Crafty in the Kitchen: Homemade Yogurt and Ricotta

Hi there! This little blog of mine is very craft-focused but I also like to do a lot of crafty things in the kitchen from baking, cooking, and making jam.

Like most people, I succumbed to purchasing an Instant Pot after weeks of weighing its pros (faster cooking time! a pressure cooker that's not intimidating!) and cons (no counter space! I don't need another appliance!). And because I want to make the most out of this purchase, I'm trying out its many functions.

Guys, I made my own yogurt! I got the recipe from this book. It's easy but it needs a lot of time. I allow it to cook overnight and when I wake up in the morning, I have yogurt...TADA! 

Here's the recipe:

Homemade Whole Milk Yogurt 
from the book "How To Instant Pot" by Daniel Shumski

Total time: 12 hours and 30 minutes (including cooling time)

Active time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients:

2 quarts whole milk

2 tablespoons whole milk, 2%, or skim yogurt with active (live) cultures

Procedure:

1. Place the milk in the inner pot. Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing.

Press the Yogurt button and then press the Yogurt or Adjust button until the 

display reads "Boil."

2. Allow about 30 minutes for the program to finish. When it has finished, press 

Cancel until the display reads "Off." Use oven mitts to remove the inner pot (be 

careful -- it's hot!) and place it on a trivet or other heat-resistant surface. Allow 

the milk to cool, stirring occasionally, until the temperature drops to 110 degrees

Fahrenheit as measured on an instant read thermometer, about 1 hour. (If you do 

not have a thermometer, use a small spoon to drip a few drops of the milk on the

inside of your wrist. It should feel just above body temperature -- very slightly 

warm but not hot. Err on the side of too cool, since too much heat will kill the 

necessary bacteria in the yogurt in the next step.)

3. Add the yogurt to the inner pot and stir thoroughly.

4. Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot. Press the Yogurt button and use the 

Yogurt or Adjust button to select the middle temperature ("Normal"). Use 

the - or + button to set the time to 8 hours. Close and lock the lid. Set the valve 

to Sealing.

5. When the cycle ends press Cancel and remove the lid. Stir the yogurt and then

use a large spoon to scoop it into a container with a lid or single-serving containers

with lids. Place the covered container(s) in the refrigerator to cool, about 3 hours,

before serving.

Whole Milk Yogurt will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up 

to 2 weeks.

I found the yogurt a bit runny. To remove the excess liquid, I put it on cheesecloth on a strainer sitting on top of a bowl. Here are some ways I like to eat my homemade yogurt:

Fruit and Granola Yogurt bowl - I sweeten the yogurt with some honey and I top it with seasonal fruits and a handful of granola.

Smoothie Bowl - In a blender, I make a smoothie made of yogurt, fruit (ex. bananas, berries or apples) and greens (ex. spinach). I can also add flax meal, cinnamon or honey. Then I pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with fruit (fresh or dried), nuts and granola.

Mango, Coconut and Chia Seed Parfait - I put a tablespoon of chia seeds in a cup of yogurt and let it sit in the fridge overnight to make the chia "bloom." I topped it with cubed mangoes and flaked coconut...TADA!

*****

Guess what? I also made my own cheese in the Instant Pot!

Here is the recipe for Ricotta:

Do-It-Yourself Ricotta
from the book "How To Instant Pot" by Daniel Shumski

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (including cooling time)
Active Time: 15 minutes
Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 quart whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Procedure:

1. Place the milk in the inner pot. Close and lock the lid. Set 

the valve to Venting. Press Yogurt and press the Yogurt or Adjust

button until the display reads "Boil."

2. Allow about 20 minutes for the program to finish. When it has 

finished, press Cancel. Use oven mitts to remove the inner pot (be 

careful -- it's hot!) and place it on a trivet or other heat-resistant 

surface.

3. Stir in the salt. Slowly stir in the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a

time. The milk will coagulate, gathering together in small lumps as

the lemon juice is added. Wait about 5 minutes for the milk to 

coagulate further.

4. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and pour the milk 

through it. Let it drain until only the solids remain in the strainer,

about 10 minutes.

5. Use a spatula to scrape the solids into a container with a lid. Cover

the container with a lid. Cover the container and refrigerate it until

chilled, about 2 hours.

Do-It-Yourself Ricotta will keep, in an airtight container in the 

refrigerator, for up to one week.

Tip: The liquid leftover from straining is whey and is rich in protein.

Substitute it for water in pizza or bread dough, or incorporate it into

smoothies.

If the ricotta is too dry when you're ready to use it, add a little milk to re-hydrate it. Here's how my husband and I used the ricotta: 

Ricotta Toast - spread a generous amount of ricotta on whole grain bread and top with fresh fruit like nectarines and blueberries (figs or strawberries are good alternatives, too). Top it with walnuts, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle on some flaky sea salt.

Tomato and Ricotta Salad - thinly slice heirloom (or any) tomato, top with arugula and basil (or other salad greens), add puddles of ricotta, dress with balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. If you like, serve with a protein like slices of grilled steak or chicken.  

Ricotta Panna Cotta with Nectarines and Honey - this is a tangy version of panna cotta, a recipe from Bon Appetit.

I hope these recipes inspired you to get crafty in the kitchen, to try something new, and to eat a little bit healthy, a little bit indulgent...TADA!

Ribbon Embroidery

Hello! My cousin and her family came to visit and she gave me a most adorable gift:

It's a set of boxed cards decorated with ribbon embroidery.

They are made by a group in the Philippines called Martha and Mary's Garden of Hope where women are taught livelihood skills to better their future. Gradually, these women's lives are turned from blah to TADA!

