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This Rigatoni Pasta Bake is an easy weeknight dinner that’ll make everyone at the table happy! Tender rigatoni is tossed in a flavorful meat sauce and gets baked to perfection beneath a blanket of both parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Make ahead and freezer friendly! < Back Rigatoni Pasta Bake Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Serves: 8 Level: Beginner About the Recipe This Rigatoni Pasta Bake is an easy weeknight dinner that’ll make everyone at the table happy! Tender rigatoni is tossed in a flavorful meat sauce and gets baked to perfection beneath a blanket of both parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Make ahead and freezer friendly! Ingredients 1 lb lean ground beef 1 medium onion diced 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt ¼-½ teaspoon red chili flakes (according to your tastes) ¼ teaspoon black pepper 5 cups tomato pasta sauce roughly 2 jars 500 grams Rigatoni pasta about 1 lb 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese fresh parsley to garnish Preparation In a large saucepan, stir and cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until browned and onions have softened. Drain any juices released. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, red chili flakes and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the pasta sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, for 5 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add rigatoni, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook just until al dente (it will continue to cook slightly in the oven). Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain pasta. Stir reserved pasta water into meat sauce. Combine pasta and pasta sauce in a saucepan. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13″ or similar baking dish. Cover with a lightly greased piece of foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through. **Optionally, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bake at 350 degrees F until heated through, about 30-40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake an additional 10 minutes (or broil 2-3 minutes), until the cheese has started to brown. Ingredients and Substitutions: Ground Beef: feel free to swap the ground beef for ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy according to your tastes), or ground pork, chicken or turkey. Vegetables: onion provides a great flavor base for our sauce, but this is also a great time to add in other vegetables. Finely chopped or shredded carrots, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, celery and more are great additions. You can also stir some spinach into the sauce after simmering. Rigatoni: this recipe works just as well with any cut of pasta! Feel free to use what you have on hand. I often use a whole grain variety. Previous Next

Generational family favorite for when you just need some chocolate < Back Poor Man’s Chocolate Cake Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-35 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 ½ cup sugar 2 ¼ cup flour ½ cup cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoon salt 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ cup water ½ cup vegetable oil (or oil of your choice) 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla Preparation In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Mix together with a wire whisk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the water, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla. Mix well with a wire whisk or hand mixer until ingredients are well combined and smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 350°F, for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. High altitude instructions: Add ¼ cup flour to the recipe when mixing. Previous Next

I have no control when it comes to 4-Bean Salad. I could sit down and eat the whole bowl. The flavor explodes in your mouth, and you will never forget it. Don’t save this for just family gatherings, spoil yourself and make it just for you! < Back 4-Bean Salad Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: Serves: 8 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ½ cup white sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2/3 cup olive oil 2/3 cup white wine vinegar (or white, or apple cider vinegar) 1 can garbanzo beans (16 oz.) 1 can green beans (16 oz.) 1 can yellow wax or baby butter bean (16 oz.) 1 can kidney bean (16 oz.) 1 small purple onion, thinly sliced (or other mild onion) 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced (optional) Preparation Mix together sugar, salt, oil, and vinegar. Drain and rinse beans and place in a large bowl, add onion. Pour mixture over beans and lightly toss. Best if made a day ahead to absorb flavors. Previous Next

These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are! They're perfect for enchiladas, soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps... < Back Tortilla (wheat or white) Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3 cups flour – your preference 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ cup oil (olive oil is the healthiest to use, but any vegetable oil is acceptable) 1 cup warm water Preparation Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and knead until you have a smooth ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. Divide up into 12 equal balls and roll out, thin (they will thicken up a bit when they cook.) Do not use flour to roll them out because when you cook them the flour will burn. If they happen to be a little too moist, just lightly dust the ball before rolling out. Fry the tortillas on medium high heat, with NO oil (that will make it crispy), on a cast iron skillet. When they start to bubble up, turn over. When it starts to bubble up again, they are done. Cover with a cloth to keep warm and serve. These are very soft, very tasty tortillas! Previous Next

