DIY yogurt

I feel like I have been cooking nonstop since Friday!  Daddy doesn't get any home cooked meals while he's gone at work all week, so I try to cook as much as I can when he's here.  J and I made cupcakes on Friday while K was at school, and she iced and sprinkled them when she got home.  Then pork loin for dinner, bacon and eggs Saturday morning, and meatloaf Saturday night.  He got called back into work Sunday afternoon, so the kids and I had pork fajitas (yum!) for dinner Sunday night.  Monday I spent a large part of the day prepping stuff for the week: namely, veggie burgers to freeze and yogurt.

If you haven't made yogurt before, you really ought to try - it is very simple.  All it takes is some milk and a couple spoonfuls of plain yogurt the first time.  Our Kroger had some milk on manager's special, so I made a ton.  Here's how:  

First, find a large pot and a smaller one that fits inside it.  Fill the larger with water, and invert the smaller over the top.  Heat until the water boils to sterilize both pots.

 I have one that works better, but it's filled with yogurt at the moment!  Next, flip over the smaller pot, rest it in the water like a double boiler, and add your milk.  Warm your milk until it starts to froth (185 F if you have a thermometer), then remove and let cool to about 110 F.  It should be hot to the touch, but not scalding - like a hot shower.  Add the last couple spoonfuls out of your last carton of plain yogurt and stir it in - this is called pitching your yogurt.

There are a number of ways to do the next part - you have to keep it at around 110F for about 7 hours.  You can use the double boiler, a crock pot, or heating pad if you like.  I find with these methods I forget about it, leave the heat on too long, and kill the yogurt cultures.  I do best when I don't stress about it too much - I run my hot water until it is as hot as it will go, plug one side of the sink, and make a hot water bath for the yogurt pot.

Keep the lid on the pot, and it will stay warm for a couple hours.  I check it every once in a while and change the water.  Eventually, it will look like this:

You can tell that it's gotten chunky and the whey has separated.  Don't freak out if it's yellow or greenish - that's normal!  If you've ever bought a large container of plain yogurt, it will look familiar.  It will also be a little thinner that you are used to.  Put it in the fridge to cool overnight, and it will be a little thicker the next morning.  Stir it all together and it will be the nice, smooth yogurt you are used to.  It will keep in the frig for several weeks.  And after you do it the first time, you can use you homemade yogurt to pitch your next batch - you don't have to have store bought to make more. 

A note about Greek yogurt - in my experience it takes a little longer for the culture to thicken up.  Just be patient!  Also, it will probably never get as thick as the kind you buy in the store.  Those are usually strained, which you can do yourself with a little cheesecloth and patience!  Just put it in the cheesecloth and either let it sit and drain, or twist the cloth around it in a ball and twist to squeeze the excess moisture out.  Happy yogurt!