Queso Blanco
1 gallon whole milk (raw works & tastes best...but if you don't have access...regular will work)
1/4 c. cider vinegar
sea salt- to taste
Heat your milk slowly in a large heavy pot until it reaches 180 degrees F. Turn off heat and stir in vinegar. Let sit for 10-15 minutes (you will see a thick mass of curds). 
Line a sieve with cheesecloth (folded over 4x) or butter muslin. Set the sieve over a very large bowl and scoop or pour your curd into the lined sieve. Save this leftover liquid (whey) to make ricotta (which I'll show you another day), use in baking bread or pouring over your compost pile or into your garden. Lift the sieve from the bowl and place over an empty bowl. Fold over the edges. 
Place a small plate and some weights on top (to help press out extra whey). Refrigerate for 5-7 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and use any whey in the bottom of the bowl as you used the previous whey.
Remove the plate & weight. Peel back the cheesecloth and place cheese in a bowl. Stir in sea salt to taste, if you wish. Kind of a strange way to add the cheese, right? Well, I just sprinkled it over the outsides. I think it needed a bit more salt...I wonder if you could add it earlier in the process with good results? I'll try it next time.
You'll notice that I made mine in a regular old metal strainer, but you can use a cheese mold if you have one. I just ordered and received some from The Cheesemaker, but I really wanted a nice, rustic (my favorite food-related word) "disc" of cheese for this one. Unmold your cheese onto a plate or cutting board and use it within a day or two (in my opinion).
How should I use my queso blanco you ask? My favorite way is with Mexican food...like this Torta con Milanesa de Pollo...
Go on over and check out Natashya's Queso Blanco here!
*Queso Blanco, while fresh, is not to be confused with Queso Fresco. Queso fresco is made by using rennet & cultures and will yield a similar cheese...but it is a bit firmer in my opinion. Plus, it'll melt if ya try. I'll make Queso Fresco soon...promise Dani.
"Blessed are the cheesemakers." -Monty Python
Pizza Baked Spaghetti
by girlichef
This works best in a 12" cast iron skillet. Well, I imagine that's the way it works best because that is how I've made each and every single time...my beloved cast iron skillet that has been with me since the beginning. And remember, add any other veggies you like at the point where I add the onions & garlic. Add any other meats & veggies as the pizza topping in the end, also!
~1lb. spaghetti, cooked to al dente
~3/4 lb. Italian sausage, loose (out of casings)
1 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
~4- 4 1/2 c. Spaghetti sauce of your choice
Italian seasoning- to taste
~1/2 c. + 1/2 c., (divided) Italian blend cheese or simply freshly grated Parmesan
2 c. Mozzarella, shredded
Pepperoni
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
While the oven is preheating, brown your Italian Sausage in your large skillet. Once it is almost cooked through, add your onions & garlic and continue to cook until sausage has finished cooking and onions and garlic are soft & slightly caramelized.
While this is cooking, prepare your spaghetti noodles. Add the sauce (cold is fine), the 1/2 c. of Italian Cheese Blend or Parmesan and your Italian Seasoning and toss well to combine.
Add your pasta mixture to your skillet with the cooked sausage and veggies (off the heat). 
Stir everything up well to combine. Pack and flatten the whole mixture into the skillet.
Top, in a pizza-like fashion, with the remaining Italian Blend/Parm. cheese and the Mozzarella. Arrange pepperoni over the top. 
Transfer to preheated oven and cook ~15-20 minutes or until cheese is hot & bubbly and sauce is heated through.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes or so, giving the cheese time to "set" a bit. Cut into slices, like a pizza and serve! Or just scoop it out, either way...I just go with the whole Pizza Baked Spaghetti theme!
Comfort food!
Be careful, it's addicting.
Increase speed to medium and beat until mixture lightens in color and sticks to sides of bowl. 
Then add eggs, one at a time, and mix until thickened and well combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to low and add chocolate mixture and vanilla until incorporated. 
Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of sour cream and mix until just combined. 
I'd say go ahead and add parchment rounds to the bottom of your pan too, so this doesn't happen to you. But no matter...just stay tuned.
Off heat, stir in vanilla and all but 1 Tbs. each of pecans and coconut. 
Cool to room temperature.
Serve.
I heart you German Chocolate Cake. I heart you big time. 
A week of so ago, I had a recipe that called for cardamom seeds, but when I went out looking for them, I discovered that a tiny little bottle (something containing ~1 oz) cost in the area of $17.00! Ummmmmm...what!? Too rich for my blood. So I substituted and moved on. Well, substituted, voiced my opinion and then moved on. How awesome is it that he actually sent me a big bag full of cardamom pods to do with what I wish! I cannot wait to start making some cardamom laced sweets & savories! Thanks so much, Christo :)
I recently had a delivery of this insanely HUGE basket full of goodies. I was the lucky winner of not 1, but 2 giveaways from Amanda aka HannahBanana of 
The other giveaway I won from Amanda was a whole CASE of 
Another cool giveaway I recently won was a pack of goodies from the lovely Peachkins of 
A few other things that we all loved were these Spicy Garlic snacks...which reminded me of CornNuts. These awesome Clover Chips which were cheesy, puffed chip-like things. And these Choco Soaked Sponge Crunches! I didn't know what to expect when opening any of these...which made it all the more fun to dive in! Also in the package were some ramen-type noodle bowls and some seasoning packets which I haven't tried yet...but will soon...I cannot wait! Thank you so much Peachy...I adore my snacks straight from the Philippines!
And I finally have the cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking thanks to an amazing giveaway from Mary of 
Last, but not least, I won this amazing Frommer's book called 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers from Esme of 
So, to all you other foodies, food lovers, gourmands, epicureans, gastronomes, hungry people out there...I know there are good people in this world. Kindness that touches you in some little way (like a bag of cardamom pods). I also know that it is possible for you to win that giveaway! Or maybe the next one...all you have to do is enter!
