Crock Pot Yogurt

I've been talking to a lot of people who want to know how I make my own yogurt.  It all started because Mikayla needed a soft food, high in protein, and with full fat milk which can be hard to find, not to mention expen$ive.  So I hit the internet and did a lot of research and tried several different things.  I didn't want to buy a yogurt maker and the other methods seemed like a lot of work.  But we were going through 2+ quarts of yogurt a week and I was getting desperate.  So I decided to try a method I found for the crock pot and was I surprised!  It worked great!  So for practically no work and mere pennies I can make organic, all natural, full fat (or half fat) yogurt as thick (greek style) or thin (australian style)  as I want it.  Try it,  you'll love it.

1/2 (8 cups) gallon milk
1/2 cup - 1 cup powdered milk
4 oz yogurt with live cultures
your choice of flavorings and sweeteners

Put 8 cups of milk (2% or whole, I've never tried lower fat but I'm sure it would work) in a crock pot on low for 2 1/2 hours.  Depending on how thick you want the yogurt to be you can add powdered milk (1/2 cup for medium consistency, 1 cup for thicker consistency) or for a more jell-o like consistency use 2 pkts unflavored gelatin (although if you used flavored I'm thinking it would make flavored yogurt...but I've never tried that).
After 2 1/2 hrs unplug the crockpot and leave it  be for 3 hrs.
Add 1 cup of the warm milk to 1/2 cup yogurt with live cultures (any brand works as long as it has live cultures.  I like Dannon all natural or Oinkos).  Once again you want to use plain instead of flavored unless you want to flavor the entire batch.  The stir the yogurt-milk mixture back into the milk in the crock pot, leaving the crock pot off and wrap the whole thing in a bath towel.  Leave it to culture overnight.
In the morning put it in the fridge.  I like to add 3 TBLS of agave or 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla to mine and then divide it into 1/2 cup tupperwares that my kids can just grab out of the fridge.  You can also add fruit puree to flavor it,  or fresh fruit as you serve it.
Good luck!  Happy yogurt-ing!

Cauliflower Mac n' Cheese- a healthy alternative

I got this recipe from Jamie Oliver.  I love it.  Its healthy, kids love it, and it freezes great.  Plus it makes a large amount of food in a small amount of time so if you're having last minute dinner guests or taking dinner to another family, its a great go to.

1/2 head cauliflower
8 oz cheddar cheese
4 oz parmesan
small bunch of italian parsley
1 lbs macaroni
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream (I like plain greek yogurt)

1. To prepare your pasta: Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk and cut the head into small florets. Halve the thick stalk lengthways, then slice thinly. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan into a large heatproof bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.
2. To cook your pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and all your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni-package instructions. Place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the crème fraîche. Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted. If the water boils up beneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly. Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and put aside. Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese, and stir. It should have a lovely, silky consistency, but if it’s too thick for you, add a splash of your cooking water to thin it out a bit.
4. At this point you can either serve the macaroni as is, or finish it under the broiler to make it crispy and golden on top. To do this, preheat your broiler to a medium to high heat. Add ⅔ cup of the reserved cooking water to the macaroni, stir in, then transfer to a baking dish. Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling.
5. To serve your pasta: Divide the pasta between plates or bowls, or place the baking dish in the middle of the table next to a nice green salad and let everyone help themselves