Recipe: How to Make Your Own Yogurt

I began making homemade yogurt about a year ago and now make a few batches a week to keep up with my yogurt habit. It is some kind of wholesome goodness.


Here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 cup Yogurt starter - I use Dannon Plain Yogurt

4 cups Milk - You can use goat’s milk, half and half, soy, or regular ole cow’s milk. The more fat in the milk, the creamer your yogurt will be.

Don’t pay attention to how yellow my whites look in this picture. My milk was really creamy white and not the color it appears. :)

Pour the milk into a sauce pan. Heat on medium to low heat until the milk reaches 180 degrees F. I use the thermometer included in my Yogourmet Yogurt Maker set, but you can also use a candy thermometer.

Be sure to heat slowly so as not to scald your milk. That’d just be bad. Use your whisk occasionally to prevent a “skin” from forming on your milk.

See I walked away and mine formed the “skin.” It’s not the end of the world, but if I were perfect it wouldn’t have happened.

But since it did, all you have to do is use your whisk and take it off. Wallah! (That’s my country form of Voila!) No “skin.”

Allow to cool to room temperature, I usually wait til it reaches about 68 degrees on my thermometer.

Then, add your yogurt starter.

Mix in well. (again, excuse the yellow tone to this picture. It doesn’t look yellow at all in real life.)

Pour the mixture into container. Again, I use a Yogourmet yogurt maker.

And here she is. Love her! Anyway, follow the directions on your yogurt maker as far as the water bath fill line, etc. Plug it up and leave it for 24 hours. Yep, takes that long to make such deliciousness, but you aren’t having to do anything but wait.

But look what you get to make when your 24 hours are up! For my smoothie, I blend 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup frozen berries - mixed, and 1 cup whatever milk you prefer (goat’s, lactaid, soy, regular), sweeten to taste (I use honey).


I understand you can also make yogurt without a yogurt maker. However, I’ll go ahead and tell you I never have tried it and don’t want to refer you to a recipe for something I’ve not tried.

Enjoy!

This post is part of:
Tasty Tuesday
The $5 Challenge for Healthy and Frugal

I Heart Faces: Friday Fix-It Week # 46

I am excited to participate in this week’s Friday Fix-It from I Heart Faces.




Original Photograph

Isn’t he adorable? He just looks like he would be a great snuggler, doesn’t he?


My Version

I’m still working on not losing blonde hair as I brighten.


Any tips you care to share to help me with this?


Click on the Friday Fix-it logo at the top to go see all the other fix-its. 

The Mac Daddy of Blogging Publishers - A Blog Publisher for Mac

Use of blog publishing tools is definitely a matter of personal preference.

Many bloggers do not even use them. They stick with working directly with the publishing tools provided by the blog application itself. There are also a few of us who prefer to work with blog publishing software to utilize tools that, in most instances, are easier to use and provide additional functionality from what’s available directly from the blog application.

I began as a purist. Only writing and publishing directly through my blog application. In my case, this is currently Blogger. (I am planning a move to WordPress this summer.)

Then, I discovered Microsoft’s Live Writer. Live Writer is a free application available for download. It quickly turned me from a purist to a blog publisher junky.

Recently, I upgraded and entered the Mac world. I love absolutely everything about my new Mac, but was disappointed that I could not find a viable alternative for blog publishing software. I tried the free trial versions of Blogo and MarsEdit2. While both of these seemed like great software, neither provided me with what I was expecting of blog publishing software that was “Mac worthy.” And honestly, neither came close to the blogging experience I had with Live Writer.

I then learned of MacJournal, thanks to my brother-in-law.

MacJournal 5.2 (released 3/1/2010)

According to Apple, MacJournal 5.2 is “next generational” journaling.

While I have not yet located plug-ins like I had available through my Live Writer install, MacJournal does serve my blog publishing software needs very well.

MacJournal is not a free blog publishing software package. The cost of $39.95 would cause me to pause and really consider whether or not I could just live with the tools available in Blogger. But, it, along with Clips, RipIt, CoverScout, Flow, and some other goodies are included in a bundle package available at MacHeist in a nano bundle for $19.95. It’s a bundle valued at over $260 for $19.95! Now, even I can’t turn a deal like that down! But, it is for a limited time. So I would check it out if interested.

