Hot apple cider float

In buffalo it has cooled down and currently is in the 50's. The smell of fall is in the air and apples are in abundance. The cravings for comfort foods, pumpkin desserts, and apple pies are in full swing. Recently I had purchased apple cider from Wegmas but just didn't did want to sit down and drink cold cider. I came a cross an idea for apple cider floats and thought it sounded delicious.

What you need:

Apple cider
cinnamon
vanilla ice cream
caramel sauce

Instruction:
1. Heat the cider and add a pinch of cinnamon.
2. Fill glasses 3/4 full with cider
3. Add a couple scoops of the vanilla ice cream.
4. Drizzle with caramel sauce (or make your own like I did)

Healthy factor? eh, throw it out the window on this one. Apple cider has somewhere around 30g of sugar for 8 fl. oz., add the ice cream, the caramel.....forget it! If you want to help yourself chose a yogurt or low fat ice cream, sugar-free caramel, and maybe they sell a low sugar apple cider? I prefer to just eat the regular stuff in moderation.

Now, my boyfriend did not love this (shame on him). He would have liked to have a bowl of ice cream with some type of apple cider sauce poured over top drizzled with the caramel, which actually was a great idea. Try this or make it your own, just enjoy the flavors of the season!


Hope you enjoy it!

Make it fresh: Mozzarella

Some people say sometimes certain foods are just not worth making fresh. I disagree on every occasion. Making fresh anything is always amazing, but there is something about the process of making cheese that seems to be extra special. So, grab yourself a gallon of milk and a little time because were making cheese.

What you need for Mozzarella:
1 gallon of whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized
1 1/4 cup cool water, chlorine-free
1 1/2 tsp. citric acid
1/4 rennet tablet
1 tsp of salt, optional (add any herbs you would like too!)

1 stainless steel pot
a dairy thermometer
a colander
slotted spoon
knife
*rubber gloves (recommended because the mozzarella is very hot when you have to form the cheese)

Directions:
*Start by heating a pot of water to 150-160 degrees for the water bath method used later on.

1. Dissolve rennet tablet into 1/4 cup cool water and set aside.
2. Mix 1 1/2 tsp citric acid into 1 cup cool water.
3. Pour 1 gallon of milk into the pot and stir vigorously while pouring in the citric acid water. Heat to 90 degree while stirring.
4. Remove pot from burner and slowly stir the rennet solution in using an up and down stirring method for 30 seconds.
5. Cover the pot and leave it for 5 minutes.
6. Check the curd using clean hands by pressing or pulling the curd away at the edge of the pot. If there is a clear separation with clear whey then you are good to go, if whey is still milky let it set for a few more minutes.
7. Cut the curd with a knife by cutting horizontally 1 inch sections across, then vertical cuts all the way .
8. Place the pot back on the stove and rehear to 105 degree while slowly moving the curds with the spoon. Be careful not to disturb the curd.
9. Take the pot off the burner and stir for 2-5 more minutes. Ladle curds into colander to drain off whey. Put curd into the hot water until the curd becomes elastic and stretchable (use spoon to stretch, if it does not stretch then return to the hot water)
10. Add the salt or herbs at this point to work into the cheese.
11. Form the cheese by stretching it with your hands into a ball.

YUM! After making this you will understand the high price for mozzarella in the store. Its cheap to make it at home and just takes about 1 hour. I hope you all enjoy this!