Naturally good tasting, goat milk products are also good for you. Long considered an alternative for those with cow milk sensitivities, goat milk's fine texture and digestibility are due to smaller, naturally homogenized fats. Goat milk also has a higher percentage of short and medium chain fatty acids than cow's milk and is lower in cholesterol and higher in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and B.

Make the natural choice- naturally nutritious, delicious goat milk products! Look for them at your favorite cheese or gourmet shop, or ask for them at your grocery.

The fresh lemony cheeses made from goat milk are called chevres. These traditional farmstead cheeses may be used to replace cream cheese in most recipes, but are much lighter and cleaner in taste and lower in calories and fat. 

• Goat milk products are more delicate in texture and require gentle handling. Keep them very cold, well covered, and tightly wrapped.
• Use fresh goat milk in place of light cream in soups and sauces, and improve texture by using it in breads and cakes.
• Use fresh goat milk yogurt in place of sour cream in salad dressings, sauces, and dips. The texture is light and creamy with fewer calories.
• Remember that these soft cheeses are delicate and become more liquid as they are beaten or heated, so don't over process them.
• Remove all goat cheeses from their packages and let them come to room temperature before serving.
• Aged, hard goat cheeses usually offer more flavor. Try using less of them in recipes that call for aged cheese.

Raita
Raita is traditionally served as a cooling complement to the spiciness of Indian curries. It is a wonderful summer side dish on a hot day.

• 2 cups plain goat milk yogurt
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 or more garlic cloves, pressed dash of cayenne, to taste

Stir the yogurt in a bowl. Peel, seed and coarsely grate the cucumbers. Add the cumin, garlic and cayenne. Stir and chill.

Chive & Goat Cheese Puffs
The dough for these delectable and savory pastries can be made hours ahead and refrigerated.

• 7 Tbsp butter, cut up
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 4 eggs
• 4 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
• 2 tsps fresh chives, chopped

Put butter and water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and stir in flour, salt and cayenne with a wooden spoon. Leave on low heat for about 8 minutes or until butter coats the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and put mixture into food processor with eggs and goat cheese. Pulse until blended. Chill. Heave oven to 350�. Roll small balls of the dough and bake for 30 to 25 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. Serve immediately, or cool, split and stuff with crab or chicken salad.

Fettuccini Casserole
Alfredo's was never this good!

• 1 lb fettuccini or egg noodles
• 4 Tbsp butter or 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 Tbsp chives
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley (1 Tbsp dried parsley)
• 1 cup goat milk
• 8 oz soft fresh goat cheese or 15 oz goat milk ricotta
• 3/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese (Romano or Parmesan), grated
• Optional: saut�ed mushrooms and peas

Cook fettuccini al dente. Melt butter or oil over low heat, add garlic, chives and parsley. Saut� two minutes. Heat goat milk in a sauce pan over low heat and stir in soft goat cheese until it is dissolved. Do not boil! When hot, add the butter, chives and parsley mixture, the drained noodles, 1/2 cup of the grated cheese, and any optional ingredients. Toss well and place in oiled casserole. Bake covered at 350� for 45 minutes. Uncover, top with the remaining grated cheese, and bake another 15 minutes or until top is golden. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Goat Milk Fudge
The richest, smoothes, most melt-in-your-mouth fudge you've ever tasted!

• 2 1-oz squares unsweetened (You may substitute 1/3 cocoa and 3 Tbsp butter for unsweetened chocolate)
• 3/4 cup fresh goat milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp light corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate in milk. Add sugar and corn syrup; cool slowly, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cook gently to softball stage (234�), stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add butter and cool at room temperature until lukewarm (110�) without stirring. Add vanilla; beat vigorously until fudge becomes very thick and loses its gloss. Quickly spread in buttered pan. When firm, cut into squares. Makes about 2 dozen pieces.

Strawberry Sunshine
So Easy and So Good!

• 1 cup strawberry goat milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 ripe banana

Combine all ingredients in electric blender or food processor.

Blue Ribbon Cheesecake
An elegant finale- light and rich and simply wonderful topped with fresh fruits of the season.

Crust

• 1 1/4 cups graham crackers, crushed
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp flour

Combine and press firmly into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Filling

• 16 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lemon, juice & zest

Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour on top of crust and bake at 375� for 25 minutes, or until set. Cool.

TOPPING

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Blend and pour on top of cooled filling. Bake at 375� for 5 to 8 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before slicing. Garnish with fresh fruit.

REFERENCES
Dronen, Karyl, April 1990. "Nutritional Composition of Goat Milk Products in the U.S." Diary Goat Journal. Pennington, Jean A.T., and Helen Nichols Church, 1985. Bowen and Church Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia.

Renner, Edmund, 1983. Milk and Dairy Products in Human Nutrician. W.G. Mott. University of Glessen, Munich, Germany.