Now, MacJournal developers, please consider making available plug-ins to the goodies I had with Live Writer. Then, you’ll be five stars in my opinion!

Do you have a great blogging tool you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment to share.

Add a Scientist Spotlight to Your Routine

We have added Scientist Spotlight to our homeschooling routine. 


Each month, we shine the spotlight on one scientist and go in-depth into that scientist’s life and discoveries. 


We also love hands-on “lab” (my kitchen, the back porch, the laundry room - it’s all our lab) time where we conduct experiments of the scientists discoveries.

I have to say, it has made a dramatic impression on our homeschool. We are both excited about science, mathematics, and learning!

To add a scientist spotlight to your homeschooling routine, consider these tips:


Pre-plan the scientists you would like to study for two to three months in advance. This allows you to gather materials, supplies, and information ahead of time. A wonderful resource to utilize is Edquest for a listing of the Science Nobility and their contributions.

Include language arts and mathematics in your plan to emphasize their importance in all fields of study. For instance, for language include reading stories about their lives, how they made their discoveries, and age-appropriate books about the scientist. 


You may also like to include words from their work in your vocabulary listing, have your child look up the words in the dictionary for pronunciation and definition, and have a word search specific to the scientist. 


For mathematics, calculate how old the scientist was at different points of discovery, discuss how important mathematics was for the scientist to be able to make his discoveries, and use mathematics when doing experiments.

Plan at least one experiment for each day of science in your routine. This hands-on approach will help your child to understand the lesson at a different level than simply reading the concept. 


Be sure your child has an experiment notebook or journal. Ask your child to write his hypothesis of what he believes will happen in the experiment. Then, have him record how the experiment was conducted and the actual outcome. Then discuss and record the differences in his hypothesis and the actual outcome.


You’ll soon discover your child will request to have science lessons more frequently! I don’t know about you, but that was one of my goals!


To get you started, I have included a great resource we used for our first Scientist Spotlight. This allows you to start with materials already laid out for you! How great is that?


Happy learning!

Do you have a great tip for adding something to your homeschool routine? Please share!

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

I Love My Chickens, but…

I love my chickens.

We first started raising chickens when Little Buddy volunteered to his kindergarten teacher to bring home the chicks that his class hatched in the spring. So, on the Friday before Mother’s Day, we became caretakers of four week old chicks.

It reminded me of the book, “Are You My Mother?”

Our chickens have definitely been a huge adventure for us. We have repurposed a barn from Home Depot, you know the pre-built kind, into a chicken coop. We’ve researched how to free-range and raise them ethically. We’ve studied how to take care of them properly to get the best egg production while still caring for them as animals, not just producers.


And we have loved what they give us. Their beautiful, tasty, delicious eggs. I was leery at first, but I will tell you, store bought eggs just do not compare in my opinion. Not only the taste, but just the knowing.

Knowing what our girls eat, how they are cared for, and how much they are loved makes eating what they give us a pleasure. It’s their gift to us.

But I will tell you, as much as I love our chickens, I’m not jumping in line to sign the petition to change the Georgia state bird from the brown thrasher to a chicken. Would you?

Planning for Next Year

Is it crazy to admit that I am already planning our school materials and curriculum for next year? 


While we school year round and our "official" paperwork has our school year as September 1 - August 31, I am already out there researching and reading about curriculum. 


Participating in our homeschool co-op group has afforded me the opportunity to get some real-world insights into different curriculum and how it works. Knowing these families personally also helps me to gauge time commitments, learning styles, etc. 


I certainly do not want to be a homeschooling mama that hops from curriculum to curriculum always thinking the grass is surely greener on the other side. I'm happy with what we have done this year. We tweaked as I learned what worked for Little Buddy's learning style and what worked for my teaching style. With that said, it appears we just might just try out some different things this next year. (So, I guess that means I'm a hopper.)


Here is what I am thinking so far. I would love any insights that you might have.



