I made yogurt

In my crock pot for the first time this week.

I have made yogurt before, years ago, with a nice Salton yogurt maker, but, when we moved, it didn't come with us.  I didn't want the expense of buying another one.  On eBay they start at about $20.00.

I did some research on the Internet and found a recipe for how to make yogurt in my crock pot.

Very simple.  1/2 a gallon of whole milk in the crock pot on low for 3 hours.  Turn off for three hours, keep covered and let sit on the counter.  Take a 4 or 6 oz container of yogurt, if this is your first batch and you don't have starter from a previous batch, and 2 cups of the milk from the crock pot and mix it together.  Then take that and mix it back in to the milk in the crock pot and put the cover back on and cover with a bath towel or two for about 8 hours.  DONE.

I found that this yogurt came out just fine, but different from the "Greek" style yogurt we've gotten used to eating.  Here is what I did.

I got some cheese cloth from Joann fabrics, 50% off with a coupon, and I put a small grid strainer over a bowl and lined it with two layers of cheese cloth, put in some of the yogurt and then covered and put in the refrigerator for about an hour.

I was shocked, honestly, about the amount of liquid, whey, that came out of the yogurt.  I put that into a mason jar to use later.  From what I've heard, you can use that in your baking instead of water or milk.  I have to research that further.

Anyway, dear darling liked the yogurt before I strained it and made it thicker.  I liked it better afterwards.

It was so easy to do.  Took nearly no real time or effort on my part.  And didn't make too much of a mess.  Win. Win.  All the way around.

The extra thing of it all is, there are no additives.  Have you looked at some of the yogurts you've been eating?

ps. Please excuse the photo of my crock pot.  It is well loved.  My mother used it for many years and now it is mine and works fabulously.