Homemade Yogurt

My last post on making yogurt was long and probably a bit intimidating. So here are some pictures and a few words.
Step 1) Pour milk into your slow cooker and turn it on high. Let it heat until it reaches 180 degrees F. I put in about 2/3 a gallon.

Step 2) Take the pot out of the heating pot and let it get to a degree between 112 and 120 degrees. It gets there more quickly if you stir it.

Step 3) Pour about 1/3 cup of plain yogurt into a bowl.

Step 4) Whisk in a cup or so of the warm milk.

Step 5)When it's well combined pour it back into the slow cooker pot. Put the lid on.

Step 5) Wrap the pot in a bath towel.

Step 6) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Once it reaches that temperature. Turn off the oven and turn the light on.

Step 7) Put the wrapped pot in the warm oven. Let it incubate for 8-12 hours.

When you take the lid off there will be a little layer of liquid on top of the yogurt. This is whey and contains the minerals and vitamins from the milk that has separated. Place a big bowl in the sink w/ a strainer on top. Put cheesecloth or a very thin cloth inside the strainer. Dump the yogurt into the strainer. Let it strain for as long as you want--15 minutes to 2 hours. The longer it strains the thicker the yogurt will get. You now have yogurt! I like to blend mine for a few seconds to make it completely smooth. Just don't blend it too long as it will liquefy.

Step 8) You can flavor it now or in segments later. I usually leave mine plain and flavor a bit at a time since I use it as a substitute for sour cream. Enjoy!