Make Your Own Yogurt!

Yes, you can make yogurt! And it's SO MUCH easier than you might expect. And so much healthier because it's free of all the extras and additives that so many packaged foods have these days. There are many make-your-own-yogurt instructions out there, and this is mine, a combination of ideas, and tweaked over the years.

Supplies:
~ Slow cooker (a.k.a. crock pot) - any size
~ Small kitchen thermometer
~ Oven with a working light

Ingredients: 

~ milk (whole milk will make a thicker, creamier yogurt, but you can use any milk)

~ plain yogurt to use as a starter

(I have experimented with different brands and types of yogurt as well as dry "starter packets" and have found that a good organic yogurt makes the best yogurt BY FAR.)

Method:
* Use about 1-2T of yogurt to every quart of milk *

1. Pour milk into slow cooker

2. Put the lid on, but prop open with thermometer (to keep the thermometer where it's supposed to be)

 3. Turn cooker on (either low or high, depending on how fast you want to heat it), and heat to about 110 degrees F (I have accidentally heated it to 130, and it still worked. I have also accidentally heated it to 140 and it did not work.)

4. Add yogurt
5. Lift crock out of the cooker, take the thermometer out but leave the lid on, and place into cold oven.

6. Turn the oven LIGHT on (do NOT turn the oven on!) and leave overnight or 8-12 hours

(the light keeps just enough warmth in the oven to maintain the perfect temperature for yogurt making)

That’s it!  Now you have yogurt. So beautiful.
Top with honey and fresh fruit and/or granola for a delicious parfait!

 {Sometimes liquid will separate out of the yogurt. This is whey. It is high in protein and amazingly good for you. You can give the yogurt a shake and mix the whey back in, or you can siphon it off and use it in baking. Do a search on uses for whey. You will be amazed.}