Homemade Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon of 1% or higher milk
• 2-3 Tbsp. of yogurt with active live cultures
• 2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream or buttermilk
• kitchen thermometer
• blanket/large towel
• oven with a light/thermos
• heavy bottomed pan or double boiler
• mixing spoon
• glass or ceramic bowl
• coffee filters/cheesecloth

Directions:

Pour entire 1/2 gallon of milk into heavy saucepan or double boiler with the heat turned to medium. Stir occasionally until the thermometer reads 180 degrees F, then remove immediately from heat.

Transfer your heated milk to a glass or ceramic bowl and set out on a counter until it reaches 105-110 degrees. Make sure to leave this uncovered so as to not inhibit the healthy bacteria.

When the milk has cooled, turn on your oven light to warm the oven. Mix together the 2-3 Tbsp. of yogurt with the heavy cream/buttermilk until smooth.

Add the yogurt mix to the milk and stir well to combine. Wrap the bowl in a blanket or towel and place inside the over for 7-8 hours. Make sure that no part of the cloth touches the light bulb.

Take off the cloth and voila, you have yogurt! You can stop here if you wish, but in order to make Greek yogurt follow these additional steps:

Remove the yogurt mix and place a strainer on top of a bowl. Line the strainer with coffee filters or cheesecloth. Pour yogurt mix into strainer and place in the refrigerator for a hour. Drain whey from bottom of bowl. Return to refrigerator for another hour and again pour out the whey. If done properly, it should come off in a sheet from the strainer.

Put in a container with a tight fitting in your refrigerator and enjoy for up to six days - although mine does not last more than three :).

By Teri M from Omaha, NE