A Sweet Little Cottage....made of cheese

Remember cottage cheese? That lumpy white stuff on the "Dieter's Plate" at every coffee shop? The stuff that, if in your carton of milk, would be thrown out immediately? It really didn't look like cheese at all. It looked like something, well, gross.

I love it.

I honestly do. I have been enamored by cottage cheese since I was little. Tart, tangy, creamy, great mouth feel.

So it was natural that one of my first recipes would involve cottage cheese. Oh, I could have picked any recipe, but why be boring? So, Cottage Cheese Patties it is. Have I lost anyone yet? Stay with me, it gets a lot better. When cottage cheese gets heated up, the most remarkable thing happens, it takes on the characteristics of fried mozzarella. Gooey, warm, and no lumps to be seen. This recipe had three options, and I chose door number 2, and 3. One savory, one sweet. (C'mon, you knew I had to do something sweet!)

Starting with the best possible combination - onions and butter -  in a pan results in the best possible smell on the earth. Then mixed with salt, pepper, egg, fresh dill and cottage cheese the mixture looks more and more appetizing. Little circles, cooking in olive oil until completely melted, filled the kitchen with a heavenly scent. Cheese patties, fried, flipped and on a plate looked so interesting! Hot from the skillet, they were melty goodness. Once refrigerated, they were like soft cheese. Not like brie, but like a soft havarti. Now onto the sweet version......

Cottage cheese mixed with lemon rind, sugar, egg and cinnamon sounded intriguing. I thought the lemon juice would curdle the cottage cheese - but let's face it, it's already curdled. This required butter. And lots of it. Lemon and cinnamon somehow lightened the patties immediately, and the aroma was divine. Eating them was like the texture of mozzarella, but the taste of a good mascarpone infused with lemon. Think cheesecake. But not cheesecake. You had to be there.

Olives. I know, I really should signal before I turn. I decided to switch gears and tackle sauteed olives. (I may have just lost one of my friends at this point, as olives make her queasy) I had never even thought of heating up an olive - except on pizza, or in tamales. For those of you asking what a tamale is, just wait.

Olive oil and garlic in a pan smell really, really good. Mixed with Italian Seasoning and black olives, my daughter exclaimed "What is that delightful smell?". I knew I had her. 5 minutes later we were savoring warm, salty, garlicky olives. No forks. We almost finished the entire plate. Any seasoning can be used in place of Italian seasoning, and it will  be, I am sure of it.

The first recipes were fun, and unusual. Next time I make the Cottage Cheese Patties, I may bake them in the oven in ramekins, cool them, slice them and serve them on crackers. I can see the savory ones on rye crackers, with a bit of smoked salmon or chicken salad on top. And the sweet ones - easy. On Breton Wheat Crackers, or Biscoff Cookies topped with homemade lemon curd. Oh, my mouth is watering just writing about lemon curd........

Simmering on the stove right now is Quinoa, Lentil and Tangerine Salad. Anyone want some?