Homemade Greek Style Yogurt (version 2)

I recently realized while going through the motions in my kitchen, making Greek style yogurt, that I have been keeping a secret from you.  That the way I make my yogurt has changed.  I had found new shortcuts and before I had time to tell you it became habit.  So yesterday while I was catching up in the kitchen, baking breads and cooking beans, I took a few photos of my latest gourmet shortcut to share.

Into three glass quart jars (you could use clean applesauce jars or even pickle jars) spoon two tablespoons of store bought yogurt into each jar.   Let the yogurt come to room temperature.

In a large stainless steel pot, allow three quarts of milk to come to room temperature.  Then heat the milk slightly until when test it with a finger, you can't feel it, hot or cold.  Body temperature, I guess.

Pour the warm milk into the jars.  Put a lid on each.  (The red funnel is part of a canning kit and makes filling almost any jar so easy.)

Find a helper and shake each jar to distribute the yogurt into the milk. 

Fill a cooler with bath temperature water.  Cram the jars into the cooler and shut the lid.

Set the cooler in a nice warm spot (mine is always on top of the freezer - this is also where I set bread to rise) and let it sit undisturbed for 24 hours.  I have found that letting the yogurt sit for longer makes a thicker yogurt.  Over Christmas when things were a bit hectic here, I accidentally left it for 48hrs.  It looked like curddled milk but after I strained it, it looked fine.  A tad bitter but fine.

Line a bowl with a clean pillowcase.  Pour the yogurt into the pillowcase.

Tie it up and let it drip until the volume is reduced by half.  Since I made three quarts of yogurt, I let it strain until I have collected a quart and a half.  This will leave you with one and a half creamy quarts of fresh yummy yogurt. Since it is almost identical in consistency to sour cream, it can be used cup for cup in traditional recipes. My husband and oldest son eat this stuff by the bucket, the bucket, I swear.  You should see their idea of a serving size.  I figure I'm saving some serious cash making the stuff myself.  We make ours plain and unsweetened but for a serving you can sweeten it up with a tablespoon of some homemade jam for a real treat.  

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P.S.  

In the kitchen I was fooling around with a new gluten free bread recipe.  Sandwich bread, breakfast bread.  No artificial binders or fillers.  So healthy, made with almond flour.  While almond flour is getting plenty of talk (and for good reason!) it is a bit expensive.  I ground my own in the Vitamix and after mixing was pleasantly surprised to pull this out of the oven....

Super rich and healthy... very substantial.  A bit much for the little ones but an awesome grain free bread for a grown-up breakfast.  Highly recommended!  

almond flour bread recipe from making love in the kitchen - meghan telpner