Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is a part of my weekly routine. It's super easy--especially the way I make it. Since I refer to it often, I thought I'd share my process. Here's what you need:

1. An inexpensive yogurt maker! (Sure, you can make it without the little incubator, but they can be had for $20 and are so convenient; my favorite is the Salton one pictured--you can use a regular quart-sized canning jar in it and then make some fresh yogurt before you're completely out of the previous batch.)
2. Some yogurt starter. (I use Yogourmet right now, but I might try something new next time I buy some; again, you can use some of your own yogurt, but it will eventually lose potency. If you have some freeze-dried starter on hand, you can always whip up some yogurt. You can also use 1/2 cup of storebought yogurt as long as it has live active cultures in it.)
3. A candy thermometer (if your yogurt maker doesn't come with one).

Here's what I do:

1. Heat 1 quart whole milk to 180 degrees or so (about 10 minutes in my microwave).
2. Let milk cool on counter to somewhere around 110-115 degrees (my thermometer is from a yogurt maker I used to have--not the one above--and just has a nice, idiot-proof little red space to watch for... not sure the exact temp.).
3. Add starter and stir.
4. Pour milk mixture into yogurt container (a quart jar for me), cover, and incubate for 6 hours or so (it can go a couple hours longer if you need it to).
5. That's it! I heat the milk up while I'm getting breakfast ready, let it cool while we eat and I clean up the kitchen, add my starter and am done for the day.