yogurt when I am busy

My family has been going through granola like there is never going to be anymore made.  One of their favorite things to eat it with is yogurt.  I do not like to buy that much yogurt so I looked into recipes that let me make yogurt without standing over the stove.

Slow cookers are wonderful things!

I poured in a half a gallon whole milk and turned the slow cooker on high.  Three hours later, I took the temperature of the milk.  I was looking for 180 degrees Fahrenheit.  It was actually 190.

I then let it cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.  I was coaching by the time it got there.  The boyos were  kind enough to mix in a half cup of yogurt to the warm milk and pour it into my thermal pot.  I have a large pot that is basically huge thermos.  I let the yogurt sit about 12 hours (really more) and then I strained it to make a thicker yogurt.

This worked very well.  I love skyrr but I have purchased too many gallons of milk that obviously have not been handled well.  If the milk gets frozen on the way to the grocery store it foams but does not become chunky enough to strain when fermented.  I might try it with my slow cooker.  Letting the heat go higher.  

I will make this yogurt again.  

changing a skirt

I was busy today.  I created a chef's roll. Which there will be pictures of soon but I came away feeling wiped.  I should have felt accomplished but it really felt like something was missing.  I just gave it my all.  

When I am like this, there is always a pile of mending.  Yes, I have other works in progress but I am usually making something without a pattern.  Mending does not really.  So I can do it when I have nothing left.

I had made this skirt a while back. I followed the directions which was probably a mistake.  The waistband was a fold over elastic.  It was uncomfortable so I did not wear this skirt.  Which was just disappointing because of the time I put into it.  

But after realizing why I was not wearing it, I altered it.  I removed the original elastic.  I then rolled over the top and inserted a wider piece of elastic.  I also made the waist a little bit tighter.  I got of the uncomfortable and I shortened the length just enough so the skirt did not drag on the floor.  Dragging it through puddles was not working for me.  Now, I can wear it.  I may wear it on my travels next week or take it with me.  I am still trying to figure out how to put my camping gear and clothes in the same bag for the flight.  Something will come to mind!

for the wedding I am going too

I am going to a family wedding at the end of this month.  Beginning of next month.  I was taught well by my Grandmother so I know how to dress for a wedding.  Same Grandmother for the groom.  The does and do nots.  This is the first invitation I have ever seen with a dress code.  The invitation was a bit odd so I should not be surprised.

I made myself a new skirt.  I will be wearing this with a silk blouse.  It should work in the field the wedding is being held in.

A full circle.  Pockets.  To the floor.  Twirls!  I could actually wear this everyday.  I was thinking that maybe I wanted a more structured waistband instead of elastic.  But I have lost a few pounds over the recent months and I appear to be losing a few more.  I want to be able to continue to wear this skirt.  I did not stitch the hole for the elastic closed even! 

I can always come back and change the waistband.  I have enough fabric leftover to make a sheath dress.  I cut the skirt on purpose to create that.  I could probably eek out enough for another waistband if I could not use the one that came off the skirt.  Being frugal here.  Which I do a lot of!  My mending pile does not go down even when I took two things off of it, like I did yesterday.

river quilt

While I have been building the show room, I have also been trying to find the time to finish this quilt.  I did something different then I had in the past and I really like it. I have another idea in my head that I will want to start working on.  I will need to see how long that one takes because I have another possible wood project starting soon.

I like how the back turned out as well.  I used new fabrics, fabrics from other projects, and thrifted fabrics in this one.  I put it in my shop.  Over at Etsy. 

I like how the sun hits it.  

I wish I was more with it today but I am not.  I am a bit deep in learning more new things and I think I have gotten to the point of just needing to rest.  My concentration has gone.  Or maybe I need to do something very the same so I do not have to think about it.  Or maybe just quiet.  There is not a lot of quiet.  I have to figure this out and I will.

Updated granola recipe

Life is busy and part of the busy is feeding everyone.  Breakfast is always interesting.  As it gets warmer, yogurt and cold cereal become more the norm.  The cold cereal has become the granola I make.  Yogurt is always eaten with the granola I make.  Yogurt goes bad in the refrigerator if I do not make granola.

I have actually stopped looking at the recipe but I also realized that I am not following the original recipe anymore.  It is still a backpacking recipe but I have tweaked it.  Both quick oats and old fashioned oats.  The butter and brown sugar ratio has been tweaked.  So....  I decided I better write it down because my family will try to make it when I am not around and I will tell them to come here.  And it better be updated!

newest granola

Note:  This is a tweak from my original granola recipe, which was a backpacking recipe.  I like simple but if you wish to add dried fruit and nuts, please do.

2 cups quick oats

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon or to taste

1 teaspoon ginger or to taste

In a skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat.  Add the brown sugar.  Mix well and let cook until the brown sugar until it has dissolved into the butter.  Mix in the cinnamon and ginger.

Turn off the heat, add the quick oats and old fashioned oats.  Mix until the oats are well coated with the brown sugar mixture.  Turn out onto a parchment or silpat covered baking sheet.  Let cool.  Store in jars.

The only way this has lasted more then a few days in my house is if it gets hidden.

Enjoy!