Welcome to Simple Frugal Living! My name is Hillary Nestrick a I'm 32 year old mom and wife who has just left my full-time Administrative job and embraced a simple and frugal lifestyle in order to be home full-time with my 2 year old son. My goal is to create a fun and positive place where women can come together to share success stories and tips, and make some new friends!
Welcome to the Cooking Section! This is where I will cook through all the recipes in a frugal cookbook. Please feel free to suggest a cookbook you would like to see tried!
I'm so very pleased to announce that I have been given the ok to blog about the recipes in Jonni McCoy's frugal cookbook, Healthy Meals for Less: Healthy Tasty Meals for Less than 99 cents per serving.
First, a little bit about the author. I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with Jonni's books. If not, I strongly recommend you check them out!! I thank God I found her books....if I hadn't, I wouldn't be coming home to be a full-time mom!
Anyway, Jonni is a successful coming home story from the early 90's. She was bringing in 50% of her family's income, but she and her husband decided that a parent being home with the kids was more important. So, Jonni did what she needed to do in order to make ends meet and keep her family happy and provide a great quality of life! Luckily, she has been kind enough to pass on her knowledge to the rest of us through her books (which are NOT expensive).
For more information on Jonni and how you can buy her books, head on over to her website: http://www.miserlymoms.com/default.htm
The following recipe is NOT in Jonni's book, but I did post it on her facebook page. This one is my tweaked and improved recipe for Homemade Yogurt in the Slow Cooker. Please let me know if you have any questions!!
Updated Homemade Yogurt Recipe!! Homemade Yogurt Ingredients: 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon milk 1-2 cups of non fat dry milk 2-4 tablespoons sugar 2-4 tablespoons plain live active cultures yogurt
Directions: Turn oven light on (this will need to stay on for the duration of the culturing process) Pour milk into the slow cooker and turn on to high Heat milk to 160 degrees stirring occasionally (I find that checking the temp and stirring every 20-30 mins is the best). Once you reach 160 degrees, turn off the slow cooker and let cool to 110 degrees. You can achieve this the quickest by keeping the lid off. Make sure to continue to check the temp and stir every 20-30 mins, because this will keep a "skin" from forming on the surface of the milk. While the milk is cooling, measure out your plain yogurt into a small bowl and let it come to room temp. Once the milk has cooled to 110 degrees, add 2-4 tablespoons of milk to the yogurt, this is known as your "starter". Add the starter to your slow cooker. Add the non fat dry milk. I find it dissolves better and forms less clumps if you take some of the cooled milk and mix it together in your small starter bowl and then add it to the slow cooker. Lastly, add your sugar. After everything has been added, wrap the slow cooker (just the insert) with a large thicker bath towel and put it in the oven. Leave it in the oven to culture for a minimum of 8hrs to a maximum of 14hrs. Once finished culturing, place 4 layers of damp cheesecloth in a strainer and place in bowl large enough for strainer and place in the fridge. Let the whey drain for 1-3 hours depending on how thick you want your yogurt. You can either dispose of the whey or save it and use it for bread recipes. With a spoonlike spatula, scoop into a bowl for storage. Use up the yogurt within 7 days.
I'm so very pleased to announce that I have been given the ok to blog about the recipes in Jonni McCoy's frugal cookbook, Healthy Meals for Less: Healthy Tasty Meals for Less than 99 cents per serving.
ReplyDeleteFirst, a little bit about the author. I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with Jonni's books. If not, I strongly recommend you check them out!! I thank God I found her books....if I hadn't, I wouldn't be coming home to be a full-time mom!
Anyway, Jonni is a successful coming home story from the early 90's. She was bringing in 50% of her family's income, but she and her husband decided that a parent being home with the kids was more important. So, Jonni did what she needed to do in order to make ends meet and keep her family happy and provide a great quality of life! Luckily, she has been kind enough to pass on her knowledge to the rest of us through her books (which are NOT expensive).
For more information on Jonni and how you can buy her books, head on over to her website: http://www.miserlymoms.com/default.htm
I'm so excited to start this adventure!!
The following recipe is NOT in Jonni's book, but I did post it on her facebook page. This one is my tweaked and improved recipe for Homemade Yogurt in the Slow Cooker. Please let me know if you have any questions!!
ReplyDeleteUpdated Homemade Yogurt Recipe!!
Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon to 1 gallon milk
1-2 cups of non fat dry milk
2-4 tablespoons sugar
2-4 tablespoons plain live active cultures yogurt
Equipment:
Candy Thermometer
5-6 quart slow cooker
Whisk
Cheesecloth
Large Bath towel
Directions:
Turn oven light on (this will need to stay on for the duration of the culturing process)
Pour milk into the slow cooker and turn on to high
Heat milk to 160 degrees stirring occasionally (I find that checking the temp and stirring every 20-30 mins is the best).
Once you reach 160 degrees, turn off the slow cooker and let cool to 110 degrees. You can achieve this the quickest by keeping the lid off. Make sure to continue to check the temp and stir every 20-30 mins, because this will keep a "skin" from forming on the surface of the milk.
While the milk is cooling, measure out your plain yogurt into a small bowl and let it come to room temp. Once the milk has cooled to 110 degrees, add 2-4 tablespoons of milk to the yogurt, this is known as your "starter". Add the starter to your slow cooker.
Add the non fat dry milk. I find it dissolves better and forms less clumps if you take some of the cooled milk and mix it together in your small starter bowl and then add it to the slow cooker.
Lastly, add your sugar.
After everything has been added, wrap the slow cooker (just the insert) with a large thicker bath towel and put it in the oven.
Leave it in the oven to culture for a minimum of 8hrs to a maximum of 14hrs.
Once finished culturing, place 4 layers of damp cheesecloth in a strainer and place in bowl large enough for strainer and place in the fridge. Let the whey drain for 1-3 hours depending on how thick you want your yogurt. You can either dispose of the whey or save it and use it for bread recipes. With a spoonlike spatula, scoop into a bowl for storage. Use up the yogurt within 7 days.