How to make Yogurt.

What am I into today?

Homemade yogurt is all the rave these days!  Lots of people are doing it.  I started about a month and a half ago, and I've been experimenting each time.  I finally found a recipe that works for us!  I'm going to tell you... I'm not big on measuring.  Ready?

Okay... first I do use a yogurt maker.  I got this yogurt maker on Amazon, which is where that link takes you.  I like that it's glass jars.  And I like that it has a high top as well for using larger jars.  My last batch was in two mason jars and a pint size jar together.  So, you can make more than just what's in the little jars. 

I use a vanilla greek yogurt as my starter.  I could buy the starters, but they end up expensive.  So, I get the Ralph's brand of vanilla greek yogurt for about $.80.  If it's on sale, I can get it for $.60.  Any yogurt will work, but I've found that you want to use a flavor that you want YOUR yogurt to taste like after it's all done. If you use plain, your yogurt will be plain. I like using vanilla because I can add things to it like berries and the flavors meld well together.  :)

Okay.. here's my process. I'm going to take you through it as if I was using the jars that come with the yogurt maker.  There's 7 of them. 

I pour 6 jars of milk into a pan, and 1 jar of cream.  I've been told you can use any type of milk except skim, but we use whole milk in our home.  I then add some honey.  I squirt until it looks like enough.  It's a feeling of how much is enough.  It's probably about 1/3 cup of honey.  I whisk that together and then add a generous squirt of vanilla.  I use imitation vanilla.  Just our preference around here.  Whisk that together as well, all over a medium heat.  Now, here is where a lot of places will tell you to use your thermometer and watch it carefully.  I have 3 little ones who need me a lot.  Watching this rise to 185 degrees is a pain.  So, I've learned that I can let it heat until it foams up.  Just about a full boil, but not quite.  I can usually hear it get to this point because it sorta sizzles as it works it's way up the sides of the pan.  :)  Once it hits this point, turn the heat off.

I then fill one side of my sink with about 2" of water.  I then use a large drinking glass, and fill it with ice.  You should have about 15-20 ice cubes and put that in the water.  Put your pan in to help it cool.  When the ice cubes just finish melting, your mix should be the right temperature to add your starter.  Put your finger in it, and if it's still very warm, but not too hot to stick your finger in, it's good.  For those of you using a thermometer, it should be between 110 and 120 degrees. 

Okay... Now... there's probably a film on top.  Strain about 1/2 a cup or so of this into a bowl.  Then add your starter and gently mix.  I strain using a metal mesh type of strainer.  Just to get the film out.  It's okay if it's not 100% smooth.  Then strain the rest of your mix into this same bowl and GENTLY mix.  If you have a couple little chunks in there, you are doing perfect!!!! 

Now add your mix to your jars.  You should have a perfect amount for each jar if you used the actual jars for your milk/cream measurements in the beginning. 

Place these in your yogurt maker, plug it in, cover them with the cover, do not put the plastic lids on the jars themselves, and walk away for 4-6 hours. 

Take the cover off and just gently test the top of one of them with your finger.  It should be yogurt texture.  Nice and firm (for yogurt) and creamy.

Put the caps on and refrigerate.  Let it cool and enjoy!   It will get just slightly firmer in the fridge. 

You can see how thick mine is in the little jar by how I'm cutting into it with a spoon.

Here it is in a mason jar when I used the high lid on my yogurt maker.

And just in case you didn't believe me on how thick it was... I can hold the mason jar upside down and it stays in place. 














You can add jam or fresh fruit to your yogurt or eat it just by itself.  Either way is very YUMMY!

ENJOY!

Rainy Day activities

What am I into today?

It's going to rain today.  It's going to be windy.  OH JOY!  Keeping kids entertained on days when you have to stay inside is hard sometimes. 

I'll be playing Chutes and Ladders with them today.  And Memory games, and hopefully some Candyland.  I also have a bag that I keep coloring books and crayons and markers in for days like this.  Austin also got some of the color wonder crayola paints last year for his birthday that I might break out.  And then there's TV.  On days when we just can't go out, I will let them watch pretty much whatever they want.  They just saw Lady and the Tramp for the first time 2 days ago, and so they are on that kick.  And that's okay.  I see Austin processing the story and giggling at things now that he didn't the first time he watched it.  I see Audrey watching the dogs and the cats and figuring out which ones are good and which ones are naughty. 

And, if we just HAVE to get out.  I'll load them up in the van and we will go to Sam's Club and walk around and taste the samples and have a $5 lunch of hot dogs and a pretzel.  Or we will just go to a fast food place, just to get a small fry for each kid as a treat.  Just something to get us out. 

Considering that my kids spend up to 3 hours outside every morning before lunch, and sometimes 2+ hours outside in the evenings, days when we are stuck inside are hard.  But we make do.

What is your favorite rainy day activity to do with your kids?

Yogurt

What am I into today?

Well, first things first.  I ate yogurt this morning.  Not store bought!  MY OWN!  It was so so yummy!  I finally figured out how to get mine to the right consistency on a regular basis. 

First of all, I use this yogurt maker that I got recently.  Remember that box that was unopened for a bit?  And I had you all guess?  And no one guessed????  Yeah.. you remember.  That one.  My yogurt maker was inside.  :)  This is just another step towards me decide how many preservatives and other crud that they put into food these days, goes into my family's bodies.  It's a small step, but a good one.

It's really very simple.  You heat your milk to 185.  For me, I have a really hard time getting it to 185 without boiling, so I tend to let it heat until it foams up, and then I turn the heat off.  So far, this has worked for me.  Then you have to let it cool, or use an ice bath, to cool it down to around 110-115.  Then you add your starter (for me, this is a store bought yogurt) and then I spoon it into the glass jars, and put it into the yogurt maker.  That's it.  4-6 hours later, it's done.  I do add honey and vanilla to mine for sweetness and flavor.  No one here likes plain, and we add fresh fruit to it just before eating. 

It comes out looking like this:

Yep.  I already took a bite.  But you can see by how my spoon is cutting into it, that it's nice and thick.  Very creamy.  Personally, I don't even need to add fruit to make it taste good.  It tastes good just the way it is. :)

Otherwise?  Tonight is the fish fry at St. Gregory's. It's pretty much the BEST fish fry around, and I'm not just saying that.  I've run into people from lots of other parish's there because it's THAT good! Even Mark's cousin is coming with her girls from Los Angeles to go to OUR fish fry because it is THAT good!  I believe there is at least 12-15 of going tonight.  I may be under estimating though.  LOL  Then we will all head back here for a fire outside!

Tomorrow?  I can't guarantee a post.  We are going out on a boat that my brother in law, Greg, is renting, and I will be running around trying to get us ready to go tomorrow morning.  At least I'll post pictures of it next week!!!!

Happy Friday and have a Blessed Weekend!