What Ana Does

Last year I received two yogurt makers for the holidays and since, I've been making my own yogurt weekly for the last year. Usually on Sunday mornings. And it's usually a highlight of my week, even as I still feel I'm perfecting my skills. So, this year, I decided to up my game and get a GREEK yogurt maker. Ok, not really a " maker " more like a sieve that you dump the homemade yogurt in and refrigerate overnight. So, it's utterly fool-proof. The result? Seriously YUMMY thick, Greek yogurt. Though, three yogurt cups yields about half that much Greek yogurt, so I'll need to consider that in future equations.

I love my morning snack of homemade yogurt mixed with fresh berries. Now that it's summer, those berries are fresh and local -- direct from my CSA pickup. Deeeeeeelicious!! Triple Berry Medley! Yum! Who Want a Taste? I just love how the squishy raspberries turn the yogurt pink. If I really stir it, it gets BRIGHT pink.  Geez ... Pink is everywhere in my world right now. Pink is the new pink, people! Think pink! 

The reviews are in on my homemade yogurt ... TART!! Wow, I read that it was going to be tart with a bite, but, man, they were NOT kidding. Tart but very good. Smooth and not as watery as I was expecting.  I added some honey and gobbled down the whole jar. Tomorrow, I'll add some fruit.  Scoopable and Oh So Delicious Look at me! I'm a yogurt maker!!

Ever since reading "French Women Don't Get Fat" I've been dying to make my own yogurt. It's a French thing, apparently. And the author makes several good points about WHY you should cook-up your own yogurt; like control over what exactly what goes into it, most-active bacteria and less waste of those little plastic cups. This Christmas I got not one, but TWO, yogurt makers from my two favorite guys. And I've been waiting for the right time, and yogurt starter, to cook my first batch. And today was the day! I've been doing research and picked up a few tips; such as treating the pot with some ice to keep the milk from scalding, and use a ice bath to cool the milk instead of waiting for the milk to cool on its own. On a side note, I also read about people who made yogurt in a warm oven, a crockpot and with a warming pad. That's just super crazy! Step 1: Heat Milk to 180degrees Anyway, I used half skim and half 2% milk on one of the tips from t...