Yogurt

1. Clean! Clean! Clean! (You'll be growing cultured bacteria ... don't add your own from the family sponge or washcloth.)
2. "Cook" the cleaning sponge/cloth in the microwave for 60 seconds before starting.
3. Wash everything being used to make the yogurt and dry with a clean dish towel, placing the items on a cleaned surface.
4. Pour 7 cups milk into a high-sided saucepan (pasteurized milk, either whole, skimmed, semi-skimmed - the recipe calls for 8 cups but this is what reasonably fits).
5. Heat the milk to 180°F [I stir fairly constantly during this time]. Do not over-boil as the texture of the yogurt will become grainy.
6. Remove saucepan from heat and allow the milk to cool to lukewarm (110°F). To accelerate the cooling process, place the saucepan in cold water.
7. Stir in one cup of plain yogurt containing live active culture with 16 oz. of lukewarm milk in a separate bowl until the yogurt is dissolved and you have a smooth mixture. Once the yogurt is completely dissolved, empty contents back into the rest of the lukewarm milk and mix well.
8. Pour mixture int the 2-quart glass jar of the yogurt maker.
9. Cover the glass jar with its lid.
10. Place the glass jar into the yogurt maker.
11. Cover the yogurt maker with its clear cover.
12. Let yogurt "cook" for 24 hours - directions say 8 hours.
13. THE YOGURT MAKER SHOULD REMAIN PERFECTLY STILL DURING THE MATURING PROCESS. DO NOT MOVE THE APPLIANCE, REMOVE THE CONTAINER OR EITHER OF THE LIDS AS THIS WILL AFFECT THE FIRMNESS OF THE YOGURT. [I am careful about vibrations in the refrigerator until it is cooled - e.g., not slamming door.]