Cream Cheese Frosting makes the perfect frosting recipe that can be used on either cupcakes or layer cakes. It is super simple to make, and is the best one you can get! < Back Cream Cheese Icing Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: -0- Serves: -0- Level: Beginner Ingredients ¼ cup butter or margarine 3 oz. package of cream cheese A pinch of salt 2 ½ cups powdered sugar Preparation Place all ingredients in a bowl Beat together until light and fluffy Adding a few drops Spread over Desserts made with cream cheese frosting do require refrigeration. If the frosting is already used on a cupcake or layer-cake, make sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you simply want to refrigerate the unused frosting, simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Before using it, remove from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before use. This way, it will soften up a bit. Another trick you could use is to add one tablespoon of heavy cream to the frosting and mix on low for about 1 minute with an electric mixer. This will ensure a fluffy and spreadable consistency. Previous Next

Delicious Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste < Back Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 84 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Delicious Homemade Vanilla Bean Paste Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar 6 ounces vodka about ⅔ cup 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup 2 Tablespoons water 2 ounces whole vanilla bean Grade A preferred Preparation Combine the sugar, vodka, corn syrup, and water in the cup of a high speed blender. If you only have a pitcher for your blender, you will want to double all of the ingredients. 1 cup granulated sugar, 6 ounces vodka, 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup, 2 Tablespoons water . Cut the vanilla beans into pieces that are about 2-3" in length and add to the blender cup. 2 ounces whole vanilla bean Blend on the highest speed for about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. I use the extract function on the Ninja Foodi Blender. Pour into storage containers with a lid and store at room temperature for up to 1 year. Previous Next

Homemade, as you may know, is so much better than store bought! < Back Homemade Cranberry Juice Prep Time: 35 minutes + chilling Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 8 (2 quarts) Level: Beginner About the Recipe Homemade, as you may know, is so much better than store bought! Ingredients 2 Quarts 8 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 1-½ cups sugar ½ cup lemon juice Preparation 1. In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, bring water and cranberries to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until berries begin to pop, 20 minutes. 2. Strain through a fine strainer, pressing mixture with a spoon; discard berries. Return cranberry juice to the pan. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and orange juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. 3. Remove from the heat. Cool. Transfer to a pitcher; cover and refrigerate until chilled. Homemade Cranberry Juice Tips How long does homemade cranberry juice last? Homemade cranberry juice tastes best immediately after making it, but any leftover cranberry juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze cranberry juice for up to a month, but be sure to store it in a freezer-safe container and leave at least an inch at the top of the container to allow for the juice to expand as it freezes. How else can you serve this homemade cranberry juice recipe? Try using your homemade cranberry juice to make a festive Cranberry Fizz. What are the benefits of drinking cranberry juice? Cranberry juice is thought to have several benefits, from reducing blood sugar to promoting healthy, glowing skin. Sugared Cranberries Heat 3 tablespoons of light corn syrup in the microwave until warm; gently toss with 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, allowing excess syrup to drip off. Toss in 1/3 cup sugar to coat. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set, about 1 hour. Previous Next

This mix makes the BEST brownies. These aren’t the cake type brownies, or the too dense and mushy brownies. Nope, these are the gooey-in-the-center and the crisp-around-the-corner brownies. Once you eat these, other brownies just won’t measure up. < Back Make-A-Mix Brownie Mix Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: Endless possibilities Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 6 cups all-purpose white flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoons salt 8 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Preparation In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir with a wire whisk until evenly distributed. Put in an airtight container and label with date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks (but know that it does last longer) In addition to making the best ever brownies with this mix, if you buy the Make-A-Mix cookbook, you will also find the recipes for Chewy Chocolate Cookies, Texas Sheet Cake, Brownie Alaska, and Mississippi Mud . (So GOOD!) Previous Next

