Yogurt

I have been thinking about making my own yogurt for some time now and I've been looking for a really easy recipe.

Don't get me wrong, I don't know that recipes get easier than yogurt, but many require thermometers and whatnot, and I wanted something with no equipment required.

I found a method in which one can make yogurt in a crockpot!

I found it at A Year of Crockpotting and you can see it below.

Ingredients/Supplies:

• 8 cups (half-gallon) of whole milk
• 1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt
• thick bath towel
• crockpot

Directions:

• Plug in your crockpot and turn to low.
• Add an entire half gallon of milk.
• Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.
• Unplug your crockpot.
• Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.
• When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
• Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation.Go to bed, or let it sit for 8 hours.
• In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.
• Blend in batches with your favorite fruit.

Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days.
Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

Cranberry Chicken

I made this dish tonight for dinner. I have to be honest; I didn't love it.

BUT, everyone else did, so I think it's a winner.

It's also super simple.

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients:

6 boneless chicken breasts
12 oz can of cranberry sauce - I used one with whole cranberries
1 cup french dressing
1 packet of dry onion soup mix

Directions:

• mix the cranberries, dressing and soup together.
• pour over chicken in a glass baking dish
• cover and let marinate for at least 8 hours
• cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes
• eat and enjoy

This recipe comes from our friends at allrecipes.com

Power

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. (Nelson Mandela)

Read a Book

If you find yourself spending hours on Facebook and in need of a break, why not carve out some time for an actual book.

I don't think I need to spend time telling why books are good (knowledge, experience, they're free from the library...), but I can tell you how to find a good one.

Try out GoodReads.com. You can track what you've read, see what your friends are reading and find recommendations for something great.

Check out my profile as a place to start. I only read fantastic and fascinating books.

Grow Richer

If you're not already reading a personal finance blog, you should be.

Knowledge is power, as they say, and I think we can all use some additional financial power these days.

Try reading Ramit Sethi's 'I Will Teach You to be Rich.'

Practical tools and good advice. What more could you ask for?

From Hebrews 12

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad from Allrecipes

Today's Cook Something is a two-for-one; a great website and an easy recipe.

If you haven't already checked out AllRecipes.com, you should do so immediately. As it sounds, it's a recipe site. I like to use it for inspiration when I make my weekly meal plan and I like the reviews so I know what I'm getting into!

Today's recipe is Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad posted by AllRecipe.com user SnuzzleMonkey.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, cubed
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese*

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring quinoa, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the lime juice, olive oil, pepper, diced tomatoes, and garbanzo beans.

2. When the quinoa is done, stir it into the tomato mixture, then cool in refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours .

3. When the quinoa is cold, fluff with a spoon, and gently fold in the cilantro, avocados, and cheese.

I recommend serving this with tortillas or even tortilla chips. Or eat it straight. Go crazy.

*Cotija cheese is a mexican cheese similar to feta. I used a mexican farmer's cheese, but you could use a goat cheese or even feta.