Cottage cheese...

[Fenris]

What do you do with it? What does it taste like? I keep getting told that it's great for weigh-loss but it's scary lookin'

Anyone eat the stuff?

[GreyCloud9]

it is high protein and it comes in low fat.. and uh, you eat it? sometimes I eat it with fruit, sometimes with some salt and pepper on it. I have seen diet books layer it with fruit like a parfait, and my mom used to blend it up and make a dip with it instead of sour cream.

[mlerose]

I used to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta in some recipes but ricotta comes in lowfat now and it's got a much better flavor, IMHO. I grew up eating cottage cheese with fruit. It's kind of like lumpy unflavored yogurt.

[teela brown]

It's good! At least, it's not nauseating. I eat it with fresh chunks of pineapple or mango for breakfast. A couple of tablespoonsful kept in a container in my chilled lunch bag makes a high-protein, low-cal filling snack for midafternoon.

[Darmund]

If it was good enough for Little Miss Muffet, it's good enough for you.

[Fenris]

It's just creepy looking--I'm really having trouble bringing myself to try it. And I'm not that squeemish normally.

Maybe if I think of it as lumpy watery yogurt rather than cheese, I'll be more comfortable.

[Panacea]

I prefer it with veggies - little chopped up veggies like bell pepper, carrots, celery, etc. rather than with fruit (ick!).

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by Fenris

It's just creepy looking--I'm really having trouble bringing myself to try it. And I'm not that squeemish normally.

Maybe if I think of it as lumpy watery yogurt rather than cheese, I'll be more comfortable.

Try the "small curd" variety, it's less intimidating that the large curd. I eat it when I have access to fresh peaches, or anytime with pineapple slices. Mom used to serve a scoop of it on a leaf of lettuce as our salad dish to go with dinner.

[3acres]

Originally Posted by NinetyWt

I prefer it with veggies - little chopped up veggies like bell pepper, carrots, celery, etc. rather than with fruit (ick!).

That's just creepy, wrong, wierd and disgusting. Where did you ever learn to eat it with vegetables? Mom always served it to us with pineapple chunks or orange segments or peach halves. And on New Year's Eve, it's great on a Ritz cracker (but that's not so good for weight loss). And I'm with Zeener Diode in preferring the small curd variety.

[Underdog]

If you chop up some chives and herbs, it's actually pretty good on crackers.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

Originally Posted by NinetyWt

I prefer it with veggies - little chopped up veggies like bell pepper, carrots, celery, etc. rather than with fruit (ick!).

I'm with you. I love fruit, but with cottage cheese? Disgusting!

Salt & pepper normally. Occasionally I'll put some canned tuna in it with some chives.

Never fruit. Never.

[Veb]

Originally Posted by 3acres

That's just creepy, wrong, wierd and disgusting.

No it's not. It's delicious. In fact I used to buy cottage cheese with chives. I just buy the plain kind now and mix in my own chives, scallions, herbs, whatever. My mother used to serve us fruit with cottage cheese. It was horrid. In fact, it was creepy, wrong, weird and disgusting.

I like the large curd because it looks like what it is: cheese curds. Stir in some finely minced garlic, chopped chives, plenty of cracked pepper...best refreshing side dish ever. Or throw in a whole buttload of freshly chopped herbs and scoop it up with veggies and you have healthy bliss on your plate.

IMO cottage cheese is just that titch too salty to taste right with fruit. But I don't like most fruit much anyway so obviously that settles that.

[Fenris]

I've eaten alligator, fried bull's testicles (rocky mountain oysters), cow-tounge, and grasshoppers--none of them made me blink.

This lumpy runny white stuff? I'm really having trouble talking myself into trying it. It's very weird that I'm squeemish here.

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by TVeblen

IMO cottage cheese is just that titch too salty to taste right with fruit. But I don't like most fruit much anyway so obviously that settles that.

You can buy it unsalted. I tried it once, then poured about 2 T of salt (into a 16oz tub) to make up the lack thereof.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

Originally Posted by Fenris

I've eaten alligator, fried bull's testicles (rocky mountain oysters), cow-tounge, and grasshoppers--none of them made me blink.

This lumpy runny white stuff? I'm really having trouble talking myself into trying it. It's very weird that I'm squeemish here.

Shall I hold your hair back for you when you puke, Nancy?

[FrozenBananas]

I love cottage cheese. I'll eat it with peaches occasionally, but it's better with savory stuff. I don't really like ricotta, so I use cottage cheese in lasagna and stuffed shells instead. Also use it for lazy pierogies. I also like to throw in some chopped red peppers, cucumbers, black olives, a squirt of lemon juice, some feta, and a big sprinkle of black pepper and schmear it on a bagel, or eat it like that. Or just eat it out of the container. I only like the low-fat, it's not as runny as the full fat version.

