Homemade Yogurt

I just made homemade yogurt for 1/3 of the cost, without the fillers and thickening junk they add in the store bought stuff and to top it all off, it was probably the easiest thing I've ever done in my life.

I googled a recipe, check it out: Here

I probably spent 5 minutes (maybe a little more because it was my first time) total actually touching the concoction. 

It was sooooooo easy!!!

Now to flavor it: I've tried strawberry jam, stevia powder, maple syrup and honey.

It is delish.

Step one was cook the milk to 180 degrees so it kills any bacteria- you want a clean slate (takes about 3-4 hours)
Then after it gets to that point, let it come back down to 110 degrees (took about 3 hours)- then add the 2 TBS of plain yogurt start. Let it sit overnight in the crock in the oven (turned off) to keep it warm 12 hours.

Strain it- I just used a dish towel and a big bowl.

It was thick! But runny- so I did want to separate some of the whey.

There's the whey! 

There was a lot of whey (and that goop at the bottom is yogurt that fell in because I was clumsy and dropped some as I was trying to get the thickened yogurt in a container. I don't know much about it or how to use it so I tossed it but maybe there is something people do with it? I'll look it up next time.

2 jars!!! I estimate that would have made at least 2- probably 3 bigger containers of yogurt (if I hadn't dropped some in the whey) from the store.

My next adventure I would love to make kefir.....if I can make yogurt, I bet I could make kefir!!! 

Can you believe how easy it can be to make something like yogurt? 

I love that it's that good bacteria for our guts and and free from nasty ingredients and fillers!!! And did I say it was cheap? Like less than a dollar per container? So awesome. 

It's weird too the kind beautiful happiness you get from knowing you made something like this. 

Like I feel like I can do ANYTHING!!! 

Thanksgiving

You guys! I forgot my camera.
I know.
So so sad.

So I stole a couple photos from family posts- so thanks because it's hard for me to post sometimes without at least one of the kids!

But Grant finally got to play with his Montana cousins which was soooooo cute. It's fun watching how kids can just pick up and be friends together and laugh (and fight) so easily.

Pretty sure Grant just stayed in his jammies every day.

Mandi's pumpkin pie was G's favorite.

Don't Eat Pete- Grant won this game both times he played it. Like how does that happen? Seriously, he got to eat all the chocolate from off the board (without CHEATING PATRICK!!!- the kids learned that you just pick the whole paper up and bend it down the middle and dump all the chocolate in your mouth)

Favorites:
1. Esther learned to CRAWL on Thanksgiving Day!
2. Grant learned how to do walk up legs while holding hands to do a backflip from his cousin Quincy.
3. Mandi's play: The Grouch Who Stole Christmas- oh that was sooooo fun. Nana and Papa watched the kids and Jay and I had an actual DATE. And so neat to see your sister-in-law and enjoy her wonderful talents- her solo was BEAutiful! I felt the message of the words so clearly- that Christ is the reason for Christmas.
4. We got to see everybody! (except my siblings on missions)
5. Amazing bowling games celebrating birthdays- I think I got like 75 or 80 on one game- it was cute watching the kids push the ball. Jay got like 108! (He says put that he got like 170--- ha ha) nope.
6. I have the most amazing family. Ever. I got the CUTEST outfit for my birthday and some cute cute headbands for my short hair. Oh I am so in love. Like my in-laws know how to make a girl feel good and loved. THANK YOU!!!
7. Pie- so I was determined not to eat ANY sugar because Jay and I had this cold for a couple weeks and we were really trying to get better. But, guess what? A couple slices of pie made with love actually healed our illness. No really. Like we got better a few days after eating pie. And a lot of pie. And ice cream. I am now a believer of sugar made with love as being a GOOD healthy thing.
8. We watched The Giver which was very good.
9. My mom made the most delicious stew out of FOOD STORAGE in a pumpkin. It was really good.
10. I loved just being around all those good people we call family. We are so lucky.