Homemade Greek Yogurt

Homemade Greek Yogurt recipe! It is so good and so easy! All you need is:

1 gallon of milk (we used 2%)
1 small container of yogurt with active cultures--see picture below!
Crock-pot
Cooking thermometer
Cheese cloth (you can find it in the fabric/craft section at Walmart)

Check the back of your yogurt to make sure it has active cultures. We just use vanilla yogurt since its hard to find a plain flavor in a small container, but you wont really taste any flavor.

Lets Begin! 

Dump your gallon of milk into the crock-pot and let it heat up to 180 degrees (to kill the milk bacteria). On high it seems to take around 3 hours, but check it often.

Once it reaches 180 turn off the crock-pot and take off the lid to let it cool down. It needs to get to 115 degrees (to allow the yogurt bacteria to survive); this will usually take 1-2 hours.

Once it has cooled down, whisk in yogurt until well combined.

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Next, place the lid back on and wrap it in a towel to keep it warm. The cool down process needs to be super slow; hence the lid, towel, and oven.

Place in the oven (turned off!!). Now let it sit and do its thing! It takes 8-12 hours, we recommend the full 12 hours.

After the 12 hours, take it out. It should be thick and look like yogurt! You can leave it just like this or go one step further to get "greek" yogurt. 

To get a Greek yogurt you will need to strain it. We place Cheesecloth into a colander and then set the colander in a bowl to catch the whey strained out..see picture below :) 

We usually need to use two different bowls. Cover with saran wrap, put it in the fridge, and let it sit / drain for at least three hours or even a day! The longer you let it sit the thicker your yogurt will be. When it has finished draining you will be able to see the whey in the bottom bowl:

Now scoop out the yogurt and put it into a Tupperware. We use Freezer Jam containers. 

It will store in the fridge for about 3 weeks (about the life of the milk you used). 

This is a "plain" Greek yogurt. We sweeten it with Homemade Jam or honey and enjoying adding nuts, granola, and fresh fruit! We even use it plain instead of sour cream.

Homemade Honey Wheat Bread

Ok, I just have to say that we have been searching and experimenting FOREVER for the perfect bread machine recipe!! There is nothing better than homemade bread fresh from the oven. However, I dont have a lot of time to spend rolling and punching dough...ha! That's why we L.O.V.E having a bread machine! And yes, it can be soft, moist, and oh so delicious! Another quick fact: We have two bread machines (I know...hahaha!) and we purchased both of them at a second hand store--DI. They work perfectly, look like new, and cost less than $10! So there you have it :) Now here is our amazing recipe!

Honey Wheat Bread-Machine Bread:

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp shortening
2 cups flour
2 1/4 cups wheat flour
2 Tbsp dry milk
1 3/4 tsp Active dry yeast OR bread machine yeast.

Place ingredients into bread machine in the order they are listed. Start Bread Machine using the "Regular" or "Light" setting.


Yep! That is all you have to do! Most bread machines come with a wheat bread option--WE DO NOT USE IT! I don't know if that is the secret to our soft bread or not, but we just use the Regular setting and it turns out amazing!!

As soon as our bread machine beeps telling us that it is done baking we immediately pull the bread out. Sometimes the top looks a little funky but it is just fine! 

Actually..the top is the best piece and everyone will fight over it! ;) we usually eat it right away! Then we cut the loaf in half (hot dog style) and let it sit and "sweat" for about an hour. Just let it chill on the counter (..or eat it..) and let some of the steam and moisture out. This helps it stay soft and fresh later. 

Pour some honey on and eat it while it is warm!! 

After it has cooled for awhile we slice it all up. We then store it in a zip-lock bag in our pantry for a week (if it last that long..). This is the only bread we eat. We stopped buying bread and I just make a loaf of this every week or as needed!

Enjoy!!!  

...I will need to share our easy Freezer Jam recipe, once you try it you'll never do anything else!! 