Elecampane tincture is used by herbalists as a natural cough remedy, and it’s one of my favorite herbal cough remedies. The root is tinctured for respiratory support, and it’s commonly used for chest congestion, cold/flu, bronchitis and asthma. It’s also been shown to have antimicrobial benefits, and it’s used topically to treat yeast infections and athlete's foot. < Back Elecampane Tincture Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: Varies Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Elecampane, either dried or fresh Vodka* (or any other palatable alcohol that’s at least 80 proof/40 percent — there’s no need to splurge here, I always use Smirnoff because it’s inexpensive and has a neutral taste)** Preparation Elecampane is one of those herbal remedies that’s been around (and commonly used) for millennia. Supposedly, Helen of Troy was out gathering elecampane when she was taken, sparking the Trojan war. The woman whose beauty launched a thousand ships thought it important enough to gather elecampane from a hillside herself, and I can only imagine the sick friend of relative she valued waiting back in a sick bed in ancient Greece. Not just an ancient remedy, elecampane is my go to remedy for cough and congestion, and we mix elecampane tincture with raw honey to make an incredibly effective cough syrup. It’s one of the herbal remedies that is ALWAYS in my herbal medicine cabinet, and it’s used more than almost any remedy in my herbal first aid kit. Elecampane grows wild on our land, and it has fluffy airborne seeds similar to dandelions, so it sprouts up all over the place. The plants are 6 to 10 feet tall, with bright yellow daisy-like flowers that are hard to miss. The root is what’s used medicinally, and it grows a spicy, aromatic taproot with a wonderful warming flavor. If you don’t grow elecampane (or forage it in the wild) you can buy dried elecampane root online, or ready made elecampane tincture. It’s also a common ingredient in chest care tinctures and lung care tinctures. This is the basic process for making elecampane, but if you’re looking for more details, I’d recommend the Herbal Academy’s Tincture Making Course which covers everything you could ever want to know about making more than 100 different herbal tinctures, as well as half a dozen tincturing methods. (Always consult your doctor or a clinical herbalist before trying any new herbal remedy, as there’s always the possibility of unintended consequences, allergic reaction, or interactions with other medications. If you’re harvesting wild plant material, make sure you’re 100% confident in your identification and consult multiple sources for your ID. The following is based on my research and experience, but I don’t claim to have any certifications that would qualify me to advise you on your health. Please do your own research and always verify with multiple reputable sources.) BENEFITS OF ELECAMPANE TINCTURE Elecampane is a medicinal herb that is known for its ability to relieve symptoms of lung diseases such as asthma, whooping cough, and bronchitis. Elecampane offers a multi-pronged attack against these illnesses, acting as a cough preventative as well as an expectorant that helps clear the lungs of excess phlegm. Elecampane tincture is considered both warming and drying, which means it's most effective when used to combat wet coughs or mucus that has hardened in the lungs. Research on the chemical compounds found in elecampane has shown the plant has a wide variety of medicinal properties including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial benefits. Elecampane tincture can also be applied externally for its anti-candida (yeast) properties and can be used to soothe fungal infections such as athlete’s foot. HOW TO MAKE ELECAMPANE TINCTURE To make elecampane tincture, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment: Elecampane, either dried or fresh Vodka* (or any other palatable alcohol that’s at least 80 proof/40 percent — there’s no need to splurge here, I always use Smirnoff because it’s inexpensive and has a neutral taste)** One-pint mason jar with lid (amber glass is ideal, but as long as you keep the tincture away from light at all times, it won’t make a difference) Funnel Cheesecloth Fine mesh sieve Amber glass tincture bottles (with dropper) *The Herbal Academy’s tincture making course specifically recommends using 40% alcohol when working with elecampane (though they recommend as low as 25% for mucilaginous herbs, and up to 95% when working with plant resins. Elecampane just happens to fall right in the middle, since it has both alcohol soluble and water soluble constituents). **Never use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol for tinctures (or any other remedy you plan on ingesting). Even in small amounts, this type of alcohol is toxic and meant for external applications only. If you’re avoiding alcohol for any reason, consider making a herbal glycerite instead. Herbal vinegars are also a good choice, and work well with elecampane. To make the tincture, fill a jar about 3/4 of the way full