[Veb]

Originally Posted by Sleeps With Butterflies

Shall I hold your hair back for you when you puke, Nancy?

You're still miffed about that conjugal visit thing, aren't you.

"Nancy" ended up with the Panda! Honestly, it could have been much worse, though admittedly not much for the Panda.

This is a joke, btw. A feeble one, but a joke nonetheless. I will only slightly tease anyone with the basic sense to loathe fruit with cottage cheese.

[Ramsey]

I like it with fruit, usually canned pineapple or peaches. When I was little my mom used to serve it to my sister and me with diced fresh homegrown tomatoes with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Something that tastes pretty close to that is pouring a little chunky salsa on top - I like it with crackers that way, or on top of a tossed salad.
I do only like the lowfat, and small curd. The large curd stuff is gross. It reminds me of insect eggs.

[Fenris]

Ok--I finally worked up the nerve to taste the stuff. (It's weird to realize you've got a phobia you didn't know you had) and it tastes kinda like cream-cheese and has the texture of paste or play-do

I'm dubious about fruit on it--the little bit I tasted seemed too salty for fruit, but I got a mango that I've gotta eat tonight (or it'll get too mushy) and I'll try a bit with that.

So far, the "savory" angle makes more sense. Maybe chop a few anchovies and red pepper flakes in it? Artichoke hearts? Italian herbs?

[Fenris]

PS-small curd lowfat.

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by Fenris

So far, the "savory" angle makes more sense. Maybe chop a few anchovies and red pepper flakes in it? Artichoke hearts? Italian herbs?

Interesting.

[Fenris]

Blerg....waaay too salty for fruit.

[Helen's Eidolon]

Mmmm, cottage cheese.

I use it as a spaghetti sauce.

[jayjay]

I'm a savory cottage cheese eater, too...salt, pepper, a little bit of vinegar, and I'm ready to eat. If I'm feeling adventurous, I'll add some bacon bits.

[Fenris]

Smoked salmon?

If I drain out the juice, maybe I can use the stuff as cream cheese? Does it melt?

[Panacea]

Originally Posted by 3acres

And on New Year's Eve, it's great on a Ritz cracker

Is that, like, just for that one day?

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

Originally Posted by TVeblen

You're still miffed about that conjugal visit thing, aren't you.

"Nancy" ended up with the Panda! Honestly, it could have been much worse, though admittedly not much for the Panda.

This is a joke, btw. A feeble one, but a joke nonetheless. I will only slightly tease anyone with the basic sense to loathe fruit with cottage cheese.

I just don't know what Panda is going to think, he gets freaked out so easily!

[takowasakun]

God, I love cottage cheese. I love it so much. When I die, I think I want to be pickled in a big plastic tub of cottage cheese.

Don't you dare tell me that it can't be done.

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by seodoa

God, I love cottage cheese. I love it so much. When I die, I think I want to be pickled in a big plastic tub of cottage cheese.

Don't you dare tell me that it can't be done.

There used to be this bar on the edge of town that had mud wrestling babes on Saturday nights. Sometimes they used chocolate pudding or cottage cheese instead of mud.

[Promethea]

I looooove cottage cheese. But only eaten with pineapple - otherwise it just tastes of nothing. Fortunately you can buy the stuff with pineapple thouhtfully added here inthe same pot.

[takowasakun]

Originally Posted by Zeener Diode

There used to be this bar on the edge of town that had mud wrestling babes on Saturday nights. Sometimes they used chocolate pudding or cottage cheese instead of mud.

Cottage cheese-rasslin' babes? That would totally turn me straight.

Originally Posted by Promethea

I looooove cottage cheese. But only eaten with pineapple - otherwise it just tastes of nothing. Fortunately you can buy the stuff with pineapple thouhtfully added here inthe same pot.

Pineapple is good, but nothing beats cottage cheese and fresh, juicy (preferably homegrown if ya got 'em) tomatoes in my book. Little cracked pepper on top of that... Ohhhhh, mama.

[3acres]

Originally Posted by NinetyWt

Is that, like, just for that one day?

Yes. Yes, indeed. Why, for New Years' Eve, my parents would get all kinds of yummy things that we usually didn't have. Ritz crackers, potato chips, Fritos, a couple kinds of dip, sodas, maybe some mixed nuts if they'd had a profitable year. I loved grocery shopping with Mom for New Year's Eve, watching as she put all those wondrous, tasty treats into her cart. (I was there because she used me to determine which size/brand was cheapest per ounce in the days before unit pricing.)

[freudian_slip]

I eat cottage cheese almost every day with my meal. The high protein and low-fat thing helps.

I usually add lots of pepper (I like pepper) and some sunflower seeds from the salad bar.

Now, is it food of the gods? No. But it's reasonably tasty.

[Borborygmi]

Another vote here for pineapple with one's cottage cheese.

