Friday Family Fun: Cheesemaking

It is a dreary, rainy, stay-inside-all-day, kind of day. So I have GOT to have something interesting for all of us to do together- one of my New Year's Resolutions is to spend more time together as a family. You know, other than watching TV together or just eating. So for Christmas this year one of the gifts I got for the family to share (yes, I do that), was this cheesemaking kit:

See, everybody in our house LOOOOVES cheese of any kind so I thought hey, if they sell it for kids it can't be that hard, right?
....
Well guess what- it's not hard at all! In fact we can churn out a big 'ole batch of mozzarella in about a half an hour or so.
Really!
You do, however, need a couple of things I don't typically keep on hand. A HUGE spaghetti pot (stainless steel is best), and whole milk. It takes a gallon of whole milk to make about 3/4 lb of uber fresh mozzarella. So for around a dollar more per pound, the kiddos and I can make something yummy together that is interesting AND educational.
Like, did you know the same citric acid you'd buy for your bath fizzy making goes in cheese? Well, neither did I! And don't even get me started on all the junk that goes in store-bought queso, either. Homemade mozzarella has FOUR ingredients. THAT'S IT! Scary huh? Of course the kids' favorite part (other than eating it) was getting to stretch it like silly putty.

But THIS Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese Making Kit had everything we needed to make around 30 batches of cheese- so we can make one almost every week and it will last a good majority of the year!
Of course, you know what that means, right? A whole lotta these: