Step 6: Using the slotted spoon, scoop the curds out of the pot into the microwaveable bowl, letting the whey drain into the pot as much as you can with each scoop.
Step 7: Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much of the whey as possible, either into the sink or back into the pot.
Step 8: Microwave the curds for one minute on high. Remove from the microwave and gently fold the cheese over and over onto itself—like kneading bread—with a spoon or with your hands. You want to distribute the heat evenly throughout the cheese to get it to the stretchy taffy stage (see Step 9), where it is smooth and elastic. Knead quickly so that you do not burn your hands.
Step 9: Microwave the cheese on high two more times for 35 seconds each time, kneading again after each heating. When the cheese is shiny and stretches like taffy, it is done. If the curds break instead of stretch after the third heating, they are still too cool; microwave them for another 35 seconds.
Note: If desired, add salt after the second heating. I start with 2 teaspoons but often add more to taste.
Step 10: When the cheese is done, roll it into balls, stretch it into sticks, or braid it while it’s still warm; it gets less malleable as it cools down. Drop the shaped pieces into a bowl of ice water to cool them quickly; this will also produce a consistent texture. The cheese is best to eat warm but is firmer when chilled; however, I think that the texture is marvelous either way.
Store the mozzarella in the refrigerator in plain or lightly salted water (“brine”) for up to a week. Ours seldom lasts that long because it’s so tasty.
Finished mozzarella, braided.
Yogurt
I have a yogurt maker, which is just a machine that holds the yogurt at a consistent temperature for the required time for it to set properly. It’s nothing fancy, and yogurt can be made without one. If you don’t use a thickener, the yogurt can be fairly runny, but it’s still good to pour over granola or add to a smoothie. I just add fresh fruit and a bit of honey to my yogurt when it is done setting, and it suits my family fine.
Ingredients:
•1 quart milk, any type
•¼ cup dry milk powder (as a thickener)
•1 packet yogurt starter or 2 Tbsp yogurt with live cultures
•Optional: 1 Tbsp thickener, such as carageenan, pectin, or gelatin (as a substitute for or in combination with the dry milk powder)
Step 1: Combine the milk, milk powder (if using), and thickener (if using). Heat the mixture to 180 degrees Fahrenheit slowly and carefully. You don’t want it to boil, and stirring it constantly should keep it from scalding.
Watch your temperatures carefully. Use a thermometer for both the heating and cooling steps.
Step 2: Let the milk cool to 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the starter and mix well.
Step 3: Keep covered at 116 degrees for at least six hours or until the yogurt has set to the consistency of thick cream. This is where a yogurt maker is helpful, but if you don’t have one, there are various other methods. Some people preheat the oven to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, turn off the heat, and put the yogurt in overnight with the oven door closed. Some people use a slow cooker on low or a camping cooler with open jars of hot water surrounding the milk. Refrigerate and serve cold. The yogurt keeps for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Starter
The finished yogurt contains starter, so you can save 2 tablespoons of the yogurt to make your next batch. Each time you “reuse” the starter, it gets a little weaker, so when a batch of yogurt doesn’t set at all, you know that the starter has stopped working. Throw out the old batch and open a new packet of starter powder.
Project 4: Condiments and Seasonings
Why would you want to do this? If you like to cook, these are quick and easy products to experiment with.
Why wouldn’t you want to do this? You don’t want to clean out your blender (that was my excuse for a while!).
How is this different from the store-bought version? The textures can be a little different; for example, homemade mayonnaise is oilier, and homemade ketchup separates a bit. You may also notice a taste difference. I like the challenge of trying to figure out which flavors are missing from my versions and seeing how close I can get to the mass-produced stuff, but often some of the tastes come from preservatives or chemicals, which you don’t have in the homemade products.
Cost comparison: Each of these recipes results in a lower cost per ounce than store-bought varieties; the biggest savings is with the vanilla extract.
Skills needed: Basic cooking skills. Store-bought condiments and flavorings are good examples of how we spend more money for the convenience of having something made and packaged for us. Flavors and simplicity aside, the price difference of making these products yourself is enough to encourage you to try it.
We quickly and routinely deplete condiments in our house. Inevitably, a scant spoonful is all that the kids leave in the container. My eldest sister taught me years ago how easy condiments are to make, and the homemade versions are much healthier because they don’t contain high-fructose corn syrup and many of the preservatives needed to keep mass-produced products fresh on grocery-store shelves.
Homemade condiments will spoil faster than store-bought versions, but they are easy to make in smaller quantities. I can honestly say that making your own can save you both money and time—I once raced my husband and made a batch of mayonnaise before he could get to the nearest store and back.
I don’t think that the homemade versions taste too different from store-bought. I refill the brand-name jars, and our teenage son hasn’t noticed (yet). And emulsification is fun to watch: it’s chemistry in action.
Materials for Each Project:
•Food processor or blender
•Measuring spoons and cups
•Rubber scrapers
•Storage containers and lids
Ketchup
You can make ketchup from cooked, pureed fresh tomatoes (remove seeds, as they impart a bitter flavor) or from canned tomato puree. This recipe yields about 5 cups.
Ingredients:
•4 cups fresh tomato puree (or a 28-ounce can)
•1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
•1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
•2 Tbsp brown sugar (dark gives a richer flavor)
•½ cup apple cider vinegar
•1 cup water
•Pinch or more of seach of following, according to your taste: ground allspice, finely ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, celery salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, dry mustard, ground ginger, koher salt
Step 1: Put ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Step 2: Puree until completely smooth.
Store in the refrigerator in a squeeze bottle. If the mixture separates, shake well before squeezing out.