Author: looper

Warm the milk to 200°F: Pour the milk into a 4-quart pot and set it over medium heat. Let it warm gradually to 200°F, monitoring the temperature with an instant read thermometer. The milk will get foamy and start to steam; remove it from heat if it starts to boil.

Add the lemon juice and salt: Remove the milk from heat. Pour in the lemon juice or vinegar (or citric acid) and the salt. Stir gently to combine.

Let the milk sit for 10 minutes: Let the pot of milk sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. After this time, the milk should have separated into clumps of milky white curds and thin, watery, yellow-colored whey — dip your slotted spoon into the mix to check. If you still see a lot of un-separated milk, add another tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and wait a few more minutes.

Strain the curds: Set a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth. Scoop the big curds out of the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the strainer. Pour the remaining curds and the whey through the strainer.

Removing the big curds first helps keep them from splashing and making a mess as you pour.)

Drain the curds for 10 to 60 minutes: Let the ricotta drain for 10 to 60 minutes, depending on how wet or dry you prefer your ricotta. If the ricotta becomes too dry, you can also stir some of the whey back in before using or storing it.

Use or store the ricotta: Fresh ricotta can be used right away or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

Sort and wash grapes, and remove stems. Place them into a large kettle and crush them. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and extract juice. Allow the juice to stand in a cool place overnight to prevent the formation of crystals in the jelly.

Strain the juice through a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups of the juice into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Quickly bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in pectin, and allow to boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and skim off foam. Pour into hot sterile jars, and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

PURÉE peppers in food processor or blender with 1 cup cider vinegar until smooth. Do not strain purée.

COMBINE purée with remaining 1 cup cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

ADD Ball® RealFruitTM Liquid Pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouches. Continue to boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add food coloring, if using, and skim foam if necessary.

LADLE hot jalapeno jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.

Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.

Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.

Make the spice paste. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons); set aside until the cabbage is ready.

Combine the vegetables and spice paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add the radish and scallions.

Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!

Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar.

Let it ferment for 1 to 5 days. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.

Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it’s best after another week or two.

Wash and chop your apples into medium sized pieces (or use the peels and cores of 6-7 small apples after making a pie). Place them in a clean, rinsed and sterilized wide mouth jar.

Mix the sugar with 1 cup of water and pour on top of the apples.

Add more water if needed to cover the apples.

Cover the jar with a paper towel or a cheesecloth and secure it with a band. This keeps nasties away while letting the liquid breathe.

Strain out the liquid and discard the apple pieces.

Return the liquid to the same jar and cover it again (same paper or cheesecloth).

After the first 4 weeks, you can begin to also taste your vinegar and once it reaches an acidity you like, you can actually transfer it to a bottle with a lid and begin using it.

Add 3 cups of water, ginger, sugar, molasses and sea salt to a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add 4 cups of water. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a 1/2 gallon glass container with lid.

Add lemon or lime juice, and ginger bug. Stir.

Put lid on jar and tighten.

Allow to ferment on counter for 2 – 6 days. (Shorter time period if room is warm and longer time period if room is cold.)

Once bubbling begins, burp the jar by loosening the lid and then re-tighten.

Strain and bottle in Grolsch bottles and refrigerate. Will last for several months. Check the bottles occasionally and burp the lid to prevent too much build-up of gases

Place the ginger, sugar, and water in a quart-size wide-mouth mason jar and shake gently to dissolve the sugar.

Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and a lid ring or rubber band and set the jar in a warm spot to ferment.

Every day for the next week, add one tablespoon each of finely chopped (or grated) ginger and sugar to “feed” the ginger bug. Toward the end of the week you should notice some bubbly action in the jar and you may notice a faint yeast smell. These are all signs that fermentation is happening as it should! If you do not notice any bubbly action after a week, or if mold forms on the surface, you may need to start again.

Once bubbles have formed at the top of the ginger bug, it is ready for use in your homemade soda recipe. Pour off the amount that you need for the soda recipe, and replenish the ginger bug for future use.

To keep the ginger bug alive, feed it daily as above. If you will not be using the ginger bug for a while, you can store it in a refrigerator and feed it once a week. When you are ready to use your ginger bug again, place it in a room temperature location and resume feeding it daily.

Toss the beef with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the white wine, mustard and flour, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, mushrooms, carrots and celery.

Secure the pressure cooker lid and bring to high pressure over medium heat. Once at high pressure, cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using the quick-release valve, carefully open. Stir in the neufchatel, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Divide the noodles and beef stroganoff evenly among 6 serving bowls.

Make your lye solution first, and set it aside in a safe place.

Weigh out your oils and melt them on the stove top or microwave.

With your oils and lye solution both at about 100 degrees, mix them together.

Make sure all of your additives, color, and/or fragrance are ready to go, with all of the spoons, spatulas, and mold ready to go.

Slowly add the lye solution to the oils and blend until it is well mixed.

Add in the fragrance or essential oil.

Continue blending until it reaches a light trace and add any additional additives.

Pour the mixed soap into the mold.

This recipe will harden overnight. You’ll want to unmold or cut it in about 12 to 18 hours.