To Pasteurize or Not to Pasteurize?

Here is an article from Sustainable Food highlighting the controversy over raw milk. The article doesn't really come down on either side of the battle lines. I'm not sure where I fall on the argument either. I don't buy raw milk, but I've tried it once or twice. I haven't heard any arguments for raw milk that make me feel compelled to regularly risk the potential pathogens lurking within. However, I'm in no rush to make the sale of raw milk illegal. We allow raw chicken to be sold and let consumers make their own decisions about how to deal with the (much more significant) health risks it involves. I'm not sure why milk should be any different. What do you think?

Smoothies (Happy, Mom?)

At my mother's request (which cannot be ignored), I will post a few smoothie recipes today. I have a smoothie for breakfast a few times a week--sometimes with oatmeal on the side, sometimes alone. I mainly use a fruit+yogurt+milk+occasional extra flavor formula.

I make them with an immersion blender, which I'm afraid is on its last legs, but you could use any blender. If I had to make a recommendation (and I don't have to, but I will anyway), I think the Magic Bullet blender is particularly drool-worthy. However, it has some drawbacks. It is pricey, especially considering that it only blends small portions at a time. It seems useful mainly for drink blending--so it may be worth it if that's your primary blending need. I do a LOT of blending/food processing, and I have a kitchen policy against singular-task items (think: melon baller, panini press, avocado slicer). My current blender consists of a hand-held motor piece which attaches to three different components: a food processor, electric mixer, and the immersion blender. It's versatile, simple, small, and gets a LOT of use.


On to smoothie recipes! If you still have local summer fruits in your freezer, bless your frugal heart. If you are getting fresh local fruits already where you live, I hate you. I've moved on to Wegman's frozen fruits. Here are some of my favorite recipes:


Mixed Berry Smoothie
Combine and blend:
1/2-3/4 cup frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
1/3 cup yogurt
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp honey (Make sure your honey is local and organic! Bees are dying, people!)
Dash of salt (and I really mean just a dash)


Peach-Blackberry Smoothie
Combine and blend:
1/2-3/4 cup frozen peach slices and blackberries
1/3 cup yogurt
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt


Cucumber Melon Smoothie
Combine and blend:
1/2-3/4 cup sliced frozen cucumber and cantaloupe (honeydew would work, but I like cantaloupe better)
1/3 cup yogurt
1/3 cup milk
dash of salt
(Add some fresh dill for a more savory treat)


Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Combine and blend:
2-3 tbsp homemade chocolate syrup
3-4 tbsp peanut butter
3/4 cup frozen yogurt
1/3 cup milk

And when it's late April and it snowed this morning and you've totally given up on eating locally until the asparagus comes up...

Shamefully Tropical Smoothie
Combine and blend:
1/2-3/4 cup frozen mango, pineapple, strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
dash of salt
tiny splash of hot sauce

These make about one serving each, but they are very approximate measurements, so feel free to play around with them--adding more of what you like and eliminating what you don't. What are some of your favorite smoothies recipes? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Mmm, Bacteria.

I made the best yogurt ever last night! I've made it before--even regularly for a while--but it has always come out more runny and liquidy store-bought yogurt. Last night, I solved the problem! I am so proud and totally convinced that I am the first and only brilliant person to think of this solution ever, so don't burst my bubble, ya'll.



So yogurt is incredibly easy to make. You start with some yogurt. Okay, that sounds stupid, but the point is, yogurt is self-replicating. Really, you could start with a bacterial culture that you order online and have shipped to you, but might as well just use a scoop of your plain yogurt--with LIVE cultures (read the label)--from the store. So get some of that.

While you're there, get some milk. Anything from skim to whole is fine (even cream will work). Pasteurized and raw milk both work, but ultra-pasteurized will not work (and you probably shouldn't be drinking that tasteless, nutritionless crap anyway).

Next find yourself a clean quart-sized container. I use a Mason jar. Pour a quart of milk in a double boiler and heat to about 180 degrees. If you have a kitchen thermometer, bully for you. I do not, so I just estimate--takes about 20 minutes, not quite boiling, but too hot to touch. You actually have to touch it to find out that it's too hot to touch. It's not rocket science. Or baking.

When you think your milk is hot enough, remove it from the heat and let it cool to about 110 degrees--comfortable to touch, but hotter than body temperature for the thermometerless among us.

To the cooled-down milk, add about a tablespoon of yogurt and stir.

Pour the mixture into your quart-sized container, cap it, and keep it warm for 8-12 hours, then refrigerate. Keeping it warm is the hardest part, but last night I discovered I could fill my slow-cooker with water and keep the jar in there overnight, set on "keep warm." This is how I got my yogurt to be so thick!

The slow-cooker is by far the best method I've tried, and I highly recommend it. If you don't have a slow-cooker and can't borrow one, you could put the jar in a cooler filled with hot water, but you'd have to keep adding water to keep it warm. Or you could wrap the jar in a towel and keep it on the stovetop if you have pilot light to keep it warm.


You can keep making new yogurt by taking a scoop from your old batch each time!