And I don't get the too-salty-for-fruit concept that's come up a few times here. I mean, I wouldn't want a salty apple or blueberry, but I like a little salt on my watermelon, cantelope, and honeydew... and I love fruit with my cottage cheese.

[Fenris]

Oog...I can't do salt on watermelon and I don't like honeydew or cantelope.

I can authoritativly say that for me, it's way too salty for mango.

[cowgirl]

I love it. My mom used to serve it in crepes with corn syrup. I grew up thinking this was how everyone ate it. When I discovered how yummy it is on it's own I thought I'd invented some wonderful new way of serving it. Apparently not.

I might go get some for lunch. Mmmmm. I am considering your ideas of adding various things to it but honestly ... I can't imagine an improvement to straight-up cottage cheese. Although seodoa seems to share my approach to this, so perhaps I could give the fresh tomatoes/black pepper a try.

[redtail]

I prefer large curd, but I can't get it in low-fat any longer. I'm not a huge CC fan, but it's OK.

I'm very intrigued by the savoury idea, I'm going to have to give that a try. I've never liked fruit with CC but never thought of going with herbs and veggies.

I often mix ricotta and CC for lasagna - if you do that, you can skip the egg & whatnot that most recipes call for in the ricotta.

Fenris, cottage cheese is so-so on melting, but you can drain and blend it to substitute for cream cheese. I regularly make cream cheese dips (cream cheese plus various herbs) and I can substitute around half with blended cottage cheese. (More than half and it no longer has the proper cream cheese flavor.) It actually makes a better dip, in that it's creamier and softer. It gets rave reviews.

Drain the cottage cheese in a strainer for 30 minutes to an hour to remove the liquid, then blend till smooth. I use my stick blender, but a food processor also works. I've never tried with a regular blender, but I don't see why not.

[Helen's Eidolon]

I hate you all. I must have cottage cheese NOW!

No one else on spaghetti? When I was young, my younger brother refused to eat anything but spaghetti with my mom's meat sauce. I, however, developed an unfortunate allergy to tomatoes (gone, thank goodness!). My poor mother's solution was cottage cheese for me, which I loved. But I got made fun of at school for it.

[3acres]

Originally Posted by Helen's Eidolon

No one else on spaghetti?

Noodles, but not spaghetti. Mom's kiegel (more widely called kugel, as I discovered in my twenties) was made with noodles, cottage cheese, egg, salt and pepper. Baked noodley-cheesey-salty-crunchy goodness! No doubt it was a terribly corrupted recipe: it's supposed to be a Jewish dish, but Mom was Episcopalian and Dad's mom (the shiksa who taught my Mom to make it) was Methodist. Then I came up with the technique of making it on a cookie sheet instead of in a loaf pan, increasing the crust-to-interior ratio to a heavenly degree.

[Helen's Eidolon]

Actually, my mom makes a kugel with cottage cheese, but I don't much like it.

[wring]

When I was a kid, we ate cottage cheese w/chives and sugar. I've had it w/fruit as well. My son can eat a quart sized container in one sitting.


As an appetizer.

[Hi, Neighbor!]

I used to eat cottage cheese out of the container with a spoon. I can't imagine doing that now, though.

[Mirhanda]

Cottage cheese is tasty. Do you like cheese? That's what it tastes like. Get the large curd though, it has a better, more cheesy mouthfeel than the small curd.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Mirhanda

Cottage cheese is tasty. Do you like cheese? That's what it tastes like. Get the large curd though, it has a better, more cheesy mouthfeel than the small curd.

Yep. I can eat large curd plain. Small curd I need some salt & pepper and sometimes vinegar. It all tastes good, but I get more satisfaction from large curd. Unfortunately, they don't appear to make large curd in a lowfat variety.

[Missy2U]

I know it's healthy and it has calcium so I eat it every once in awhile only because sometimes I feel like eating something healthy with calcium in it. I have to eat the small curds, with lots of salt, and swallow it whole and swallow it quickly.

Doesn't mean I like it, just means that sometimes I feel like eating something healthy with calcium in it.

[Darmund]

You could have yogurt instead. It's got those healthy bugs in it too.

[Doyle]

Originally Posted by Hi, Neighbor!

I used to eat cottage cheese out of the container with a spoon. I can't imagine doing that now, though.

I love Neighbor's stream of consciousness post.

[Marlitharn]

I eat it plain, as a side dish, or sometimes as a snack on its own. Good stuff. When I was a kid the cottage cheese container was present at every lunch and supper all through the spring and summer; it goes great with whatever fresh garden veggies you're serving. Mom served large curd; Grandma served small curd. Both have their merits, but I prefer small.

[SweetPea]

I use cottage cheese as a substitute for salad dressing. Yum!

[SylverOne]

My husband sprinkles his with sugar. Sweet just does not compute.

I like mine with sliced olives... kalamata olives, or those big monster green olives you can get at Costco. Mmmm, olives.

Marinated artichokes would be good too.