Prepare Today Homemade- Homemade Yogurt

My sister and I are both active preppers and she will send me links to fun new preparedness ideas.  This time she sent me a link to a yogurt starter that once you start it, it goes on forever.  I thought it sounded too good to be true so I had to purchase it and try it.  Normally when you make yogurt you have to buy plain yogurt at the store with active yogurt cultures in it to use as a starter for making homemade yogurt.  You then heat milk, cool it, add the starter and then incubate for 8-12 hours.  So when I found out about Viili yogurt starter I couldn't believe that all you had to do was mix the powder starter (only 1/8th of a teaspoon) into 1 cup of milk and after incubating for 8-12 hours you have yogurt!!

 Let me introduce you to Viili Yogurt Starter.  It comes from the Cultures For Health company.  Click HERE to see the website.  When you get the starter it has a tiny amount of powdery stuff that you need to make into your forever starter.  

 That is the actual amount that comes in the package!!  Measure out 1/8th of a teaspoon and stir it into 1 C of milk.  Pour into a mason jar and use a coffee filter and rubber band to cover the jar.

 The only requirement of the yogurt is that it needs to stay around 72 degrees for it to cultivate.  The easiest way to do this is to put your jar in the oven with the light on and the oven door cracked open.  I do this overnight and the yogurt is set up in the morning.  

Once the yogurt is set (the yogurt will pull away from the side of the jar in one single mass) you need to use a mason jar lid to cover it and place in the fridge for about 6 hours before you will want to eat it.  

Now you have a starter that will go on and on, kind of like a sourdough starter.  You do need to use the starter about once a week to make new yogurt or it will get old, but other than that it is so simple.  To make your yogurt just use 1 T of the starter to 1 C of milk and stir, then incubate in the oven just like the starter.  You can do up to 4 T and 4 C of milk at one time.  The 4 C of milk will fit nicely into a quart mason jar.  Just remember to take out your 1 T for each cup of milk to use for your next batch before you eat it.  Every Sunday night I make at least one more cup of yogurt to have ready to go.  Watch the video for detailed instructions.

 I have used this yogurt in baking and it works so well!  My kids also loved it.  My 3 year old even ate it when I didn't set it long enough and it was soupy.  My only advice in making this yogurt is to not let it get to hot or too cold or it won't set up.  To order the starter click HERE.

"Have Faith, Unencomber your life, Lay up in store"  Keith B. McMullen