YOGURT!

View a quick-reference version of this recipe here.

Mark and I make yogurt about every 2 weeks for the past 2 years. Why do we do this?  Well,...

1. It's cheaper. Half a gallon will make about enough yogurt for two 2-lb containers (that bigger size you can buy instead of the individual ones). That means you pay at most $0.75 for a container that's usually about $2.30 each (individual yogurt prices aside).
2. It's healthier.  You determine the amount of sugar added, which will most likely be a lot less than anything store-bought. You've also cut out some extra additives.  
3. You can make it any flavor you want. We like to use honey, jam, apple butter, fresh or dried fruit (dehydrated blueberries=YUM!)...you get the idea.  We also top it with this yummy granola.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup store-bought plain yogurt (this is just for your starting recipe.  For every future batch, use 1/2 cup of your homemade yogurt)
• 1/2 gallon of milk (whole yields the most "yogurty" results, but even skim will work)
• A crockpot (4 qt is good)
• 2 beach towels or blankets

So, this takes a really long time.  I usually start between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, because you've got to let it sit overnight after mixing (3 will be done for the night at 8:30, 4 at 9:30).  I got the original recipe from Stephanie O'Dea's Slowcooking blog.

Directions:

1. Pour milk into the crockpot.  Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.
2. Once finished, unplug the crockpot and let it sit for 3 hours.
3. Remove 2 cups of milk and whisk 1/2 cup of yogurt into it until well combined.  Slowly pour the milk/yogurt mixture back into the crockpot, whisking as you go.  
4. Replace the lid and wrap the crockpot well with your towels/blankets.  I usually place the crockpot on one beach towel, fold it up around the sides, and place another beach towel on top, tucking it in snug.
5. Now you go to bed.  Give it 8 hours to work its magic.  

Voila!  Yogurt!  So easy...so cheap...one dirty dish...can life get any better?  I transfer the yogurt into two 2-lb yogurt containers left over from our store-bought days (we have three of those to rotate through).

We keep our yogurt plain and add sweeteners to our individual servings.  Like this lovely bowl mixed with strawberry freezer jam:



For baby:
Stage 1: 6 months
This yogurt, left unsweetened, is 100% safe for baby!