Make your own Cheese

I have had several requests for my cheese recipe, so here goes.

1. you will need a stainless steel pot that will hold one gallon of milk.
2. a candy thermometer.
3. a medium sized strainer
4. a slotted spoon
5. a microwave safe bowl
6. 2 small glass glasses


Ingredients:
1 gallon 2% pasteurized milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
liquid vegetable rennet (available at health food stores or online)
citric acid (also available at health food stores and online)
non iodized salt the finer grain the better (flaked is best, but hard to find)
Distilled water

Pour milk into stainless steel pan and turn heat to medium.
Put 1/4 tsp liquid rennet into glass and add 1/4 cup distilled water and stir
Put 1/2 tsp citric acid in other glass and add 1/4 cup distilled water and stir
Place thermometer into milk and gently warm to 55 degrees, stir occasionally
At 55 add citric acid mixture and stir gently with slotted spoon.
At 88 degrees add rennet mixture and stir gently with up and down motions. (Curds will form quickly, keep gently stirring until next step)
At 105 degrees turn off heat and strain cheese into micro safe dish.
(Whey should be clear, if not wait a few moments)
Press as much whey out with the spoon as you can. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp) and mix in well. Put dish into micro for 1 min. Remove and press out more whey. Do this 2 more times heating for 35-45 sec in between.
Let cheese cool only until able to handle and stretch like taffy for about 2 minutes. Form into a ball by squeezing outside edges under the center and place on a plate to cool. Slice and enjoy. Can be refrigerated or frozen in ziplock bag. YUM!