Making Yogurt in the Crock Pot

I LOVE making yogurt in the crock pot! I have done it twice now and I am truly impressed with myself and the yogurt. It seems like it is pretty hard to mess up. Believe me, if it was going to go awry, it would have. I forgot to turn the crock pot off at the correct time. I forgot to add the starter yogurt at the correct time. Yet, it turned out beautifully!

I read and printed off several recipes for how to make yogurt in the crock pot. Then, I took all that knowledge and synthesized it down to one recipe. Here it is:

Crock Pot Yogurt

1/2 gallon of milk (if you use dry milk add 2/3 c. extra for creamier yogurt)
1/2 c. plain yogurt with live cultures and no other ingredients (organic brands are best)

Heat milk in crock pot for 3 hours on low. You can take the temperature with a candy thermometer and it should read 180 degrees or so. (Or, just heat on low for 3 hours). Turn off crock pot for 2 1/2 hours and let cool. (ideal temp should be 122-126 degrees). Take out 2 cups of milk, add 1/2 c. yogurt and blend. Add back into the crock pot and stir. Take one or more towels and cover up the whole crock pot to keep warm. 8 hours later you should have yogurt.

Drawbacks are you have to be around at the exact times to turn it off and add starter. My yogurt finished at midnight and it was fine until the morning when I woke up and put it into the fridge.

I have a little 5 c. yogurt maker that I bought at a garage sale for $2 about 12-13 years ago. It still works but it really doesn’t make enough yogurt. The yogurt from this is not as thick and creamy as my crock pot yogurt. I doubt I will buy store bought yogurt again. One other word of warning! Put aside ½ c. before it is all eaten or you will have to buy a starter cup again.

Cost: $.90 for the dry milk plus original starter yogurt cost. After you use your own starter it will be just $.90 for two quarts. Compare to store bought plain, on sale for $1.99 a quart.

Frugal Neighbors

When we moved into our house a year ago, we got to know our neighbors within a few weeks. I had them pegged as a frugal couple soon after we moved in and I was right. What gave them away first was that they had a huge vegetable garden in their back yard. I also noticed piles of wood behind their house. (For many years they only heated with their wood burning stove.)

Over the last year we have established a very good relationship with this couple. They are our age so we do have a lot in common. They are also just nice, kind people. During the horrible winter of 2009-2010, Bob used his tractor/plow to plow our driveway out after each of the 3 blizzards. In return, I try to make sure they never have to buy eggs.

Last summer when their garden went crazy I would come home from work to find a bag of produce on our porch. Or I would meet Mrs. Bob and she would say, “Just go up in back and help yourself. We can’t even freeze it all.” This year, when I planted my small garden, I made sure to plant different vegetables than the Bobs did so I can offer them some of our bounty.

I love this type of comfortable, helpful and kind relationship with our wonderful neighbors. I have always dreamed of establishing a reciprocal relationship with neighbors. We share some work together and we share tools, and produce. This is a great frugal arrangement but I don’t think it is easy to come by either. Most people, if you offered to give them some of your garden’s bounty, wouldn’t think to reciprocate. People that are frugal, but not stingy, would normally think to reciprocate.

Frugal Living Club of Cecil County Book Exchange

Come on out to the North East library (106 W. Cecil Ave) at 6:15 on Tuesday, May 25th. We are having a book exchange! for every book you bring, you can take one home. Left overs will be donated to the library's book sale. Hope to see you then.