How to Make Thicker Yogurt

I think that I have posted about making yogurt more times than anything else.  I guess that's because I love it so much.  A couple months back, after making yogurt for nearly two years I had a couple botched batches.  So I went to the yogurt troubleshooting page at Kitchen Stewardship.  And I learned the best tip!  Don't stir the yogurt into the milk until the temperature of the milk lowers to 110.  In the past I too  frequently stir the yogurt into the milk when it is at 115 degrees.  I have also been wrapping multiple towels around the Crockpot to really insulate it well. The result:  My past few batches have been the thickest yogurt I have ever made. 

To make it even thicker:

Place a colander over a bowl.  Place a dishtowel or 90 count cheesecloth inside the colander.  Pour yogurt into dishtowel covered colander.  Let whey drip out until yogurt is desired consistency.  If you just let the whey drip out a little, for maybe an hour or so, the yogurt will be like Greek yogurt.  My kids and I love this!  We can eat it plain, whereas we normally eat our yogurt with fruit.  If you let the whey drip out for longer you will have a soft cheese that is similar to cream cheese, only a little more sour.  We love this on toast.

Click here for my step by step instructions on how to make yogurt.

Pancake Apples

Cooking Traditional Foods (a blog I peruse on occasion and has a weekly podcast, some of which are excellent) gave me the great idea of pancake apples.
Here's how you make this delicious breakfast or snack:

1. Make up a thick pancake batter.  I like to season mine with cinnamon and vanilla.
2. Cut up an apple or two into thin slices.
3. Dip apples slices into pancake batter.
4. Fry.
5. Enjoy!