Homemade Yogurt and Granola

We are a household of yogurt eaters which can quickly add up on the grocery bill. With this recipe, I can make FIVE quarts of organic yogurt for less than $10! If you don’t care about using organic milk, it’s even cheaper. I originally found the recipe on the Titus2 blog, and I can’t remember exactly how long I’ve been making it, but I know we were living in our previous house when I started so that was at least 7 years ago.  I always seem to measure time according to the which house we lived in or how old my children were at the time, ha! Anyone else?

We love this yogurt! If you’ve never made yogurt, you’re going to be surprised at how simple it is!

Homemade Yogurt

Ingredients:

-1 gallon milk. I use skim or low fat, but whole would definitely work too.

-1 cup yogurt as a starter. I try to save some from my previous batch, but if it gets eaten before I can save it, I just purchase a single-serve container from the grocery.

-2 envelopes unflavored gelatin. A yogurt purist would not use gelatin. I’m no yogurt purist.

-1 TBSP Vanilla extract (not pictured because I forgot to add this until the end. If you don’t want it flavored, you can omit.)

-1 to 2 cups sweetener. This is optional. You can use sugar, artificial sweetener, or nothing at all and just add a drizzle of honey when serving. I prefer to use just 1 cup of honey granules to make it mildly sweet. I order my granulated honey from Bread Becker’s.

-5 sterilized quart jars 

Heat the milk in a large pot over stove heat until the temperature reaches 185-190 degrees. Stir often and don’t leave it or you’ll be crying over spilled scorched milk!

Place the pot in a cold bath in the kitchen sink, with the water line about even to the milk line in the pot. Cool the milk down to 120 degrees.

Now you’re ready to add the rest of you ingredients.

Whisk in the gelatin until dissolved.

If using sweetener, whisk that in until dissolved.

Whisk in the yogurt starter until dissolved. ALSO ADD THE VANILLA that I failed to photograph.

Place opened sterilized jars on a clean kitchen towel to catch any spills.

Evenly distribute the milk mixture between the jars and secure the lids. Wipe the jars and lids with a warm damp rag to clean off any drips.

Place the jars in a small cooler and fill with hot tap water to cover the lids.

Keep the cooler lid closed for 6 to 10 hours, depending on how firm and tart you want your yogurt. The longer it sits in the hot water, the firmer and tarter it will become. Less time will make it milder and thinner. I usually go on the longer end of that time frame, closer to the 10 hour mark.

I place a long piece of tape on the lid with a note to remind us not to open it so the heat doesn’t escape. I don’t know what it is about a cooler being on the kitchen counter that makes us want to open it and look inside, haha, but it does. I also write down the time I need to remove the jars and try to plan ahead for my start time so I’m not having to set my alarm for during the night! Unfortunately, I didn’t plan ahead too well for this batch and had to get up at 4 am, but that’s just an hour before I usually wake up anyway. I have had to get up at 2 am before just to put yogurt in the fridge. Not fun.

Remove the yogurt jars from the cooler, wipe, and refrigerate.

We like this yogurt for breakfast or snack with granola and fruit, or in our smoothies. I know there are many granola recipes out there, but here’s a quick and easy one I’ve been making for as long as I’ve been making the yogurt.

Quick Baked Granola

*adapted from the Bread Becker’s cookbook*

Ingredients:

-1 stick butter (Lately we’ve been using coconut oil.)

-1/2 cup honey

-1 tsp. vanilla, almond, or coconut extract

-4 cups rolled oats

-1 tsp. cinnamon or other spice, if desired

-*Add-ins such as nuts, dried fruit, coconut, etc. (chocolate chips after baked and cooled)

Measure the oats into a big mixing bowl and toss with 1 tsp. cinnamon or other spice, if using. Melt the butter (or coconut oil) and honey in a saucepan; stir in desired extract. Pour over the oats and stir to coat. Spread the mixture onto a jellyroll pan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Stir again, turn off the oven, and let sit in the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Place the pan on the counter for a few minutes to start cooling. Then spread the mixture onto a clean tea towel to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.

*If adding in nuts, dried fruit, or coconut, cut back the oats by 1/2 cup.

Berry Yogurt Smoothies

In a blender combine 1 cup yogurt, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (or any combination of other frozen berries such as raspberries, blackberries, cherries, etc) Sometimes I throw in some spinach, flax seed, and/or chia seeds. Serves 2.

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I think you’ll find this yogurt to be a refreshing addition to your summer recipes!