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I live in a house of rabid meat eaters...I'll try it with chicken 
Here's a quick one before I head to bed...homemade cheese! I actually make a lot of these (it's a hobby of mine), but this one is probably the easiest: Panir. Panir is a great cheese, and versatile too. When cooked, it won't melt, and is similar to tofu in that it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. This version of Panir is for my Cheese Crouton mix.
Ingredients
1 butter muslin (a very fine cheesecloth, you can find them in a lot of stores, but especially homebrew beer stores)
1 gallon whole milk (can use 2% or even skim, but you get MUCH lower yield. Use whole)
8 tablespoons lemon juice OR 2 teaspoons citric acid dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water (choose one, don't use both!)
Parmesan cheese (grated)
garlic salt/pepper
olive oil
OPTIONAL; 1-2 cups hot water (to make a softer cheese)
Directions
1. Empty the gallon of milk into a large pot, and place it onto direct heat (ie, put the pot directly on a burner). Stirring often to prevent scorching, bring the milk to a rolling (gentle) boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low and, before the foam subsides, drizzle in the lemon juice/citric acid mix. Cook for 10-15 seconds.
3. Remove from the heat and continue to stir gently until large curds form. If the whey is still milky instead of clear, return it to the heat and increase the temperature a bit or add more coagulant (the juice/acid mix).
4. Once you obtain a clear separation of curds and whey, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. For a very soft cheese, add the optional hot water (if making the croutons, don't add extra water)
5. When the curds have settled below the whey, they are ready to drain. Ladle the curds into a colander lined with butter muslin. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hold the bag under a gentle stream of lukewarm water for 5-10 seconds to rinse off the coagulating agent. Gently twist the top of the muslin to squeeze out extra whey.
6. At this point, either hang the bag of curds to drain for 2-3 hours or return the muslin-covered curd mass to the colander and place a bowl of water, a brick, or some other form of 5-pound weight on top and press for 2 hours.
7. Unwrap the cheese. Eat it right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Now, a quick break on the recipe; the above is used to make the cheese itself, and Panir is very versatile. It's an Indian food, and you'll see it in a lot of their cooking, which is just delicious. Now, on to my personal recipe:
Panir Cheese Crouton Directions
1. After the Panir has been pressed/hung and drained, gently slice the curds into small cubes, trying not to break them apart. If you pressed the cheese in step 6, this will be much easier to do!
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet; mix in some garlic salt and pepper with the oil. The more, the better, but don't go too crazy.
3. Prepare a bowl with the Parmesan cheese, and a tiny bit of garlic salt/pepper inside, and set aside.
4. When the oil is heated, pour your Panir cubes in and begin to fry them; try to evenly brown each side of the cheese.
5. When browned, pour the cheese cubes directly into the bowl and roll them around in the Parmesan cheese, coating them. The oil from the pan will make this easy.
6. Pop the cubes into a container, and they will keep for a couple weeks. Use them in a salad, or with a pasta dish for great results.
Here's a quick one before I head to bed...homemade cheese! I actually make a lot of these (it's a hobby of mine), but this one is probably the easiest: Panir. Panir is a great cheese, and versatile too. When cooked, it won't melt, and is similar to tofu in that it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. This version of Panir is for my Cheese Crouton mix.
Ingredients
1 butter muslin (a very fine cheesecloth, you can find them in a lot of stores, but especially homebrew beer stores)
1 gallon whole milk (can use 2% or even skim, but you get MUCH lower yield. Use whole)
8 tablespoons lemon juice OR 2 teaspoons citric acid dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water (choose one, don't use both!)
Parmesan cheese (grated)
garlic salt/pepper
olive oil
OPTIONAL; 1-2 cups hot water (to make a softer cheese)
Directions
1. Empty the gallon of milk into a large pot, and place it onto direct heat (ie, put the pot directly on a burner). Stirring often to prevent scorching, bring the milk to a rolling (gentle) boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low and, before the foam subsides, drizzle in the lemon juice/citric acid mix. Cook for 10-15 seconds.
3. Remove from the heat and continue to stir gently until large curds form. If the whey is still milky instead of clear, return it to the heat and increase the temperature a bit or add more coagulant (the juice/acid mix).
4. Once you obtain a clear separation of curds and whey, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. For a very soft cheese, add the optional hot water (if making the croutons, don't add extra water)
5. When the curds have settled below the whey, they are ready to drain. Ladle the curds into a colander lined with butter muslin. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hold the bag under a gentle stream of lukewarm water for 5-10 seconds to rinse off the coagulating agent. Gently twist the top of the muslin to squeeze out extra whey.
6. At this point, either hang the bag of curds to drain for 2-3 hours or return the muslin-covered curd mass to the colander and place a bowl of water, a brick, or some other form of 5-pound weight on top and press for 2 hours.
7. Unwrap the cheese. Eat it right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Now, a quick break on the recipe; the above is used to make the cheese itself, and Panir is very versatile. It's an Indian food, and you'll see it in a lot of their cooking, which is just delicious. Now, on to my personal recipe:
Panir Cheese Crouton Directions
1. After the Panir has been pressed/hung and drained, gently slice the curds into small cubes, trying not to break them apart. If you pressed the cheese in step 6, this will be much easier to do!
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet; mix in some garlic salt and pepper with the oil. The more, the better, but don't go too crazy.
3. Prepare a bowl with the Parmesan cheese, and a tiny bit of garlic salt/pepper inside, and set aside.
4. When the oil is heated, pour your Panir cubes in and begin to fry them; try to evenly brown each side of the cheese.
5. When browned, pour the cheese cubes directly into the bowl and roll them around in the Parmesan cheese, coating them. The oil from the pan will make this easy.
6. Pop the cubes into a container, and they will keep for a couple weeks. Use them in a salad, or with a pasta dish for great results.
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