Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #168

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Quark

Quark?  That's that character from Star Trek, right?  Sure, that's his name but today I am talking dairy!

I first discovered quark in Munich, Germany.  Although at the time I didn't really know what it was.  I just knew that I had been seeing the runnier, semi sour European yogurts up until that point in my trip.  This one was drizzled with walnuts and honey and looked thicker. I took a small scoop to try.  It was so delicious!  Super creamy and just a little sweet.  I was pleasantly surprised.  

I belong to a German page on Facebook and one day she was discussing this treat called "quark."  I was pretty sure then that it was what I had in Munich.  I set out to see if I could make it from my goat milk.  I found a few recipes for using cultures and this is what I came up with.  Every milk is a little different so you may have to play with the draining times to get what you want but it is easy to make so give it a go!  

We'll still make our runnier type of goat yogurt for smoothies but this is my new go to thick yogurt type of recipe!  I also found that if I don't sweeten it that it works similar to sour cream.  I plan to try it with a baked potato soon.  I read that the un-thinned version can be used like cream cheese for käsekuchen (cheesecake.)  Maybe we'll have a go at that too!

Quark                                                                                                 

1 gallon whole milk (not ultra pasteurized)*
Buttermilk culture  - USE 1 packet from New England Cheesemaking Culture or 1/8 teaspoon bulk from GetCulture
3 drops liquid rennet
Extra whole milk (amount needed depends on amount of quark making at serving time)
pure maple syrup or honey
pecans or walnuts

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #167

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #166

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Europe: A Carousel of Flavors Part 5

It's time to share the last leg of the European tour I took this summer.  It was fast, busy, lots to see, lots to eat, many memories and a yearning to go back and spend more time in some of the places I liked the most. 

We traveled our way through 7 countries which included the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, finally England.  

Stroopwafels, schnitzel, cappucinos (real ones!), gnocchi, älplermagronen, croissants and pasties....oh my!!

Changing of the Guard

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #165

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Sweet Swine Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are one of our favorite meals to eat.  We eat it on buns, on rice or scoop the meat up with chips.  It's your call on how you eat them! I have always made sloppy Joes with beef but this week I stepped out of the box and went with some local grown ground pork.  Then I threw in some pineapple.

I had a flashback to the first time I had ham and pineapple pizza.  I was dating my then boyfriend, now husband and he wanted ham and pineapple toppings.  Frankly, I thought he was nuts to put pineapple on his pizza but, hey, when your are in love, right?  So I tried it, it was pretty good.  It became my favorite way to eat pizza. That and spicy sausage and pepperoni is not a very good combo for dating breath!

Let's get to cooking!

Sweet Swine Sloppy Joes                                                                            

1-1/2 pounds ground pork

1 small onion, finely chopped

8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 Tablespoon A1 sauce

Couple drops liquid smoke (optional)

8 ounce can pineapple tidbit, drained

salt and pepper

buns