Pour milk into thick bottomed sauce pan. Place your dairy thermometer into milk.

Turn the stove top burner onto a medium heat. Sprinkle the citric acid over the top of the milk. Stir the citric acid into the milk.

While milk is heating, measure the rennet and water... add rennet to the cold water (Very important! Never add rennet directly into milk, as it won't work.. I know from experience :-/ )

Heat milk to 86 degrees. Mix in water/rennet combo thoroughly. Once you have mixed it, discontinue mixing.

In pretty short order, you will see the curds seperating from the whey. I leave them alone (no stirring). Once your temperature reaches 105 degrees, remove pan from heat.

Scoop out curds into a microwave safe dish. I use a 8 cup pyrex glass measuring bowl. Continue to scoop until ALL curds are in the bowl.

Use the spoon (I use a large slotted spoon) that you scooped the curds, to hold them back and drain the excess whey back into the pan.

Microwave the curds for about 45 seconds. The time all depends on the microwave (how hot it heats items).

After the first microwaving, the cheese should start 'stretching' allowing it to be kneaded. As I knead the cheese, I continuously drain the whey back into the pan.

I microwave mine a total of 2-3 times each batch of cheese. I knead the cheese until no more whey comes out.

Sprinkle the hot, stretched (kneaded) cheese with cheese salt. I have never measured.. just sprinkle to taste. Knead the salt into the cheese - the cheese might need to be slightly reheated.

Place the cheese into desired mold (on in a bowl). The mold pictured has holes, so I lined it with plastic wrap. Cool in refridge and use within several days or freeze. Mozzerella freezes beautifully! I notice when the cheese is not used within several days of being refridged, the flavor heads south.

I started making marinated mozzerella this past summer. I cube the cheese, pour olive oil over the top and mix in fresh basil and salt to taste. YUMMMM!