Make your own cheese

Our family has been making this cheese for years. I have worked it into my MFP rotation because it helps combat my cheese cravings and has about 50 calories per 2 TBS serving. We usually have to eat some of it warm right away on sliced cucumbers and carrots, then save the rest for topping and garnishing. It is so easy to do it's great to serve when entertaining. The most frequent commentary is the incredulous question "YOU made this ??". It's an indulgence but not an outright dietary sin. Enjoy.

16oz Shatto half and half (or whatever name brand you prefer)
Juice of 1 medium lemon (some will be left over)
1 tsp salt
Cheese cloth
Herbs of your choice

Line a sieve or colander with a double thick layer of cheesecloth. Spray with water to dampen. Set aside.
In a non-stick sauce pan, slowly bring the half and half to a boil, stirring frequently. Be careful it does not boil over.
Once boiling, remove from heat and add 1/2 of the lemon juice. Stir until the solids (white) separate from the whey (greenish liquid). If the solids don't separate, add a teaspoon of lemon juice at a time while stirring until they begin to separate. Pour into cheesecloth lined sieve and spray with cold water to cool it down just enough to handle. Let the water drain for a minute.
After draining for a minute or two, gather the top/loose ends of the cheese cloth together and secure by twisting, tying or otherwise sealing the top so the cheese doesn't ooze out when you gently squeeze the bundle (from the top down) to remove excess water.
At this point the warm, slightly lemony cheese is ready to eat. Stir in the salt and your favorite herbs and serve with sliced cucumber or raw carrot chips or spread on crostini and top with whatever is tasty to you. Can be refrigerated in a sealed container for 6 days.
If not serving as a warm appetizer, hang the cheese bundle to drain as much water as possible for about 30 minutes. The top ends can be tied to a wooden spoon to hang.
After draining, wrap the cheese cloth tightly and set it on a sheet pan or a plate and place a heavy weight on top of the bundle. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The cheese will be crumbly like queso fresco. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.