Homemade yogurt

I have been intimidated to try making my own yogurt even though everyone says it is so easy. My MIL bought me a nice yogurt maker for my birthday last month and now I am really excited about the prospect of having a good supply of my own homemade yogurt sans HFCS and preservatives. I made a batch and then ate some sweetened with real maple syrup topped frozen blueberries and it was delicious! I'll take homemade over store bought any day. If you want to give it a go, here is what you do: (this recipe comes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon which my MIL also gave me. It is a very good book)

Yogurt

Makes 1 quart

1/2 cup good quality commercial plain yogurt or 1/2 yogurt from previous batch
1 quart pasteurized whole milk
a thermometer

Gently heat the milk to 180 degrees and allow to cool to about 110 degrees. Stir in yogurt and place in a shallow glass, enamel or stainless steel container. Cover the container and place in a warm oven overnight. In the morning transfer to the refrigerator. (Throughout the day, use paper towels to mop up any whey that exudes from the yogurt) I have a yogurt maker now and after I heat and cool the milk, add the yogurt I set it in the yogurt maker and it is done 4 hours later. I've heard it is good to have a maker so that the temperature is constant. I now our house fluxuates so much in temperature it is probably a good thing to have one.

There are also recipes to make butter, kefir and cream cheese in this book which I will be making this next week as my raw milk comes TOMORROW (sing songy voice). I am so excited.