you can make it? homemade yogurt (in a crockpot!)

The yogurt. Yummy, creamy, honey-almond yogurt.

 The players:

Making yogurt is sooooo simple I never knew. I once read a post about someone making yogurt and I remember thinking, "why would I make my own yogurt when it is so cheap? and especially when it requires yogurt to make it!"

Well I am eating my words (and they are yummy!). First of all, you only have to buy the yogurt to make your yogurt the first time (and again after making it maybe 5 or 6 times). Second, it is ALOT cheaper. Now that I have a child who loves yogurt, and I have tried homemade yogurt and am now a fan of yogurt, I can see how 4 for $5 isn't really that cheap. Or those Stoneyfield farms yogurts that are so good but Olivia wants to eat the 4 pack in one sitting. PLUS they are FULL of sugar (except for plain yogurt or horribly artificially-sweetened yogurt).

Here is my own recipe for Honey-Almond yogurt (but you can flavor it however you choose):

(basic instructions on how to make yogurt I found here)

Ingredients:
 1 qt milk of your choice (I used non-homogenized, cream-on-top, local whole milk---you need the fat to absorb the nutrients in milk)

PLAIN YOGURT (1/2 cup)(cannot use anything flavored or sugared--it conflicts with the probiotics as they grow or something)

almond extract (or other flavoring if desired) (TO TASTE)

raw honey (with bee pollen which is SO good for you!) or other natural sweetener (TO TASTE)
............................................................
1. Pour your entire quart of milk into a crockpot and warm it on LOW for 2 1/2 hrs. Don't stir.
2. TURN IT OFF for 3 hours
3. pour in your 1/2 cup of yogurt and stir. Recover the crockpot, place a thick towel over top of the whole thing and leave it for 8-12 hours. (I usually do this over night.) DON'T TURN IT ON

4. wake up to fresh, homemade yogurt! I usually pour it into canning jars and flavor one (with the honey and almond extract), leaving the rest plain.  Put in the fridge so it stops the live cultures from doing their thing (making it more sour too)

5. set aside 1/2 cup of yogurt and freeze or refrigerate it to use as the starter yogurt for the next batch!

PS. If you want thick, greek yogurt, just strain the yogurt through a thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth sitting in a mesh strainer over a bowl (or hanging by a string over a bowl).