Yogurt

Making yogurt was way easier than I realized and doesn't have loads of sugar like the store bought kind.  We like ours with granola, fruit and a little honey.

Yogurt

4 c milk
1/2 c yogurt with active cultures (I use a small container of Stoneyfield Farms)
1/3 c powdered milk (optional, only if you want thicker yogurt)


You pasteurize milk by bringing it to 170-180 degrees in a pot on the stove - you don't want to boil it, so keep stirring as it gets hotter. Then cool it down to around 105 degrees and add your store bought yogurt to get those good bacteria going. Once you've stirred it up, you just let it sit in a warm place (I use my oven with the light on, but a friend uses her crock pot) for about 6 hours and you have yogurt!

Here is a step-by-step tutorial that was very helpful the first time.  But I promise if you can boil water, you can make yogurt.

Ladybug Cake

At least I'm getting better at cake decorating. So my banana girl turned 2 and I figured it was the last time I would get to make the decision on what her birthday theme would be.  I chose ladybugs since we also call her that. The cake was really 5 different little cakes since we have (well will have) 5 people in our family. It was much easier than I thought except for making black and red icing yet AGAIN.  What is it about kids cakes that require such bright colors??

The large bug are half a sports ball from Wilton with small 1/2 cupcake heads. The small bugs are mini doll pans from Wilton. The small ladybugs have Oreo heads. The antenna for the large one were black candles whereas the small ones just have icing piped for antennae.