Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

HOMEMADE VANILLA YOGURT

4 Cups FAT FREE Milk
1 Cup instant dry Milk
1/4 Cup agave (I use agave to cut the amount of sugar used)
1/4 Cup sugar
2 Tsp vanilla
5oz Stoneyfield PLAIN yogurt

Thermometer
Large pot

A source for low heat. either an electric stove that can heat to 110-155 degrees, or a gas stove where you just turn the light on, or even to use a heating pad with a towel in a box to keep in the heat...

In large pot, add Milk and powdered milk, stir well, and heat until 180 degrees, stirring often so the milk does not scorch. I find to heat it slowly helps.

Sterilize you jars & lids while the milk is heating. wash them, & pour boiling water into them and let sit...

Also fill the sink with ice water. Once the milk gets to 180, add sugar, agave, set pot into the ice cold water and stir until it cools to 110-115 degrees. Add Vanilla, and then stir in your 5 oz of live yogurt (stoneyfield or 5 oz from a previous batch you've made) Stir up well.

Pour the water out of your jars, and fill them with the yogurt mixture, put on the lids, set them in a small baking pan, and place them in your preheated low heat oven.

The heat needs to stay consistent, and do not be moving the jars around. let them SIT so they can SET, Leave them for 4-6 hours, or up to 12 hours depending on how tart you like it and the longer it sets the more "GOOD" bacteria will grow...

I let mine sit in the oven for 6-8 hours, then move to the fridge to get cold and thicken. do not shake them up when they come out of the oven, or they won't set... IF the heat is not consistent, it also won't set.

Serve when cold. Plain Vanilla, or you can blend up fruit into it, or add a spoon of jelly.

My daughter and husband, LOVE it. better than anything in the stores... Save 5 oz of this batch for your next batch, so you can keep adding your live culture and you wont' have to keep buying a little container of Stoneyfield....

One batch, makes I quart, 1 pint, and a little more..(1/2 pint/jelly jar) see picture... it disappears very quickly around here...

Zucchini Blueberry bread

My family thought this was VERY good. a Bit sweet... So I cut the sugar amount by substitute half agave/half sugar.

Zucchini Blueberry bread

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups white sugar ( I like to divide this with half sugar/ half agave)

2 cups shredded zucchini

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 pint fresh blueberries or more!

	Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Lightly grease 2 bread loaf pans.
	In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour into bread pans.
	Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Curry chicken

My family enjoyed this and asked to have it every week. I served it over brown rice and chickpeas....

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon paprika 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon white sugar salt to taste 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup plain yogurt 3/4 cup coconut milk 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1.	Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
2.	Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes.

New Year LEGS!

Chinese New Year is coming up and I wanted to try a new Chicken recipe...
I came across a recipe in the new cooking Light magazine this month, but made some modifications, as I made 8 chicken legs instead of a whole Chicken.

So I will post what I did for my Chicken legs.

New Year Legs!

8 chicken legs washed and dried.
5 TBS kosher salt
2 TBS grated fresh Ginger
3 TBS Sherry cooking Vinegar
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 TBS peanut oil
1 TBS sugar (or 1 TBS honey)
1 TBS onion powder

Preheat oven to 375.
Wash and pat dry your chicken legs, arrange in a cooking dish.
I took Kosher salt in my hands, peeled back the skins and rubbed generously each chicken leg.
Let stand 5 minutes. Rinse each leg under water, again pat dry. Arrange in cooking dish.

Mix together, ginger, vinegar, balsamic, peanut oil and sugar.
drizzle over chicken legs, then sprinkle onion powder over the chicken legs and, salt for taste.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until golden brown.
(Half way through I turned the legs to cover the other side in the juice...)

Slopy joes

In desperate measures, when I don't know what to cook, this is an old family favorite. I rarely make them, but everyone keeps asking me for the recipe, so here it is...

SLOPPY JOES

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsps brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

In skillet over med/high heat, ground ground beef, onion, garlic, peppers, drain off liquid.
stir in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, and mix up. reduce heat, simmer about 20-30 minutes. add salt and pepper to taste.

EASY YUMMY HUMMUS

Chick pea Hummus

1 can organic chick peas
1/2 c Greek yogurt ( or plain.) I like the Greek kind.
2 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp lemon juice if desired.
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 salt


I often will use slightly less yogurt, and add a little more olive oil...
If you have a hand blender, whip it up til creamy. you can add a little more oil if its a bit to thick.

Cut up some pita's into triangles, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little garlic powder, toss them in the oven at 300 for about 10-15 minutes til lightly brown.

There! You've got Chips and dip!

I make this a lot. If you've never had hummus, just give it a try. If you LOVE galric, like I do, add another clove of garlic.

Cassoulet -- Jacques Pepin

I make this often. It's easy and SO good! I make changes to it that I think are even better. Instead of adding water, add 1 qt whole tomatoes in the juice. I can my tomatoes, and use them, otherwise you can use bought canned. It make sit a little Soupier, which I really like. Or I have used chicken broth, both add a lot more flavor. trust me. It's so good.

30 MINUTE CASSOULET

Ingredients Serves: 4-6

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• About 1 pound rolled shoulder ham (also called a daisy ham or Boston Butt), tough outer skin removed
• About 3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, cut into 3-inch pieces (about 6 pieces)
• 4 bratwurst sausages (about 1 pound)
• 1 cup diced (1/2 inch) whole button mushrooms (about 3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup diced (1/2-inch) onion
• 2 tablespoons crushed garlic (about 4 large cloves)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (15 1/2 ounces each) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed under warm running water
• 3/4 cup diced (1-inch) tomato (1 large plump tomato)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley

For Serving
• Tabasco sauce
• Dijon-style mustard

Preparation Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the ham and Italian sausage.

Cover and cook over high heat for 7 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally.

Add the bratwurst, mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Mix well and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the beans, tomato, water, and pepper, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and boil gently for 5 minutes.

At serving time, discard the bay leaf, cut the ham into slices and the sausage pieces in half, and arrange the meat on a platter with the beans.

Sprinkle the parsley on top. Serve with the Tabasco and mustard.

You can watch a video of step by step at below link.
Recipe courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Company, ©2004 Jacques Pépin from Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way.