Making homemade yogurt is a simple process that produces plentiful results.  Anyone from students to the busy administrative assistant will enjoy this easy recipe.

Start with a clean crock pot.  It is easy to leave dried-on residue in your crock pot from cooking other foods.  However, make sure it is very clean prior to starting the yogurt process.  You will need milk, a small container of store bought yogurt for a starter, and fruit or sweetener to add flavor.

1. Pour ½ gallon (8 cups) of milk into the crock pot.
2. Cook the milk on the low setting for about 2 ½ hours.  Do not lift the lid while the milk is heating.
3. Turn the crock pot off and let the milk set for 3 hours.  Again, keep the lid on.
4. Remove about 2 cups of the heated milk and put it into a separate bowl.  Quickly replace the lid to the crock pot.
5. Add 6 ounces of plain yogurt with active cultures to the milk in the separate bowl and stir until smooth.
6. Pour this mixture back into the crock pot, stir briefly, put the lid back on, and cover the entire crock pot with a heavy towel for insulation.
7. Let the crock pot sit for about 8 hours while the milk and yogurt thicken.
8. Add pureed fruit or sweetener to the finished product.

Start with whole milk if this is your first time making yogurt at home.  This will give the yogurt a thicker consistency as homemade yogurt tends to be somewhat thinner than yogurt purchased from a store.  Avoid using skim milk for this process.  To make a thicker consistency, you can add non-fat dried milk or unflavored gelatin to the crock pot while you are stirring in the store bought yogurt.

Your homemade yogurt will last about a week in the refrigerator.  You can also store it in the freezer and thaw out in the fridge when ready to eat.  The milk will separate, so just stir the yogurt a bit to get it back to its regular consistency.

This has become a staple in our house!  Not only is this a budget friendly way to make a delicious snack, but the health benefits of yogurt are amazing.  Yogurt is filled with helpful bacterial that can support digestive health.