with fresh elecampane (or about halfway full with dried elecampane). Cover the elecampane with vodka, or whichever alcohol you’ve chosen, and seal the jar with its lid. Keep the developing tincture in a cool, dark place and give the jar a gentle shake every few days. (If you remember, every day is better, but at least once a week will do.) After about 4 to 6 weeks, it’s time to decant the tincture. To do this, you’ll need to line a funnel with a few layers of cheesecloth. Carefully strain the tincture into small amber glass tincture bottles, squeezing the elecampane to make sure all the liquid is expelled. Once the tincture has been decanted, label the tincture bottles with the date and suggested dosages (I use a small piece of masking tape and a marker, it peels off easily when I’m ready to use the bottle for something else). I know 4-6 weeks can be a long time to wait if you’re desperately needing relief now. There’s nothing wrong with buying a bottle of ready made elecampane tincture to use while your homemade tincture infuses. Purchased tinctures are a lot more expensive than DIY homemade ones, but they have the benefit of being ready when you need them, like now. ELECAMPANE TINCTURE DOSAGE For an exact dosage specific to your body and needs, I’d suggest consulting a clinical herbalist. Generally, the dosage for elecampane tincture is 1 to 2 droppers full, taken 2 to 3 times per day, or as needed. This herb is generally considered safe for use, even at higher doses, and we tend to mix elecampane tincture with raw honey in a 1:1 ratio, making an effective herbal cough syrup that I take every few hours as needed when I’m suffering from a particularly bad cough. It’s even more effective, I find, when you make it with thyme tincture and elecampane tincture together. ELECAMPANE FORMULATIONS Elecampane is commonly paired with other herbs for respiratory support, such as Usnea, Licorice and Thyme. This chest care tincture uses elecampane mixed with ginger, horehound, licorice, marshmallow and mullein. Similarly, this lung care tincture combines elecampane with many of the same herbs. If you’re interested in the science behind combining herbs to enhance their effectiveness, I’d recommend taking this online course in Mastering Herbal Formulations from the Herbal Academy. It covers the science of blending herbs into homemade formulations in detail. INSTRUCTIONS Fill a clean, empty mason jar 3/4 full of fresh elecampane, or 1/2 full of dried elecampane. (Dried elecampane is often available from herbal supply shops.) Cover the fresh or dried elecampane with alcohol, making sure the contents of the jar are completely covered. Screw the lid on tightly and gently shake the contents of the jar. Place in a cool, dry location away from light, allowing the extraction to occur over the next 6 to 8 weeks. Give the contents of the jar a gentle shake every couple of days. Keep an eye on the alcohol level, adding more alcohol to cover the plant material if needed. Once the tincture is ready to be decanted, line a funnel with cheesecloth and place the tip of the funnel into the neck of a dark amber glass bottle. Pour the solvent and the **name into the cheesecloth-lined funnel, pressing to make sure all of the liquid makes it into the bottle. Label the tincture with its contents, date of production, recommended dosages, and suggested usages. Store in a cool, dry area away from light. NOTES *Tinctures are usually made with vodka as a neutral spirit, but you can also use brandy, whisky or any other high-proof alcohol. Finished tinctures need to be at least 25% alcohol for preservation, and fresh herbs contribute some moisture to the mix. Be sure you use something that's 60-proof or higher. Never use denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol to make tinctures, as it's unsafe for consumption. To make an alcohol-free glycerite tincture (glycerite): cover dried plant material completely with a preparation of 3 parts glycerin to 1 part distilled water (instead of alcohol). Dried elecampane is available from herbal supply stores, and is often used in place of fresh. If using fresh elecampane, use all glycerine and skip the water. As the glycerite tincture develops, it will need to be shaken every day. Proceed following the same directions as if making an alcohol-based tincture. Yield The yield varies, but if you're using fresh plant material, you should expect to pull out ever so slightly more tincture than the vodka you add. If using dried plant material, the dried herbs will absorb some and you'll get slightly less than the alcohol added. The amount of vodka will vary based on how tightly you pack the jar, but you should need about 2-3 cups of vodka for a quart jar, or about 1 to 1 1/2 cups vodka per pint. Be sure the plant material remains submerged during infusion. TOOLS Pint mason jar (or any other jar with a tight-fitting lid) Funnel Cheesecloth (or fine mesh strainer) Dark amber dropper bottles Adhesive label or masking tape (for labelling tincture) MATERIALS Dried Elecampane Root Neutral Spirit (such as vodka)* Previous Next

Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon. < Back Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 ¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon salt, divided ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided 1 pound asparagus, trimmed 4 (5 ounce) skinless salmon filets, preferably wild 1 medium lemon 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze ½ teaspoon whole-grain mustard Preparation Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Step 2 Stir together oil, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Push the potatoes to one end of the pan. Step 3 Place asparagus in the large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Arrange the asparagus on the other end of the baking sheet. Roast until the asparagus is bright green, about 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to either end of the pan, leaving space in the center. Step 4 Brush salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place the salmon in the center of the pan. Thinly slice half the lemon and tuck the slices around the salmon and vegetables. Roast for 5 minutes more. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Step 5 Whisk balsamic glaze and mustard in a small bowl. Brush 1 tablespoon of the mixture on the salmon. Continue roasting until the salmon is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining sauce. Serve with the lemon wedges. Previous Next

Quick and easy alternative to cornbread. So easy to take on the go too! < Back Cornmeal Popovers Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup fine white cornmeal 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 ¾ cups whole milk 4 large eggs ¼ cup butter, melted Preparation Preheat muffin tin to 450°. Wisk eggs and milk together. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and then add the mixed milk and eggs. Put about a teaspoon of the melted butter in the bottom of each muffin hole and then fill each about ½ to a 1/3 full. Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes. So good as a side for a steaming bowl of chili or soup. YUMMY! Previous Next

Making cottage cheese from sour milk is a great way to reduce waste, save money, and get some extra protein in your diet. Are you tired of dumping sour milk down the drain? < Back How to Make Cottage Cheese From Sour Milk Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Making cottage cheese from sour milk is a great way to reduce waste, save money, and get some extra protein in your diet. Are you tired of dumping sour milk down the drain? Ingredients half gallon sour milk (whole is best) or fresh milk 3 Tbsp vinegar 1 tsp salt a small amount of cream or whole milk ( not sour) Preparation My grandma always used sour milk in baked goods for light and fluffy cakes, muffins, and even pancakes. I’ve used sour milk in place of buttermilk or regular milk in recipes, but it’s nice to have another option. When I find marked down milk at the grocery store, I use it for frugal yogurt, cheese, and baking. Sometimes I don’t use it fast enough and I have sour milk for cottage cheese. Learning to Make Cottage Cheese I have found several sites online that give instructions for making cottage cheese from sour milk. The only problem is that each site gave different instructions and they didn’t say how sour your milk can be and still be usable for cottage cheese. I’ve found that it can be curdled, but if it smells really horrible… I dump it to be on the safe side. If you are concerned about using sour milk to make cottage cheese, I understand and you can use this recipe to make cottage cheese from fresh milk instead. Keep in mind that heating the sour milk to 195F and holding it there for 10 minutes should kill harmful bacteria. Here’s how I make cottage cheese from sour milk… Old Fashioned Cottage Cheese Instructions: Pour sour milk into a saucepan . Turn heat on to medium and use a candy thermometer to measure temperature. Heat milk to 195 F. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Stir gently until curds and whey separate. Pour through a colander lined with cheesecloth . Rinse the curds and squeeze the water out through the cheesecloth . Pour curds into a bowl. Tip: If your milk doesn’t curdle, add more vinegar or lemon juice to increase the acid. Experimenting: Cottage Cheese Made From Sour Milk Here are my thoughts on this process: The instructions that I read said to heat sour milk until curds and whey separated (without vinegar). My pan of sour milk never separated, so I used the vinegar. I think I could reduce the amount of vinegar to 1 tablespoon and it should work just fine. You could try it without the vinegar and see if your sour milk separates on its own. On the other hand, a number of people have commented that their milk never separated. Ultra-pasteurized milk may not work in this recipe. This product is becoming more prevalent, so just be aware that it may not be the best milk for making cottage cheese. One of the recipes called for rinsing the curds until all the whey was removed. I did this and then wondered why you would need to rinse the curds? Upon further reflection, it is probably to remove all traces of vinegar. However, in the future, I won’t spend much time rinsing the curds. This recipe is basically the same as the queso fresco I posted previously. In this case, you crumble the curds up and add the milk or cream to it. I used cream, but in the future, I will switch to milk. The cream was a little too rich for my taste. Homemade Cottage Cheese is Best! I liked this cottage cheese much better than the store-bought version. The curds are denser and the flavor had more tang to it. That may have been from using sour milk. I will definitely be making my own cottage cheese from now on instead of buying it. I never have a problem with cottage cheese going bad in our fridge, but this pretty much disappeared pronto! Previous Next