Foody Friday: Make your own Greek Yogurt

Well, ok, not quite. Actually I think this is called "yogurt cheese" but it's very simple and pretty close to Greek yogurt. And it's less expensive: a 16 ounce container of Chobani is $3.99, and this recipe yields 16 ounces for less than half that.

All you need is a 32-ounce container of yogurt, some cheese cloth (you can buy it at most grocery stores or craft stores), and a few twist ties.

I bought lowfat plain yogurt for $1.59/32 ounces

Double the cheese cloth and drape it over a container you will use to catch the drainage. Dump the yogurt in and draw up the corners so that you have a pouch of yogurt. Hold it up for a minute and let it drip off the majority of the whey.

Then tie the top with a twist tie and tie the ends of the cheese cloth around your kitchen sink faucet. I put a container under to catch the whey because I use it when I make bread. Of course. I'm so Little House on the Prairie.

You can also use a twist tie to secure to the faucet if you're worried about your knottsmanship.

It's best to do this in winter, because timing works out perfectly if you tie your yogurt up right before bed. When you get up, it's been draining overnight in your cold kitchen for about 6 hours, and you have nice thick yogurt.

Thickened yogurt and a whole lot of whey

Put the yogurt back in its original container - it should be about reduced by half -

Half-full of creamy, thick yogurt.

 - and either discard the whey or use for cooking.

You can drain the watery part off the whey and try to get your stray cats to drink the rest. But it's a great substitute for milk or water when baking, too.

This makes a good substitute for Greek yogurt or sour cream.