Cheese part 2.1 plus other happenings

I'd love to show my finished cheese product but unfortunately it disappeared before I got a picture.  Once the cheese has drained for a few hours I let it "settle" overnight in the fridge before mixing.  In the morning I drain off any whey that has separated and run the cheese through the mixer to soften it and make sure it's evenly blended.  Once that's done, it looks like this....

Which is when it begins to disappear.  I measure it out in 1/2 lb batches (one cup dry measuring cup works) and then season each batch.  The consistency once done is a smooth creamed cheese that's great as a cracker or sandwich spread.  One of our favorites is "Taco Cheese".  It tastes just like a taco.  To make it add 1 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper.

This soft cheese is wonderful because you can make small batches of different flavors.  I make a garlic dill combination that is great too.

Another great thing about it is that you can use it as a dessert cheese as well.  You can take 1 pound of this soft cheese, add 2 eggs and a can of evaporated milk and a splash of vanilla extract.  Pour it into a graham cracker crust and bake at 350 until set....it's a nice cheesecake.

We also have a couple of new freeloaders in the family.  I responded to an add for a cockatiel and came home with not 1 but 2 new birds to keep our male cockatiel "Edward" company.

Our does' production is still climbing and now that we have our 3 keeper kids, we have plenty of milk again so that we can get some put up.  I'm able to run a canner load of milk every 2 or 3 days....which will come in handy over next winter.

Oh yea....we had SNOW!!  Over 5 inches of the white stuff!