Homemade Yogurt - June RS

Written & Taught by Sister Kammerman

In our area, cups of Yoplait usually cost $.50 on sale. If the five of us (the kids and myself) ate a cup of Yoplait five days out of seven, the cost per week would be $12.50. Over the course of a year, that adds up to $650. On yogurt! And this is even assuming that I could manage to procure that much yogurt at the $.50 price(if I had to pay $.75 for each container, the yogurt would cost us over $975 in a year...the horror!).                                           

*If I make my own yogurt, a week’s worth costs us $4, saving us $11 a week. Over the course of a year, this will save us $572 compared to the $.50 Yoplait cups.  Yeah, sweating the small stuff is totally worth it. $.50 here, $1 there, $5 over there…it all adds up when you look at things in the space of a year instead of in the space of a day.

Yogurt made with lower fat milk will not be as firm as yogurt made from whole milk.

Homemade Yogurt (makes 4+ quarts, which will keep for at least a month in the fridge)

Ingredients
1 gallon of milk         1 cup yogurt starter use a small cup of plain (Dannon/greek/Yoplai) or a cup from your previous batch.
1. Place four quart glass canning jars, four lids, and four screw-tops in a large pot. Fill with an inch of water; cover with lid and heat to boiling. Boil for ten minutes. Leave the lid on the pot and move it off the heat until you are ready to use the jars. (IF not sanitized in dishwasher)
2. Pour one gallon of milk into a large, heavy bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven. Heat the milk to 185-190 degrees Farenheit
3. Place the pot in a sink filled with cold water and let the milk cool to 120 degrees fahrenheit
4. Stir one cup of yogurt starter into the cooled milk, using a whisk. Stir well to ensure that the starter is thoroughly incorporated into the milk.
5. Pour the milk into jars, and put the lids and bands on. Place them into a cooler.
6. Heat one gallon of water to 120-130 degrees F and pour into cooler.
7. Shut cooler lid and leave in a warm place for three hours. When the three hours are up, place the yogurt in the refrigerator.
To make a delicious vanilla version of this yogurt--- add ¾ cup of sugar to the four quarts of milk when it’s cooling in the sink. Then stir in 2 tablespoons of vanilla, depending on your preference, and proceed as usual with the recipe. 
Add fruit, grape nuts or granola or what you like! We use extracts and stir in dry pudding mix to add a variety  & touch of flavor as we use it. (almond extract with peaches)  banana cream pudding, orange extract, lemon, extract.    You can even try it frozen for summer treat.

FAT-FREE YOGURT from POWDERED MILK  (size of thermos will determine if you can double)
2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup powdered milk
2 TBL. Plain yogurt
Mix all together in mixer or with whisk—(not in thermos yet)
After mixing well—no lumps,
**Pre-heat your thermos  by putting hot water in it while waiting… POUR OUT before putting in milk/yogurt mixture.
Pourmixture into 1 quart stainless steel thermos—screw on lid.
Let stand on counter overnight or 8-10 hrs.  It is ready! Pour into airtight container & refrigerate.   (I like to do this in the morning after kids are off to school and put in the fridge in evening so it’s cold and ready to enjoy by morning.
Add fruit, grape nuts or granola or what you like! We use extracts and stir in dry pudding/jello mix to add a variety & touch of flavor as we use it. (almond extract with peaches is good!)  banana cream pudding, dry flavored jello, orange extract, lemon, extract.  
You can use as sour cream or dip—just add seasoning.

Homemade Cream Cheese
Two items that we seem to buy every week from the grocery store are cream cheese and sour cream. Why I haven't already started making these myself sooner is beyond me…These recipes are so easy, you'll wonder why you never tried them before.

Homemade Cream Cheese  (makes aprox. 2 cups) 

1 quart homemade yogurt (whole milk or low-fat)

 Instructions

Place a clean kitchen towel, cheese cloth, or clean muslin in a colander. Place the colander in a bowl or cake pan that is large enough to hold it. Add the yogurt to the lined colander and wrap the towel over the top to cover (or use a plate). Leave this to drain for about 5 hours in the refrigerator. If you want a thicker consistency, leave it longer, making sure to empty what is draining so it doesn't reach the bottom of the colander and get reabsorbed. Store your finished cream cheese in a resealable container in the fridge.  Add flavors/seasoning if desired.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

 

1/2 c water

1 c sugar

3 T butter

1 c powdered milk

 

Heat water, sugar and butter until boiling. Allow to cool slightly. Pour into a blender and gradually add the powdered milk, through the hole at the top. Blend until smooth. Can store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks, makes slightly more than one can of sweetened condensed milk.

 

 

Cottage Cheese

 

To make your own delicious and nutritious Basic Cottage Cheese, use the easy directions which follow. This recipe utilized rennet or Junket tablets (usually found next to the jello) to help produce low-acid cottage cheese with minimal effort:

 

1 rennet tablet (or Junket tablet)

2 cups Basic Yogurt

 

1 gallon Basic Rehydrated Powdered Milk.

 

·        Dissolve rennet tablet in warm water. (set aside)

·        Pour Basic Rehydrated Powdered Milk into a large heavy pot and heat to 90 degrees F.

·        Add Basic Yogurt, stirring to mix.

·        Add dissolved rennet.

·        Cover pot and leave overnight in a warm place.

 

·        The next day, a gelatinous, almost solid mass, like firm yogurt, has formed in the pot. This is the curd.

·        With a silver knife, cut through this curd to break it into small pieces.

·        Place pot on top of a large cake pan so you can pour the water around it. (double boiler)

·        Shake the pot gently while it is being heated to help distribute the heat more evenly throughout the curd.

·        When the curd temperature reaches 110 degrees F, turn off the heat, leaving the cheese bowl in the water for about 30 minutes.

·        Then pour the cheese into a cloth bag (can use a pillow case) or several layers of cheesecloth and hang it up to drain. When the curds have drained, mash the cheese with a form, work in a little sweet or sour cream or moisten it with a little basic Yogurt if you don't want the extra fat.