Plain yogurt is a superstar food and a staple in my families’ refrigerator. My 16 year old daughter, chef Lucie, has become obsessed with making things from scratch and was blown over by how easy it was for her to make “homemade” plain yogurt. And the rest of us were blown over by how divine it was in taste and texture. She told me it was easier than making a PB &J sandwich. Here is her recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon organic low fat milk (1% or 2%)
• 2 1/2 tbsp plain yogurt (as a starter – I use Fage or Oikos plain Greek-style)
• Crockpot

Instructions:

Plug in the crockpot and turn it on low. Pour in milk and put the top on. Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. Leave top on and unplug crockpot and let sit for 3 hours undisturbed. Remove 1/2 cup of the warm milk and place in a large bowl with the starter yogurt. Whisk together. Pour contents of the bowl back into the crockpot. Cover the crockpot with a clean towel and let sit undisturbed for 8 hours or overnight. Scoop the yogurt  into an airtight container and place in fridge. The yogurt will last for 2 weeks in fridge. It will be thinner than store bought yogurt because most supermarket yogurts have added thickening agents.*

*If you want to thicken the yogurt like “Greek-style”, simply pour it into a colander lined with a clean cloth that is set into a large bowl. The “liquid whey” will drain out into the bowl below. Strain it for 2-5 hours depending on how thick you want it.

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