--8 cups (half-gallon) milk
--1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you need to have a starter.)
--thick bath towel
Directions:
Plug in your crockpot and turn to low. Add all 8 cups of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.
Unplug your crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.
When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation. I have an insulated carrying bag for my crockpot, so I use that. I do place a few dish towels on top of the lid before zipping up the bag.
Go to bed, or let it sit for 8-10 hours.
In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.
Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.
Neal likes to add honey and blueberries to his yogurt. I add Truvia and grape nuts and sometimes mini-chocolate chips. The kids add honey or sucanat with honey and grape nuts and chocolate chips.
** I usually like to start my yogurt around 4 or 5 in the afternoon. That way I'm finishing up with my part around bedtime. **
