Homemade Yogurt

Karlie asked me to post this one-- it's a simple recipe I make weekly. I love homemade yogurt because it's cheaper and not as sweet as store-bought brands. But the texture is a little different-- sometimes thinner, sometimes thicker. So if any of these variations don't bother you, give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 8 cups skim milk + 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder (or, 8 cups whole milk)
• 1 6 oz. Yoplait French Vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Pour 8 cups skim milk into a large crock pot. Stir in 1 cup nonfat dry milk until dissolved (this is for a thicker texture-- without it, skim milk makes a very runny yogurt). Cover with lid and cook on LOW heat for 2 hours (set a timer).
2. After 2 hours cooking on low, turn the crock pot OFF. Keeping the lid on, simply let the yogurt sit for 2 hours (set a timer).
3. At this 4 hour mark, lift the lid and take out about 2 cups of the warm milk. Replace the lid to maintain temperature. Stir the Yoplait yogurt into the 2 cups milk until the texture is even, then add to the milk in the crock pot. Stir to combine. Replace the lid again and let the yogurt sit undisturbed for 15-20 hours. (It will be ready in as few as 10-12 hours, but I've found that at this point there is still whey at the top. If you wait longer, you give the whey a chance to absorb in.)
   
4. When you lift the lid, you'll have yogurt! I like to keep it plain, but I know several people who prefer to mix in sugar or pureed fruit-- it's all good. Just expect the yogurt's texture to change a bit with any mix-ins.
   

Tip: Start making yogurt in the morning at about the time you'd like to eat it the following morning. That's the time frame we're talking about.

Also, I say "Yoplait French Vanilla" because of all the different brands I've tried, I think it makes the best flavor and texture. Any yogurt with active live cultures will do.