Holiday Yams

I am going to share with you the best recipe for yams!!!!!!!! I had never liked yams before, they always seemed so mushy and yucky (texture is important to me with food...). This recipe was introduced to me a few years ago by Chad's cousin and I was amazed :) For more proof on how good they are; last year I made them for my family for Thanksgiving dinner. I noticed my brother eating them and asked if he liked the yams I had made. He looked down at his plate, "These are Yams!? I thought it was some kind of dessert!" HAHA! Once you try these you will never go back! And they are super easy!!!

Nutty Candied Yams:

Topping:

1/2 c. Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Butter, softened

1/4 c Flour

3/4 c. Pecans

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients; set aside.

1/4 c. Butter

1/2 c. Orange juice

1/4 c. Brown Sugar

1 29 oz. can yams, cut into pieces and drained (I've used fresh yams as well and might even like it better..)

In a small saucepan, heat butter, orange juice, and b. sugar over low heat until melted together. Place Yams in 9x9in baking dish. Pour sauce on top. Sprinkle Yams with topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned. Serves 6. 

This is what is will look like before baking

My little girl loves this recipe too!! She gobbles it up pretty fast :)

Homemade Bagels

I love to cook. I took all the cooking classes that I could when I attended BYU. They were by far my favorite courses! :)..Pun intended hehe! This is a great basic bagel recipe that is easy, doesn't require many ingredients, and can be customized  with added flavors or toppings. I'm afraid I can not remember the original source of the recipe, just that I got it from a BYU family cooking class.

Yes-You Can-Bagels

2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees F 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry yeast 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal Optional Toppings: 1/2 cup lightly toasted chopped onions (2 teaspoons each) 2 tablespoons poppy seeds (about 1/2 teaspoon each) 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (about 1/2 teaspoon each) 1 tablespoon kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon each) *Cream cheese and jam for spreading Combine the water, yeast, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of the flour and the salt, and mix until the mixture comes together. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups additional flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a stiff dough, either stirring with the wooden spoon or working with your hands. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes, adding just as much flour as needed. (Dough should be heavier and stiffer than regular yeast bread dough.) Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Remove from the bowl and punch down the dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces, about 2 to 3 ounces each, measuring about 4 inches across. Form each piece of dough into a ball. Roll each ball into a 4 to 6-inch log. Join the ends and place fingers through the hole and roll the ends together. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place on a lightly greased surface, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest until risen but not doubled in a draft-free spot, 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with the remaining teaspoon of oil. In a large, heavy pot, bring 12 cups of water and the remaining tablespoon of sugar to a boil. In batches, add the bagels to the water and boil, turning, for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip bagels onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 5 minutes, turn over and cook for another 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

While we were in NY Erin took us to this cake store and we got AMAZING cupcakes!!! Chad and I have been wanting them ever since. So I googled for a recipe :) I have to admit, this recipe is pretty dang good, but I am not sure if it beats NY's, I think their cupcakes were more dense..is that the right word? But I loved that about them!!  You can find her recipe HERE

You would be a fool not to try these out!! They are so good! I am going to attach the link to the blog I found them from, her pictures are way better. :) ..A few things about the recipe: she does a caramel center which I did not try, she also does salted and unsalted butter plus salt, I just did salted butter and left out the additional salt.  ENJOY!! These are delicious :) 

Peach Cupcakes

I LOVE peaches, they really are my favorite fruit!! I couldn't help but buy a few the other day...even though I knew their season was at an end. I was super disappointed when I went to eat one and the texture was too weird, mushy. Luckily I had found this recipe via Pinterest that I was wanting to try out! They turned out really good! The cupcakes actually weren't super sweet, more like a muffin. Her frosting recipe was super good as well! I didn't add quite as much butter and powder sugar as her recipe called for; I'm not a big frosting fan and the less sugary the better! I also added half a teaspoon of Almond extract to the frosting. It was amazing!! Nothing goes quite as well with peaches as almond extract does ;)

You can find the recipe HERE

Oh, one last change I made; She used dried peaches as well,

I used only fresh puree and just added extra!

