly made, freezes well, can be used like an aged cheese in cooking, and melting readily when heated. Mozzarella cheese is ready the same day its made. The aged cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda and Colby are ready to eat in just a few weeks. Making Mozzarella has no smoke and mirrors. Mozzarella making, on the small home scale, is much more art than science. All you need to begin making mozzarella at home is a stainless steel pot, a dairy thermometer, measuring spoons and some cheesecloth. The basic ingredients for making cheese are milk, starter culture and or natural acids, and rennet. Traditional mozzarella is made from water buffalo not North American buffalo or bison as many mistakenly think. Buffalo milk, and its flavor are highly prized. However, any type of milk can be used to make mozzarella cheese. Homemade fresh mozzarella cheese has fabulous flavor.

Quick Recipe explaining how to make Mozzarella Cheese and enjoy the same day.

You will need:

--A 6 to 8 quart stainless steel pot. Aluminum or cast iron will not work.

--A stainless steel or strong plastic slotted spoon.

--A two quart microwave safe mixing bowl

--measuring spoons

--A thermometer which will clearly read between 80 - 120 degrees F.

Step 1 (How to make Mozzarella Cheese)

Do not prepare any other food while you are making mozzarella cheese. Put all food products away. Move all sponges, and dirty towels away from your work surface, clean your sink and stove with soap and water. Finally use an antibacterial cleaner to wipe down all surfaces.

Step 2 (How to make Mozzarella Cheese)

Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool water and set aside to use later. Heat the milk to 90F and add 1.5-2 tsp. of citric acid. This will bring the milk to the proper acidity to mold well later. As you approach 90F you will notice your milk beginning to curdle due to acidity and temperature. When at 90F add the rennet (which you prepared in previous step) to the milk and stir in a top to bottom motion for 30-60 seconds.

Step 3 (How to make Mozzarella Cheese)

Now turn the heat off (it may continue to rise as high as 105* or so) Let the milk remain still for the next 3-5 minutes during which it will form a curd. A longer set will result in a firmer curd. Cut the curds into a 1" checkerboard pattern and then scoop with a slotted spoon into a heat proof bowl for the microwave. (If the curd is too soft at this point let sit for another minute or so) Now press this curd gently with your hand, pouring off as much whey as possible. Reserve this whey to use in cooking or making ricotta cheese.

Step 4 (How to make Mozzarella Cheese)

Microwave the curd on HI for 1 minute. You will notice more whey has run out of the curd. Drain off all whey. Quickly work the cheese with a spoon or your hands until it is cool enough to touch (rubber gloves will help since the cheese is almost too hot to touch at this point) Microwave 2 more times for 35 seconds each and repeat the kneading. Drain all of the whey off as you go through these steps.

Step 5 (How to make Mozzarella Cheese)

Knead quickly now as you would bread dough until it is smooth and shiny. Add salt near the finish. At this point the cheese should be soft and pliable enough to stretch like taffy. It is ready to eat when it cools. Form it into a ball and drop into ice water to cool and refrigerate. When cold you can wrap in plastic wrap and it will last for several days but is best when eaten fresh.

That is how to make mozzarella cheese. A tasty way to enjoy this is simply layer fresh mozzarella and fresh tomatoes, then top with fresh basil leaves, coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. Anyone who tries will be wowed!

By Rosanna Maywell

Check out the related article : Adventures in Cheese Making - Walk this Whey

Cream Cheese Mincemeat Pie

• bottom pie crust for a 9 or 10 inch pie plate
• 3 cups mincemeat
• 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Make the pie crust and line the pie plate with the crust (Iknow this seems obvious, but one time when I happened tolisten to Oprah -- I have listened to the show about 3 timesin my life -- there was a chef who was talking about cookingsomething in one of those plastic cooking bags. "When youtake it out of the oven, cut open the bag and throw it away,"Oprah said. "You have to say that because there are peopleout there who will eat the bag if you don't tell them to throw itaway.")

Put the mincemeat on top of the pie crust. Bake at 350degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, whip the softened cream cheese,sugar, the egg and the lemon juice until smooth. Pour ontop of the mincemeat and bake for another 25 to 30 minutesor until set.

Check Out the Related Article : Adventures in Cheese Making - Walk this Whey

Blue Cheese Omnivorous

Blue Cheese Omnivorous

Ingredients

Romaine Lettuce (head $1.29)

1 pound of steak ($10 per pound)

1 box of colorful pasta ($1.03 Blue’s Clues because my inner child sways me at times.)

1 red pepper ($2.62)

Blue Cheese dressing ($2.43)

½ pound block of blue cheese ($3.79 optional ingredient)

*Save money everywhere but in buying the meat. Cheap meat is too tough for this.

Wash and shred lettuce. Put it in the refrigerator so that it remains cold and crispy at serving time.

