Oh my god...Crockpot Yogurt

I started making yogurt in my crockpot in October when I saw a post on the web by my favorite website of the year last year - "A year of Crockpotting". It tasted pretty good, however, I just couldn't get it to "gel" enough. I was using skim milk and the website did say it was more difficult to get non-fat (as opposed to whole milk) to gel. The last 2 times I did it, I added some unflavored gelatin (as suggested in another website) and all I got was thin yogurt with glops of unflavored jello (UGG!) ----Until today!!! -- turns out I was adding the gelatin at the wrong time.

Seems like a big deal - right? for yogurt right? Well, with my trying to do the WeightWatchers thing, they want you to have two 8-ounce glasses of skim milk a day. I - AM - NOT a milk drinker but I do like to have yogurt on my cereal. Well, two of those cups of yogurt a day can be pretty expensive and ... 1/2 gallon of milk is (relatively) cheap.

Here's the secret recipe...

Totally Gelled Non-Fat Yogurt

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon of nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup of powdered non fat milk
• 1 packet of unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 c non-fat yogurt (from the store - with active cultures - this acts as your starter)
• (optional)
• (1/2 cup of splenda baking sweetner)
• (1 tablespoon of vanilla)

Directions: I used a 4 qt crock pot

• Pour milk into crock pot and turn on low for 3 hours - 3 1/2 hours (this kills bad bacteria)
• Stir in 1/2 cup of powdered non fat milk and sprinkle package of gelatin on top
• Once it warms up the milk, stir several times during the heating process to distribute the gelatin
• Turn off crock pot and allow it to cool for 3 hours (or to temp of 90 degrees)
• After it is cooled, take out approximately 2 cups and put into a clean bowl and whisk in the yogurt starter and then add it back to the crockpot
• Stir the mixture well
• Cover the crockpot and then unplug it and cover the entire thing with a towel +/or a blanket to keep the cultures warm while they are working
• Leave undisturbed for 12-14 hours
• Once the 12-14 hours are up, uncover and be amazed!!!

Once you make it, you can put it into different containers. Save 1/2 cup to use as starter for you next batch! You can use the yogurt you make as starter about 6-7 times then it gets a little stale so you will have to buy another 1/2 cup yogurt at the store.