Homemade Yogurt

Last fall I read "French Women Don't Get Fat". If you can get past the "French women are wonderful and the rest of us poor slobs are clueless" stuff, the author has some good points. She advocates eating food that is seasonal and available locally, enjoying the work of shopping and food preparation, and savoring good food. One of her most important points is adjusting your eating on a meal to meal basis, rather than thinking that if you pig out on a meal, the day (or weekend or week!) is shot, therefore an eating free-for-all is unavoidable.

Another point is her love of homemade yogurt. She included recipes for making yogurt with and without a yogurt maker, which sent me on a quest. After reading the reviews (mixed) of yogurt makers on Amazon.com (an amazing consumer reference), I googled homemade yogurt. One source (sorry, I have no idea where or who) said that the best information they had ever read about homemade yogurt was in the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. Since I just happen to have that book, I checked it out. (In the complete edition, the article starts on page 718.) In true Frugal Zealot fashion, she researched yogurt inside and out and ended with her preferred method on page 721. I have been making it now for several months and have had 100% success. (And I didn't have to buy a yogurt maker!!)

Here it is:

Before starting, take 2 tablespoons of starter aside, to come to room temperature. I used Stonyfield non-fat organic yogurt to start off with. I also put some in an ice cube tray, and now have the cubes in a bag in the freezer, which should keep me going for months, if not longer. I now leave a little in the jar and just start a new batch off the old batch. Supposedly it gets tarter with each batch, but I like tart yogurt, so that's not a problem. I think I made 4 or 5 batches before I decided to try one of my frozen cubes.

Put 1 quart of milk ( I use skim, the recipe doesn't specify) into a large saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup powdered milk. Heat the milk to 180 degrees and remove it from the heat. Let it cool to 115 degrees.

Add a small amount of this warm mixture to the starter, whisk, then add that back to the pan. Blend well and pour into a quart jar. (I always have enough to do a partial pint jar also.) Place the jars on a heating pad set on low, cover with a towel, and cover with a large soup pot. Incubate for 8 hours.

Attached are some pictures, which came out in reverse order! Sorry the middle two are blurry. I didn't test them until this AM. At least you get the idea. Pioneer woman I ain't! (If you haven't yet, check out www.thepioneerwoman.com. It is a GREAT website - funny and loaded with wonderful recipes and photographs.