This recipe makes 3 pounds of cheese. It keeps for two weeks in the fridge, or you can freeze it.

Ingredients:
Trader Joe's heavy cream, 16 oz. (1/2qt.)
Whole milk, 1 gal.
Trader Joe's heavy whipping cream, 1 qt.
Water, 1 qt.
Trader Joe's buttermilk, 1 qt.
Sugar, 3 tbsp.
Salt, 2 tbsp.
White vinegar, 3 tbsp.
Pam

Cookware:
Large pot
Candy thermometer
Colander
Cheesecloth
Dish or bowl which will hold colander and drainage mixture
Slotted spoon
Wax paper
Aluminium foil

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix the buttermilk and vinegar and set aside.
2. Spray large pot with Pam, so sides and bottom are lightly coated.
3. Add milk, cream, water and sugar to pot, give one stir and cook on medium heat until thermometer reaches 175 degrees. Depending on your stove, this may take two hours or more.

4. Add salt, giving one easy turn, and continue cooking until thermometer reaches 200 degrees. This doesn't take very long, though the temperature may drop slightly when you drop in the salt.
5. Once your mixture reaches 200 degrees, gently stir in the buttermilk-vinegar mixture. 
6. During the next 30-40 minutes, let the temperature rise to 200 degrees again, reducing heat to low if necessary. Gently give the mixture one turn at the 15-minute mark.
7. Remove the thermometer and allow the mixture to separate on low heat (~30 min). Do NOT allow mixture to boil!
8. Turn off heat, and leave pot alone for two hours.
9. Line your colander with cheesecloth, and with a slotted spoon lift out the curds from the pot into the colander (you may taste the curds at this point - I thought I died and went to heaven).

10. Cover your colander with wax paper and aluminium foil to form a tight seal. Place into refrigerator overnight.
11. The following day, the cheese can be removed from the colander and placed into containers or cut into pieces and frozen. If stored in the fridge, the cheese will become more firm as the days pass.

You can enjoy your cheese with eggs for breakfast. Place some cheese on a skillet on medium-high heat for a few moments. Add a cracked egg and wait until desired level of done-ness, serve.

To most people, comfort food is usually defined as mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of either of these creamy American dishes, so when I find myself in need of a warm, delicious meal when I’m stressed I turn to their Italian equivalent: Risotto. Risotto is a creamy rice dish made from using high-starch rice and slowing adding hot liquid (I like to use chicken stock) while continually stirring. Last summer when I finally had the opportunity to cook for myself — the first time I didn’t have my parents or the residence halls to feed me — I decided I wanted to expand my culinary horizons and try something new. I’ve always heard risotto was delicious and with every other chef on the Food Network making it, I decided that this would be the perfect dish to flex my culinary muscles. It takes a little bit of work, but the end result is well worth the wait and elbow grease.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup Arborio Rice
  
• 3+ cups Chicken Stock*
  
• ½ pounds of Shrimp
  
• ½ cup Peas
  
• 1 tablespoon Garlic (minced
  
• Butter
  
• Parmesan Cheese
  

1. First, with olive oil sauté minced garlic in a deep pan or pot. Once the garlic starts to turn a little brown and the natural flavors are brought out add the Arborio rice. Let the rice brown a little in the oil and garlic to develop its natural nuttiness.
   
2. Once the rice starts to become opaque, turn the heat to medium/high and add enough chicken stock to just cover the mixture.  Stir constantly! The key to risotto’s creamy texture of awesomeness is taking the time and energy to keep it moving.
   
3. When the rice seems to have absorbed most of the liquid, add another ladle-full (about ½ cup) of stock. Continue this process until the rice is fully cooked and it reaches your desired texture — it should take around 20-30 minutes depending on the pan you use.
   
4. When your rice is nearing completion, add your shrimp to the mixture. For this recipe, I like to use pre-cooked shrimp that I season with pepper and garlic. Adding the shrimp at this time will warm it through and allow the natural shrimp-y taste to permeate the dish. (You’ll probably want to add one more ladle-full of stock after adding the shrimp, so plan accordingly).
   
5. When the rice is creamy, delicious, and fully cooked, it’s time to add the finishing touches. Simply add a handful of frozen peas (they’ll thaw quickly), 1-2 tablespoons of butter (all about preference there), and Parmesan cheese. Again, the amount of cheese is your personal preference, as it will add salty undertones as well contributing to the creaminess — I’d start will a tablespoon and continue adding until your satisfied.
   
6. Serve immediately!
   

Risotto is best when served hot, so, thankfully, you don’t need to wait. Simply dish out your dinner into perfect bowls of comfort and warmth.  Next time your feeling the need to dive into a bowl of mac’n’cheese, consider something a little more exotic and just as tasty. You’ll be able to impress your friends, and your taste buds will be grateful for the experience. 


*Note: the ratio between liquid and Arborio is 3/1 — different from the classic 2/1 for most rices — so if you want to smaller or larger amount, keep this in mind.