Homemade Yogurt

Making homemade yogurt is awesome on many levels. It's cheaper, it's healthier and it's yummier. It's pretty quick and easy too. What's not to love? It does take about a $20 investment to get a yogurt maker. I've tried a crockpot and an oven recipe but I found my yogurt maker gives me consistently great results.

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
2 tbs plain yogurt (not Greek style)

Directions:

1. Bring the milk to nearly a boil in a pot over medium. I found when I boil it, it doesn't work as well, so turn off the heat just before it's ready to boil.
2. Let the milk cool.
3. Add two Tsp plain yogurt and stir with wisk.
4. Put into yogurt maker for 8-9 hours.
5. Put yogurt into a paper towel lined mesh strainer over a bowl for about 1/2 hour. This removes much of the whey and makes your yogurt thicker. Alternativly, you can add geletain or dried milk before cooking.

Mix with bananas (either fresh or baby jar style), blueberries, etc. If you add honey (which is also yummy) be sure that your child is over one year. There's also over a dozen yummy things to do with your leftover whey, so google it before tossing it.


The only tricky part is remembering that you're in the process of making yogurt (as shown here with my burned milk). At least four times I've forgotten and either burned my milk or left the yogurt out too long. One time I forgot to add the starter (plain yogurt). I had hoped that my memory would return after pregnancy but I guess not.

Makes about 40 oz

Oatmeal and banana yogurt

Grace loves oatmeal as much as I do. It's healthy, quick, easy and fabulously yummy...especially on a cold morning. I found I can add homemade-whole milk-banana-yogurt to hers and it makes it all the better! For my yogurt I love it with a bit of brown sugar and milk.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 banana
1/2 cup homemade whole-milk yogurt

Directions:

1. Boil the water
2. Add your oats, return to simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes
3. Add the banana and smoosh in the pan
4. Take 1/4 cup oatmeal and puree in a food processor, let cool
5. Add pureed oatmeal to yogurt and serve

Serves two.