Lots of Yogurt and Granola

We love yogurt for breakfasts or snacks and this recipe makes a lot.

Grandpa Bears Best Granola (taken from Two Sisters cookbook)

Wet ingredients
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
3 Tbls. molasses
4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Dry ingredients
8 cups rolled oats
3 cups rye flakes (optional) If rye flakes are not used, add 3 cups extra rolled oats.
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces
1/2 raw sesame seeds

1. Heat the wet ingredients until the butter is melted.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

4. Bake the granola on cookie sheets in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

5. Cool thoroughly before storing.
(I rarely add all the extras past the rolled oats. As this makes the cost go up. So I just replace those ingredients with rolled oats.)

Yogurt Recipe

1 gallon milk
1 8oz. container of plain yogurt
2 cups powdered milk
1 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour 1 gallon milk in large pot, put on a lid. Bring milk to 180 degrees. (I am too impatient, so I don't put a lid on it, and crank the heat up fairly high and just stir the bottom of the milk with a flat metal spatula, so it doesn't scald or burn on the bottom.)

Turn off heat and set plain yogurt on the counter to come to room temperature. (I never do this either, I do try and take out the yogurt when I first start the whole process)

While milk is cooling, add powdered milk, honey, and vanilla.

As milk gets close to 112 degrees, prepare jars by warming them. (I never do this)

Let milk cook to 112 degrees, add container of yogurt. If the yogurt is still cold, temper it by adding some of the warm milk to the yogurt first. ( I again am too impatient, so I set my pot in a bigger pan with ice in it and stir it. And the temperature gets down faster, then add my yogurt)

Once the yogurt has been mixed into the milk, pour into jars. (It takes 5 quart mason jars at our house) I put lids on my jars or plastic wrap.

Place in slightly warm oven overnight with the oven light on. Not a hot oven, only warm. If you did this during the day you could occasionally go and turn on your oven for 30 seconds or so. I just turn mine on until I hear the burners are on for a few seconds and then turn it off. But if its overnight the oven light keeps the oven kind of warm.

When yogurt is done in the morning refrigerate.