How do you make yogurt?

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Well, homemade yogurt tastes way better than store bought, super easy, and you get the satisfaction of knowing you are making it yourself! (Plus people think you are totally amazing when you tell them you make your own yogurt)

Basically, you:
heat up milk
cool it down
add a cup of prepared yogurt
pour it into jars
let the jars sit for several hours( I put mine in the oven, wrapped in towels)
It’s not at all fancy.

I like to eat mine with fruit, or the one below has honey and cinnamon mixed in!  I also substitute it for sour cream on Mexican dishes.

Homemade Yogurt
(makes 4 quarts, which will keep for at about a month in the fridge)
Ingredients:
1 gallon of milk(whole cows milk--organic, inorganic whatever makes you happy!)
1 cup plain yogurt -I used Chobani greek to start with because of the amount of live cultures. You can use any brand, then after you make your own you never have to buy it again! Just use a cup of the yogurt you made previously.

1. Place four quart glass canning jars, four lids, and four screw-tops in a large pot. Fill with an inch of water; cover with lid and heat to boiling. Boil for ten minutes. Leave the lid on the pot and move it off the heat until you are ready to use the jars.
2. Pour one gallon of milk into a large, heavy bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven. Heat the milk to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This step takes quite a while. 
3. Turn off and remove from heat. Let cool to about 110 degrees F.
4. Mix the one cup of plain yogurt, and a cup of the cooled milk in a small bowl. Then pour the mixture back into the pot and mix well.(be sure not to scrape the bottom of the pot because most likely there is some burned milk down there)
5. Pour the milk into jars( I always strain mine), and put the lids and bands on. Place them in the oven with the light on and wrap with a few layers of towels. Make sure they are fully covered to keep the heat in.
6. Shut the oven and leave for 8 hours. When the 8 hours are up, place the yogurt in the refrigerator. I like mine a little tangy, and the longer you let it set the tangy-er it gets. You can change the hours it sits to fit your taste. You'll figure out what you like after you try it a few times.

This yogurt is a little thinner than regular yogurt, you can strain it with cheese cloth after it is fully cooled to make it thicker, if you like!