DEHYDRATING CHEDDAR CHEESE WITHOUT A DEHYDRATOR

Pulverized dried cheddar cheese stored in a airtight
container.

Here is a very easy recipe I use often  for dehydrating cheese without a dehydrator.  I simply use my oven light.  I found this 8 ounce block of 100 percent white cheddar cheese at the dollar store.  That was a good find as they usually sell imitation cheese.  And I only use the real cheese.  I don't need it right now so I decided to save it for a rainy day.  Anyway, here is how I do it.

Ingredients:

• One block cheese, frozen and defrosted (frozen changes the texture and makes it easier to crumble once it has defrosted.)
• 1-2 large fine mesh screens.  I used a large cooking splatter screen.
• Oven with pilot light or oven light
• drip pan or paper towels to catch oil drippings
• paper towels to rub dried cheese to absorb any oils.
• Clean storage container with tight fitting lid

Instructions:

• Unwrap defrosted cheese and crumble as fine possible.  Previously frozen cheese crumbles a lot easier.
• Spread evenly on a mesh screen and put in the oven using either your oven light, or if you're lucky, a pilot light.
• Take out after 15 hours and rub well with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.  Careful, it should be dripping with oil.
• Put back in the oven for another 15 hours or until dry.



15 hours drying white cheddar cheese after I rubbed
 them well with paper towels to absorb the
excess oils, as it was very oily.
Yay less calories.


• Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Voila your done!  Didn't I say it was easy?  Homemade dried cheddar cheese.  And to think I only paid a dollar for this 8 ounce container of dried cheddar cheese.  Not bad right?  I plan on making a white sauce with parsley and sprinkle some powdered cheese to make it white and cheesy.  This would go great over some pasta, chicken, or vegetables like steamed broccoli.  Yum.  How about  breadsticks rolled in cheese sprinkled with garlic and baked?  Maybe on a salad?  How would you use this dried cheese?  Any suggestions?

Here is the end result of  30 hours of oven drying,
 and rubbing as much oil off and pulverizing
 it in the blender again

Well I thank you for allowing me to be of service. Many blessings,

Mary Helen

GARLIC-PARSLEY-PARMESAN BREAD PIZZA STYLE

This is what I do with day old bread that was reduced in price by 3/4 because it was made the day before. That's how I do it it these days.  I got this large prepared garlic bread for 59 cents at the local market.  Regularly $1.99.  Not bad right?  Especially if it could feed a family of 4 for about $2.00.  I had some left-over spaghetti sauce (maybe 20 cents worth).  So I will proceed.

Ingredients:

• One garlic bread (split in half lenth-wise)
• Parsley flakes 2 tablespoons (fresh if desired)
• Spaghetti sauce 1/2 cup (or sliced tomatoes)
• Dried parmesan cheese (mozzarella is fine)
• Oregano (a pinch of dried crushed between your fingers on each half of bread) 

Optional:

• Add your favorite topping like mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, etc or meat.

Instructions:

Preheat oven 400

Scrape most of the butter off if there is an excess.

Sprinkle one tablespoon parsley on each half spreading on butter evenly.

Add Spaghetti sauce spreading evenly and carefully not to disturb the parsley.

Add cheese, again spreading evenly

Top with any of your favorite toppings.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Wait a couple of minutes before slicing.  So tasty, so easy and so cheap.  I got the pepperoni at the dollar store and only used 1/3 of it.   So bottom line this cost no more that $2.00 and would definitely serve 4.  This would go great served with  minestrone soup, or Italian salad. 

Enjoy and many blessings

Mary Helen