Homemade Ricotta

There are some things that are fairly simple to make and once you start making it yourself, you can't go back to buying it at the store.  Ice cream comes to mind and ricotta cheese.  Ricotta sounds difficult but it is so easy to make and so delicious.  I got this recipe from an Ina Garten cookbook.  It is so good.  Now, I will say that if you don't want to make it yourself, buy it at Caputo's or some nice Italian restaurant that carries it fresh ricotta.

Some foods are so worth the little extra effort to make at home.  This is the best ever!  Eat it plain with crackers, add herbs or put it in lasagna or Italian foods.

 4 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 t. kosher salt

3 T. good white wine vinegar

Set 2 layers of cheesecloth in a large sieve.  Dampen with water to help it stick to the sieve. 

Pour the milk and cream into a large stainless steel pot.  Stir in the salt.  Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.  Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles.  It will separate into curds (thick parts) and whey (milky liquid).

Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow to drain into a deep bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes.  The less time, the softer the ricotta.  Discard the liquid.  Pour the ricotta from the cheesecloth into a container, cover with plastic wrap and a lid and refrigerate.  Can be kept in the fridge 4 to 5 days.  Makes about 2 cups.

From Ina Garten

  

I made it once with 2% milk and it made less and it was a bit stiffer.  Stick with whole milk.

 

Best Baked Manicotti

A revolutionary way to make "stuffed" manicotti.  It is so much easier and I love it! So easy and so tasty.

 

TOMATO SAUCE:

 2 T. olive oil

 3 med. cloves garlic, minced or ½ t. garlic granules

 1/2 t. red pepper flakes, optional

 2 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

 2 t. dried basil

 1/2 t. salt

CHEESE FILLING:

 3 cups ricotta cheese, part skim or whole milk

          (I use homemade)

 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

 ½ lb. mild sausage, browned and drained

 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

 1/2 t. salt

 1/2 t. ground black pepper

 2 T. chopped fresh parsley (or 2 t. dried parsley)

 2 t. chopped fresh basil (or 1 t. dried basil)

NOODLES + TOPPING:

 16 no-boil lasagna noodles - Barilla or Trader Joe's brand of no-boil lasagna noodles are good choices

 1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the sauce: heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan or skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

For the filling: in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan cheese (1 cup), mozzarella cheese, sausage, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and basil; set aside.

To assemble: pour 1-2 inches boiling water into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the noodles one at a time, alternating directions so they don't stick. Let the noodles soak until soft enough to roll up, about 5 minutes. Separate the noodles with the tip of a sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove the noodles from the water and place in a single layer on clean kitchen towels. Discard the water in the baking dish and dry the dish to use for assembling and baking the manicotti.

            Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Dollop about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture on the bottom short side of each noodle. Roll up the noodle and filling into a tube shape and arrange in the baking dish seam side down. All 16 noodles should easily fit in the 9x13-inch dish. Spread the remaining sauce evenly over the noodles so they are completely covered.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake until the manicotti is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil. Sprinkle the manicotti evenly with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (add more, if desired). Bake, uncovered, until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.  Serves 6-8.

NOTES

Homemade Ricotta: I use Ina Garten’s homemade ricotta recipe

Lasagna Noodles:  They are flat sheets of pasta. Other no-boil noodles that are ridged may not work as well.

Make Ahead: the manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours, covered, then bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until heated through.

 

 

From Mel’s Kitchen Café with slight modifications by Liz.

 

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have quite a few chocolate chip cookie recipes that I like.  I think I must get tired of the same flavor because I occasionally look for a new recipe.  This one tastes like the chocolate chip cookies that my Mom used to make because of the dark brown sugar.  Using golden brown sugar is fine but the dark gives the cookie a deeper flavor.  

Soft, chewy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make, these classic chocolate chip cookies will quickly become a family favorite!

½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup high-quality tub margarine, softened          to room temperature  OR 1 cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cup flour (see note for altitude directions)
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. (I don’t bother with the parchment)

Cream together butter, margarine, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop onto cookie sheet by tablespoon or with a cookie scoop. You should get 12 cookies per sheet.

Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Naturally, you want to keep an eye on them because every oven is different. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

If baking at a high elevation, add 2 tablespoons flour; for very high elevations, add 1/4 cup flour

From Kate at Our Best Bites.

Notes from Liz: This makes about 32 cookies.  I do add the 2 T. flour if it seems a bit too moist but now always.  Don’t overbake.  As in, don't bake them crispy or brown around the edges.  I like the Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips because they are a little bigger than a normal chip.