Make Your Own Yogurt, Greek Yogurt and Yogurt Cheese

It is so easy! Why spend all that money on store bought yogurt that often contains additives, artificial sweeteners, and even colorings?

Pour 8 cups of whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized) into a crock pot.*

Cover and turn crock pot to the 8 hour setting.

Let it sit, warming up for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours, turn the crock pot off and let it sit for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, stir in 1/4 cup store bought organic whole milk plain yogurt* or 1/2 cup of your previous batch*.
Cover with the lid and cover and wrap the crock pot in a thick towel.

Let it sit for 8 hours.

Pour the yogurt into glass mason jars and enjoy throughout the week!

If you want a Greek yogurt, pour the yogurt into a muslin-lined colander that's resting in a bowl. Put it in the fridge and allow the whey to drain off until it reaches your desired thickness.

If you drain all the whey off, you'll have yogurt cheese which is a great substitute for cream cheese!

*If you live in the Upstate NY area, buy a local milk for best results. Stewart's, Crowley, or the Hannaford Brand are all from local farms.
*Stonyfield Plain Whole Milk yogurt works the best, I've found.

*I've noticed that my previous batches eventually lose their culture, so approximately once a month I renew by purchasing another container of Stonyfield and starting the cycle again.

DON'T FEAR THE FAT!

The fat and calories in whole milk yogurt is not detrimental to your diet and health. You get more "bang for your buck" nutritionally speaking, plus the fat content helps fill you up longer and keeps you satisfied, making you less likely to overindulge later.

DON'T FEAR THE FLAVOR!

Those who are used to the flavored (often artificially so) yogurts may find themselves puckering at the taste of plain yogurt. Give it a chance. If you need to, add some fruit and/or honey until you can develop a taste. It is worth the effort and you'll soon find plain yogurt to be extremely tastebud pleasing!