Super Easy and Delicious Homemade Applesauce

I love fall, and all the yummy warm food that comes with it! One of my favorite fall treats is homemade applesauce. My mom always made this for us and it was SOOO good!! I have been trying to copy her for the last few years but my applesauce never turned out just right....until now :) I FINALLY got it right and it was so good! AND, I was smart enough to take notes so that I can achieve it again! The recipe is below, but first I want to tell you that you will want to get one of these cool little guys:
This is our favorite kitchen gadget and I am telling you about it because not many people seem to know about it! :) This "apple peeler" peels, slices, and cores your apple in one quick and easy motion, its amazing. And Chad and I just discovered you can use it to peel other items such as potatoes..AMAZING!! The only problem you will find with it is keeping the kids away---they will love it as well!! And they will want to eat apples all day long :) Chad and I got ours at Harbor Freight and I know they have them at BedBath and Beyond as well--you can get it for about $15-20. Alright, there is my spiel :) Now on to the recipe!!

Homemade Applesauce:

4-5 large apples-peeled, sliced, and cored (Granny smith or Fuji apple are best)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
dash of salt

Throw all ingredients into a pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, apples should be super soft. Remove from heat and let sit for 5-10 min.
Okay--here is where you might have some variety, you will want to look at your sauce and you might need to drain some of the liquid if it is really runny--it will thicken a little as it cools so dont drain all. You will also want to taste it and if your apples where really tart you may add a tinch more white sugar (do this while its still hot so the sugar dissolves).
Mash with a potato masher. I like mine chunky so I only mash it a little.
Serve on pancakes, icecream, or my favorite--homemade bread!!
Enjoy!

 Lucy LOVED it, went crazy actually :)

Mom wasnt feeding her fast enough :)

And no, we dont usually (or ever) eat in the living room, however our kitchen is currently under construction!

Bread Machine Recipes:

I love my bread machine! it is so easy! Here is the white-bread recipe I used, just in case you need one! :)

White Bread: 

1.5 cups lukewarm water

2 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp shortening

4 2/3 cup flour

2 Tbsp dry milk

1.5 tsp Active dry yeast OR 1 tsp. Bread machine yeast.

Throw everything in breadmachine--in order of recipe! Set your bread machine settings to 'white bread' and  '2 lb loaf'. Sit back, relax and let it do all the work! Enjoy :)

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

WARNING: These cupcakes are addicting! :) 

These cupcakes are so delicious and inspired by some AMAZING salted-caramel cupcakes I had when visiting NY. I found this recipe at Sprinkle Bakes, but I made some of my own tweaks to it! But check out her complete recipe and directions--she puts in a caramel filling that I didn't do! These are great to bring to parties and potlucks---everyone will love them and be amazed at the fun design. 

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 stick of salted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk


Makes about 15 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 325. Line muffin tins with papers.


    Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until  fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.  Add vanilla.  Combine flour and baking powder, mix into batter gradually alternating with additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. 
    Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each a little over halfway. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack


Salted Caramel Frosting:


1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cubes salted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, mix together sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.

    Beat butter until lightened and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.  Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the caramel mixture.  Beat on medium high speed until fluffy and completely mixed (about 2 minutes).  Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration.  If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny.  If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. 

Swirly Hard-Caramel Toppers:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water

    Lay out a large piece of parchment on your counter and spray with cooking oil. Prepare an ice bath by filling your sink or a baking pan with ice and water.
     Combine sugar, salt and cold water in a saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat and bring syrup to a boil.  Lower heat slightly and swirl the pan once or twice as the syrup caramelizes so it will color evenly; do not stir.  When the caramel is deep amber (nice caramel color), remove from heat and plunge the base of the pan into ice bath for about 2 seconds (then remove) to stop further cooking.
    WORK QUICKLY: get a spoonful of the caramel and drizzle it onto the parchment paper, move the spoon in a quick circular motion as the caramel falls off the spoon, keep it thin. Repeat 15 times--one for each cupcake (I usually do more so that I can choose what ones I want to use!) When caramel has cooled for a minute sprinkle sugar on top for some extra sparkle :) Let cool, remove from paper and adorn cupcakes.

       *when I say work quickly I mean it!!! :) The caramel will start to harden as it cools and will get difficult to work with, I usually recruit my lovely Hubby to help me so we can get it down FAST!!