The set included 5 cards and matching envelopes. 

Here are the cards up close:

Aren't they sweet? The women captured every little detail like the flick of the petal, the colorful stigma, and the delicate buds.

The cards are blank inside -- lots of room to jot down thoughts and wishes!

It's something that's a joy to give and receive!

And speaking of ribbon embroidery, here is a short tutorial from a post many, many years ago. 

I am all for learning new skills, crafts for a cause, and empowering women. TADA!

Print on Print

Hello everyone! Maybe you have a few books that you want to get rid of? We can, of course, donate them to a thrift store, used book store, or set-up a Little Free Library in the neighborhood. 

We can use them for crafting! Let me show you some inspiration:

I found this poster and many others like it at a bookshop in Portland, Maine. They are made by a company called Vintage Dictionary Art using authentic Webster Dictionary pages. I think they make thoughtful gifts to book lovers and writers...TADA!

These adorable animal portraits are painted on old book pages. They are mounted on wood and are ready to hang. I spotted them at The Country Living Fair a few years ago.

I also found these at The Country Living Fair. The old book pages are used only as part of the packaging for the actual product (book marks/gift tags). But I like how the shop owner used this little detail to enhance her products and display.

Here are a few crafts that I made using old books:

I tore a page from an old book and folded it into a paper bag. I added a bird stamp and tied on some twine to turn it from blah to TADA!

This one is from the blog archives. It's a gift wrapping idea using an old printed page as a "belt". I think it adds another layer of visual interest.

Another one from the blog archives: I painted my friend's initial on a page from an old book. I framed it and it became a simple, handmade gift...TADA!

Here's another one from the blog archives where I dressed up a handmade bookmark with washi tape, stamps, and old book pages. 

With these in mind, you're ready to turn your old books from blah to TADA! Please share with me what you make, okay?

Five Handwritten Cards for Healing

A handwritten note holds great power.  It tells the recipient that they are loved, are thought about kindly, and that they matter.

Do you remember the last time you received a handwritten card, perhaps for a birthday or someone expressing gratitude to you? What did you feel? Wasn't it warm and fuzzy, like you were the most special person on earth?

Why not pay it forward? It's a good excuse to buy nice stationery and a good pen, and more importantly, to brighten somebody's day.

Here are five cards I've sent over the years to those who I think really needed it the most. I call them "Cards for Healing".

1. A card of support after a tragedy

On Valentine's Day in 2018, a tragic mass shooting happened at The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. 

School should be a place where one feels safe but not in this case. The event made students, parents, and teachers associate school with fear and tragedy. The school was closed for some time.  

When the school was scheduled to re-open, I found out on Instagram that one of the teachers encouraged letters and posters to be written for the students. These would be put up on the walls to uplift the students. How could I not participate?

I hope that in my own little way, I have given them some encouragement. I also hope that all these mass shootings will finally stop. 

2. A card for someone going through illness

When I find out that a relative or friend is going through illness, I try my best to reach out. Nobody wants to hear difficult news and if and when they do, they need a hand to hold. 

I made this card for a friend of mine. I told her that for each flower I painted, I said a prayer for her. And that my prayers continue even after I gave her the card. 

I hope that this card is a reminder that her family and friends will her to get well and that she should never give up.  

3. A card for someone who suffered a loss

This is a card I made for a dear friend who lost her partner.  I told her that I share her sadness and included some memorable stories we all had together. 

I received similar letters when my parents passed away. And they gave me so much comfort. Whether it's a loss of a parent, spouse, or a miscarriage, letters like these are always appreciated.  

4. A card commending someone for their bravery

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford bravely testified against then Supreme Court nominee (now Supreme Court Justice) Brett Kavanaugh. In a televised hearing, she recounted a traumatic event that happened between them when they were teenagers. Even if she was afraid and received death threats, she still did it because she said it was her civic duty.     

My heart went out to her and I wanted to let her know. I found a mailing address on Twitter and wrote her a letter telling her that I believed her and I was thankful for her bravery.  

5. A card offering support

Everyone goes through rough patches -- loss of a job, an opportunity not pulling through, a break-up. These moments can be devastating. Words of encouragement may just be what they need to pick themselves up again. 

It is my hope that cards like these turn blahs into TADAs!

A Stylish Storage Container

It's so nice to see you today!

One Christmas, we received this big can filled with bags of popcorn. Each bag had a different flavor, a perfect snack for weekends of binge-watching.

All the popcorn is gone but I kept the can. I liked that it had a lid, a cute design, and it can be used as a storage container. 

Time to turn it from blah to TADA!

I used a paint brush and some white acrylic paint. 

I worked outdoors and covered my surfaces with newspaper. I painted the can and lid with several coats (allow to dry in between coats) until the design was completely covered up.

I found this drawer pull at Target. It was on clearance!

I attached it to the lid as a handle (you can find similar drawer pulls at the hardware store).

Here's our newly painted storage container...TADA! At this point, we can add some rust preventive spray to keep it protected.

To easily know what's inside, add a label like a chalkboard or sticker, or do it freehand with brush lettering. 

There are many uses for this storage container: 

A place to keep children's favorite things

A container for pet food

For trash or recyclables

I'm using mine as a recycling bin -- a place to store the items I want to save for crafting like jars, cans, and paper. 

I used stencils and paint for my label:

Instead of "Recycling Bin", I opted for the word Repurpose because I think my blah to TADA! projects are all about giving old objects new life and new purpose.  

This storage container will sit unobtrusively in my work space. 

What's more, it will neatly keep treasures that are ready to be transformed...TADA!