Then, cook pasta until tender but not downright floppy. We want the pasta to be somewhat cooler, so in this instance, it’s okay to rinse it off with cool water a little bit so it no longer steams.

Meanwhile, cut steak into slices and sear with salt and pepper. Do this in a shallow pan and a tablespoon of oil in the pan. As the meat cooks, toss it around a bit. When it starts sticking to the pan, you’re done in thirty seconds.

As the steak finishes, wash and half the red pepper. Faux roast a half on an electric range or carefully roast a half on a gas stove so that the outside is dark and toasty. While the pepper can still keep its shape, remove it carefully from the heat and slice lengthwise. It’s a lovely and tasty garnish with dramatic flair during cooking!

Assembly for presentation:

Toss the lettuce and cooled pasta together evenly. Now add enough dressing to coat the pasta and lettuce in a toss. Put this tossed mix as a bed on a plate or in a bowl. With clean fingers, crumble some of the wedge of blue cheese. Now place the steak strips on top in no particular pattern. Lightly drizzle with blue cheese dressing (diners can add more to taste). Finally, garnish the top with the most aesthetic strips of red pepper providing remaining slices for your companion.

What you have is a colorful and healthy salad for the human omnivore. Most every need of nutrition is encompassed in this attractive dish that goes well with red wine, water, or even cola for the kiddies.


Do you want to know more about cheese, such us "Spice Up Your Macaroni and Cheese", if yes, so I have other article resources for you, Click the link below to acces that article.

Spice Up Your Macaroni and Cheese



Check Out the Related Article : Cheese Serving Guide

Cheese Corn Sandwich and Corn Bonda

Cheese Corn Sandwich and Corn Bonda

Requirements: Sliced/Chopped Cheese-1/2 cup, Milk -1/2 cup, American Corn-Chopped/sliced 1/2 cup, Finely chopped Green Chilly-2, Finely Chopped Onion-1/4 cup, Butter-2 Table Spoon, Cucumber sliced(Round)-4, Sliced Tomato-1 cup, White parts of Bread-8 slices, required amount of salt.

Method:

Take a large bowl and put the Cheese, American Corn, Green Chilly, Onion, Salt and milk. Mix it well to make a paste. Apply butter on both sides of bread. Spread the paste evenly on one side of the Bread. Top it with the roundly cut cucumber and sliced tomatoes. Now cover it with another bread and toast it in a tawa till it becomes brown.

Now Cheese corn sandwich is ready to serve with tomato sauce/hot chilli sauce.

Cheese Bonda:

Requirements:Finely chopped and fried Onion-1 cup, Corn-1 cup, Potatoes-4, Finely chopped Green Chili-1 Table Spoon, Chilli Powder-1 Tea Spoon, Pepper Powder-1 Tea Spoon, Tomato Sauce-3 Tea Spoons, Bread Crumbs-1 cup, Oil-2 cups, Required amount of Salt.

Method:

Boil Corn and smash it finely. Cook the potatoes and peel its skin, smash and keep it aside. Mix Smashed corn, salt, pepper powder, fried onion, tomato sauce and roll it into balls. Now mix the smashed potatoes, chili powder, salt and chopped green chili. Make the mixture into round chappatis and keep the corn mixture in the centre and close the chappatis into balls. By this way prepare all the balls. Now roll all the balls in bread crumbs. Heat the oil and fry all the balls till it becomes brown in low flame.


By Janaki V

Check Out the Related Article : Cheese Serving Guide

How To Make Cheese

Don't you just love cheese? And there's nothing I enjoy more than making my own. It's cheaper, it's tastier, it's great! When I started to learn how to make cheese, I had a first go with soft cheeses. I was amazed at how easy it was. It really takes only a few minutes of preparations and a few hours of waiting. If you are a beginner in the world of making cheese, this is the perfect way to start. And if you already have some experience on how to make cheese, it is still nice to go back sometimes to the basic taste of a good soft cheese.

So here are a few super easy soft cheeses recipes:

How To Make Labaneh Yogurt Cheese

By using yogurt instead of milk, you can skip the whole curdling stage at the beginning of every how-to-make-cheese recipe. The reason is simple: yogurt is already a product of friendly bacteria that does exactly that! All you need to do, is add some salt. About 1 tablespoon of a quart of yogurt. In order to drain out the yogurt's liquid, place a sieve over a bowl, and a finely weaved cotton cloth, or a reusable paper towel over the sieve. Gently pour the yogurt into the cloth/paper towel. And you're done!

All you have to do now is wait. Cover the yogurt mixture (you can do it with another paper towel) and leave it in the kitchen for about 24 hours and then put it in the fridge so it will get a bit harder. Room temperature is perfect for this kind of cheese, but if you prefer, you can put it in the fridge right a way.

How To Make Lemon Soft Cheese

If you to know how to make cheese "the regular way" out of milk, but still keep it to be easy, this one is for you. In order to separate the milk into curds and whey you need is acid. The most natural and easy way to get acid is from lemons.

Start with a half gallon of pasteurized milk (your regular local milk will do), and heat it up to 165F degrees while stirring. You will actually need a thermometer cause the temperatures are important. You do not want to boil the milk! It is recommended to use a stainless steal pot with a thick bottom to prevent scorching.

Add juice from about 4 small lemons into the pot and stir. Take the pot off the stove and wait 15 minutes. The milk should be curdling at this point. Insert a fine cotton cloth, or a reusable paper towel (the kind that doesn't tear) into a sieve, and place the sieve over a bowl. Make sure the bowl is high enough to catch the milk's liquids without touching the sieve.

Pour the milk mixture from the pot into the sieve, and let it drain out into the bowl at least an hour. Add any some salt, peeper or other spices and herbs to balance the lemon, and your cheese is ready!

More on How To Make Cheese

Obviously this is the only the tip of how to make cheese. Hopefully these recipes will give a taste for more.

Bon Appetite.


By Tom Beni

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Cream Cheese Recipes

When I think of cream cheese, I immediately think of bagels. I love bagels and cream cheese. However cream cheese is wonderful in many other recipes.

I think one of my favorite recipes is crab and cream cheese wontons. Although meant as an appetizer, I can easily devour a dozen of them leaving no room for the actual dinner.

Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons

4 ounces of crab meat (you can use fresh or canned)

2 ounces cream cheese (solid is best, not whipped)

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chives

Small dish of water

Wonton wrappers

Mix the crab, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chives together. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

Put a spoonful of mixture into each wonton shell. Use water to moisten the edges and fold into triangles.

When ready to eat, heat in oil until brown on both sides.

Another of my favorite recipes using cream cheese is this recipe for chocolate cupcakes, using cream cheese to make them very moist:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix (any brand)

1 package cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup mini chocolate chips (I always use milk chocolate, as I like the cupcakes sweet)

Preheat oven to 350F. Put cupcake papers into pan. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package instructions and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat egg and add to sugar mixture, mix well. Gently mix in the chocolate chips. Fill cupcake cases 1/2 full of chocolate cake batter. Then add 1 full teaspoon of cream cheese mixture to center. Top with more chocolate cake batter. Cupcake cups should be 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched in center.

Note: You can use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips for a wonderful peanut butter and chocolate taste.

And finally, a wonderful cream cheese dip to serve with either crackers or vegetables:

Horseradish & Cream Cheese Dip

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste (experiment using both white and black pepper)

6 slices of bacon, crumbled

Mix the cream cheese, horseradish, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Add bacon pieces and mix. Refrigerate over night so flavors can blend.

This is just a small sample of what you can do with cream cheese as your main ingredient in recipes.

Bon Appetite!!


By Audrey Okaneko


Check Out the Related Article : Amazing Yogurt Cheese

Bleu Cheese and Macaroni Pie

A crowd favorite of Food Affairs is our Blue Cheese macaroni pie, a unique twist on the comfort food. Give this recipe a try.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb macaroni, long hollow noodles, broken by hand (may substitute penne or ziti)

1 can evaporated milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp flour

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp prepared mustard

fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp Bajan seasoning * Aunt May’s is a favorite

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup fine or panko bread crumbs

1. Grease a 2 quart baking dish or 13 x 9 pan.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water; add macaroni. Cook the macaroni until al dente. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

4. Drain the macaroni well in a colander, and then pour it back into the still hot cooking pot. Add the blue cheese to the pasta and stir to coat the pasta thoroughly. Add 2 cups of the cheddar cheese and mix until slightly melted. Place in the greased baking dish or pan.

5. In a medium sized bowl, add the eggs and beat lightly. Add the milk and whisk together. Add the remaining ingredients, reserving the bread crumbs and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Blend and then pour the mixture over the macaroni. Combine the bread crumbs and cheese. Evenly spread over the top of the macaroni mixture.

6. Cook for approximately one hour or until the top begins to brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes; reheat as necessary. Cut into squares and serve.


By Billy O'Dell


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Cream Cheese Cups Recipe

The cream cheese cups recipe is perfect for parties or when friends drop by. They are easy to make although they look like a professional baker made them. When it comes to taste, these are unbelievably delicious!

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened

2 packages (3-ounces each) cream cheese, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 package (8-ounces) almond paste, softened and cut into cubes

Sliced almonds

Hardware

Large bowl

Medium bowl

Miniature muffin tins

Mixer

Step 1: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer cream together the butter and cream cheese.

Step 2: Gradually add flour. Mix until just combined.