Bible - The Bible, Abeka Bible (finish)

Math - Math U See Gamma, Academic Skill Builders, Singapore 3a (We love the way MUS cements lessons addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; however, we also want to move along in other areas. Combining MUS and Singapore is a thought/ trial.)

Grammar - Daily Grams

Spelling - Spelling Workout C

Writing - Excellence in Writing Combo

History - Story of the World (Middle Ages), Sonlight 3+4 (we have testing at 3rd grade so we need to get in our US History and Geography, but so love our SOTW)

Reading - Sonlight 3

Science - Sonlight 3, Professor Noggins


Latin - Latina Christina (finish)

Art/ Music - Private lessons




Please do let me know any thoughts/ suggestions. I'm definitely not about to buy anything just yet, but I am such a planner I need to go ahead and start processing this. :)


Thanks much.

Productivity with Paper

I love technology and gadgetry more than I probably should admit. I use it in just about everything I do - from writing, researching homeschool lessons, planning a menu, to reading the news.

However, there is one area of my life where gadgetry just doesn't have a place. That's in planning.

For me, my productivity increases dramatically when I utilize paper for planning my calendar, homeschool, business, and my blog. I have a few favorites that I'd like to share with you. 

My Calendar/ Planner
I have utilized just about every calendar/ planner known to man. About five years ago, I discovered Planner Pads and oh how they have changed my life!

My favorite is the 18 month, spiral bound calendar in the personal size. I also have the 5 pocket case which makes it extra nice. I admit the case makes it a bit bulkier, but the great thing is I can pull my calendar out and put in my purse or bag if space is of concern.

Why do I love this so much? Well, the plan allows you to drill down. You list your Major Goal for the week, then your Major Tasks for the week separated in whatever categories you list, then the tasks or activities by the day, and finally your appointments for each day.

Homeschool
In my first "official" homeschooling year, I've finally determined a lesson planner is the best tool for me to keep our school on track.

I do utilize Homeschool Tracker Plus and spreadsheets for my overall planning for the school year. These serve as my masters for the year.

I take time each month to sit down and review my masters and where we are in our current lessons. Sometimes lessons have progressed more quickly than I had planned and sometimes we need to spend additional time on some areas of study. (That's the beauty of homeschooling!)

As I review my masters each month, I then take my Lesson Planner and pencil in the lessons and activities for the next month. If during the month I see that we need to slow down or speed up, I can easily take care of this in my Lesson Planner.

Having the Planner in front of me each day keeps me motivated and allows me to fluidly move from one lesson straight into another. It also helps me to see the next day's activities and if any special supplies will be needed.

Business
I write everything down for the businesses to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. This may sound archiac to many of you, but believe me, it works.

I have a notebook just for my businesses that easily tucks into my Planner Pad case. It is a Moleskine. My brother-in-law told me about them and I absolutely love it.

I record orders, quotes, sales calls, ideas, etc. in my Moleskine and then transfer as necessary to my Planner Pad.

Blog
I utilize the combined Blog Planner and Calendar from Productively Flourishing to keep my blog ideas flowing, organized and scheduled. While I'm not perfect (who is?), utilizing these tools have definitely helped me.

Yep, you got it, I keep these neatly folded and in one of the pockets of my Planner Pads case. Right where I know it will be. Giveaways and special blogging events are scheduled in my Planner Pad to keep me on track.

And as I was getting ready to publish this post, Living Locurto released a Weekly Blog Calendar that I am anxious to give a try. The calendar is simply beautiful, like everything from Living Locurto, and who couldn't use some eye candy as you plan? It also includes some great features not available in the Productively Flourishing model, such as Blog Parties. And if you've read my blog for anytime, you'll realize, I do love blog parties!

Making a List and Checking it Twice
Some people are able to utilize sticky notes, electronic reminders, and/ or just their memory to keep things organized and get things accomplished. I am simply not one of those people. 

The routine of my written organizational tools keep me in sync and the process of checking items off of my lists is most definitely satisfying. And what blogging, homeschooling, mompreneur doesn't need that?


What tools keep you organized and productive?

This post is part of:
Things I Love Thursday