I made yogurt!

I can't believe how easy it is to make yogurt in a crockpot!  I found the recipe/directions at this wonderful blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html and decided to give it a try since I'm not overly fond of store bought yogurt.  Since I only have a huge crockpot I started keeping my eyes open at yardsales for a smaller one and a couple of weeks ago I picked one up t for a whole $2.00.  The recipe was for a larger batch than my little crock would hold so I just halved it and it turned out fine!  Stephanie also mentioned starting out using whole milk until you get the hang of making yogurt...well, all I had was 2% so that's what I used and it turned out just fine! 

Doesn't it look pretty?  After it was made I took a CLEAN tea towel and lined my collander and dumped the yogut in to get rid of some of the whey.  I know I could have used it in cooking but this was my first time and I just didn't know what to use it for.  I let it chill in the refrigerator overnight and the next morning I cut up some fresh strawberries and put them in small containers with some of the yogurt.  The littles had spent the night so I let them have the fun of adding their own sweetner.  I a small amount of powdered sugar in a little bitty bowl and gave them a teeny tiny spoon to sprinkle the sugar into their yogurt...they had lots of fun doing it and ate their yogurt right up!  Bri even asked for 2nds!!!  I put Splenda in the rest of it along with some more cut up strawberries and let it sit for a few days and man 'o man is it ever yummy!  Good thing I kept a little bit out for my started on my next batch!!!

It was so good that I decided I need a bigger (medium sized) crockpot to make it in!  Try it...I promise you will LOVE it!!!

Yardsale finds

I went yardsaling last weekend with a new buddy of mine and we had a blast.  You can find her at her wonderful blog: http://cheryl-comfort.blogspot.com/.  She's a very talented artist and even has her very own Etsy shop!  Anyway, we hit up some great sales and I came away with lots of good stuff that I prefer to call "treasures".  Hubby on the other hand calls most of it "junk".  He told me recently that we need some pillowcases for the extra pillows in the 5th wheel.  He said he'd looked for some at the store but they were not cheap.  I said well check out WalMart...that WAS where he'd looked.  I said I could look at yardsales and he said good idea!  Then he looked kind of funny and asked it those words really came out of his mouth!  Busted me up!!!  Enough about that...here's some pictures of a few of my best finds:

Isn't this a gorgeous lampshade?  It's the prettiest pale pink.  It was on a metal cream colored lamp and I got them both for just $7! I felt the lamp was too short for the shade so I used the lamp with the shade in the next picture.  Until I can find the perfect lamp this beauty of a  shade is glaming up a cheapie standing lamp.

  Here's a picture of the lamp with a different shade on it.  Perfect together right?  I got this shade at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago and think I paid $5 for it.  I picked up the 2 little lamp ornaments for just 50 cents each.  This is not where they are going to stay but a good temprary spot for now.  I also found not 1 but 2 sets of pillowcases.  I paid $1 for a pair that have cute embroidery work and cutouts on them.   I paid 25 cents for a plain ivory set.  That's the set going to the 5th wheel.  I found lots of baby clothes for the 2 grandboys and a bed toy too.  I also got a few pieces of costume jewelry, 4 laundry baskets, and some yarn for next to nothing!  I love to hit those yardsales!