Step 3: Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Step 4: After removing dough from refrigerator, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 5: Roll dough into 1-inch size balls. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased miniature muffin tins; set aside.

Step 6: For filling, beat eggs in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.

Step 7: Add granulated sugar; mix well.

Step 8: Beat in almond paste.

Step 9: Spoon a rounded teaspoonful into each cup.

Step 10: Top each cookies with three almond slices.

Step 11: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and filling is set. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to cups and transferring them to a cooling surface.

Makes about 3 dozen cups.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.


By Griffin Wetzstein


Check Out the Related Article : Types Of Cheese For Pizza

Cheese Omelet-The Real Way

Putting several ingredients together with a few eggs in a pan is quite easy. That is the usual way everyone makes an omelet. I do that myself, but I also like to prepare omelets in the oven for special brunches, breakfasts or anytime. I make them a lot during the holiday season. Topped with a home made cheese sauce and served with ham, bacon or breakfast sausage they are delicious. All that is needed is a few eggs, a little water and a bit of salt.

To make my special omelet I first separate 4-eggs. I use my electric mixer to beat the yolks until they are SUPER stiff and the color of lemons. Set aside. I rinse the beater and beat the egg whites until they turn frothy. Then I add 1/4-cup of water and 1/4-teaspoon of salt and beat the dickens out of them until they are stiff but not dry. Then I use a rubber spatula to fold the egg yolks into the egg whites.

I then melt 1-tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. When the skillet gets hot I pour the egg mixture into it. Spread the mixture evenly with the spatula, leaving it higher at the sides of the skillet. Turn the heat down and cook slowly for about 7-minutes. Put the omelet into a 325-degree oven for 10-minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean

I make the cheese sauce while the omelet is in the oven. Just melt 2-cups shredded American cheese and 1/2-cup of milk in the top of a double boiler. A microwave could be used for the sauce as well. When the omelet is done loosen the sides of it with a spatula. Make a shallow off-center cut across the omelet. Slip metal spatula under the larger half and tilt the pan. Fold larger half of omelet over smaller half. Hold the pan so the bottom edge touches the serving dish and tip the omelet onto it.

The omelet will be a light golden brown color on the outside and tender and fluffy inside. Spoon the cheese sauce over it and serve. Do not cut the omelet but rather tear it with a fork. YUMMY!


By Bonita Anderson

Check Out the Related Article : Types Of Cheese For Pizza

A Delicious Cheese Puff Recipe Makes a Special Holiday Tradition

My youngest daughter wrote in her journal at school the other day about her grandmother's cheese puffs and her delighted anticipation of visiting her grandmother that very night, then going home with her Aunt Jo and mother to make batches and batches of cheese puffs for family Christmas parties.

This is our third year of making them together now that my mother isn't able to make them anymore.Here's what always happens, this is what my daughter witnesses at the big family Christmas party, with all the cousins and aunts and uncles, the cheese puffs - little cheddar and bread appetizers - coming hot out of the oven, quickly placed on plates, passed from guest to guest, greedy hands grasping, the plate emptying, another sheet pulled from the oven, another plate passed, "Shirley's cheese puffs are ready! Did you get a cheese puff? Are there any more?" There are never enough to satisfy demand.

My mother made these by herself, but it takes three or more, a group is ideal. There are wonderful challenges to be met: Unsliced bread must be found, and not all stores have it available. This year I found five loaves, first try. The crusts must be sliced from the loaves, then the bread is cut into fluffly white cubes, bite-size. (My sister Joanna is an excellent crust trimmer.) We improvise a double boiler to melt the blocks of cheddar cheese, butter, and cream cheese. (There's nothing low-fat about this treat.) Eggs are separated, whites are whipped stiff, and must be every so gently folded into the melted cheese. (Joanna taught Franci how to separate the eggs, and I showed her how to whip them 'til just right.) Dipping takes practice, patience! The cubes must be lowered by spoon, gently tossed for complete coating, and placed on cookie trays for freezing. (I've become the best dipper.) In the morning, the frozen puffs are placed in ziplock bags for the waiting period for the parties. . . .

Unable to travel, my mother will not be at the party this year, but we will bring the cheese puffs to her. Someone shared this recipe with my mother, and I'll share it with you:

Hot Cheese Puffs Recipe

1 loaf firm un-sliced white bread

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

½ cup butter

¼ lb. sharp cheddar cheese

2 egg whites stiffly beaten

Trim crusts from bread. Cut into 1"cubes (or less). Melt 2 cheeses and the butter in a double boiler 'til of rarebit consistency. Remove from heat and fold in egg whites. Dip cubes in cheese mixture until well coated. Place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate over night or put in freezer for future use. Bake in a hot oven 400 degrees 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy!


By Kelly Dumar


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