Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a great source of protein, with 25g of protein in 1 cup. The store bought stuff is not very appetizing, so I avoided cottage cheese for years. Then, I realized I could easily make my own!

Ingredients:

1 gallon pasteurized milk (I’ve used whole or skim)

3/4 cup white vinegar

1-2 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Directions:

Pour the milk into a large saucepan or stock pot and place over medium heat. Heat the milk to 120*F.

Remove from the heat and carefully pour in the vinegar. Stir slowly for 2 minutes. The curd will separate from the whey. Cover and let sit at room temperature approximately 30 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Let drain for 5 minutes. Carefully rinse the curds under cold water until the curds have cooled. Squeeze as much moisture out of the curds as possible and transfer to a storage bowl. Add salt if you like.

To serve, stir in the heavy cream. If storing, place in a sealable container in the refrigerator. Add the heavy cream just prior to serving.