Put the yo in gurt

The modern dairy aisle assaults each passer-by with such a grand number of products, one may find it hard to believe each starts from a bucket of milk...excepting the non-dairy alternatives, of course. From the sheer magnitude of items, one also might wonder what is actually in each little package. I have. I made the switch to plain yogurt, for example, after enjoying it in the Netherlands on my mission. Since the Little Princess was born, I've had to avoid dairy, but she seems past the tummy upset at everything phase, which means I'm loading up on dairy. So guess what I tried? Homemade yogurt. Are you impressed? The recipe is ridiculously easy, though patience is key.

Are you ready?

Place milk, preferably whole, preferably as unadulterated as possible, ie not ultra-pasteurized, in crockpot. Heat to 180 F. This takes about 2-3 hours on low. Allow to cool for another 2-3 hours to 115 F. Stir in plain yogurt with live cultures, or yogurt starter, 1 cup for every gallon of milk. (Some places recommend tempering the yogurt a bit by mixing in some of the hot milk before stirring it all in.) Wrap the whole caboodle in a blanket or towel and pop it in the oven overnight or for 8-12 hours. If your home is cold, you can warm the oven a bit, or leave the light on (Welcome to Motel 6) in order to keep it warm. The goal is to cool the mixture slowly. The next morning you have breakfast. Just add fruit. Or jam. Or piles of sugar if you can't take the goodness.

Just as a warning, don't expect Greek gogurt here. It's not thick nor is it smooth, but it is really good!