homemade yogurt and granola

Hello. I've been bad, I know. Instead of blogging, I've been seeing wonderful movies, lazing around in bed, and making friends at my new job. Let me get to the point: this is only my second batch of homemade yogurt. It's easy to make, but gets tricky with incubation.  Some people use the pilot light of their stoves, a cooler wrapped in blankets, or fancy yogurt makers. I, on the other hand, found the perfect solution for my little kitchen: this lovely thermos. And with that comes a plethora of other "thermos recipes"—I had no idea there were such things (but I'm getting excited for summer camping).

THERMOS YOGURT
3 cups whole milk
1 tbsp yogurt starter (plain store bought yogurt, or from a previous batch)
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1/ Using a candy thermometer, heat milk in small saucepan until it reaches 180ºF. Make sure to stir constantly to avoid scalding.
2/ Turn off heat and let cool to 120ºF. (If the milk is too hot it will kill the yogurt bacteria.) Stir in the live culture and then transfer to thermos container. Let incubate for at least eight hours.
3/ Transfer to glass jar or other container and refrigerate for at least two hours before eating.

"Now then"—as my grandmother always says with a sigh—this granola recipe has been my go-to for a couple of years. It's quick enough to bake up a batch right when you get up, and then have a warm snack on your cold morning commute.

NUTTY GRANOLA Adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave. Makes about 9 half-cup servings
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped raw, unsalted walnuts
1/2 cup chopped raw, unsalted almonds
1/2 cup chopped raw, unsalted pecans
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
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1/ Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl, making sure the salt and cinnamon are distributed evenly.
2/ Spread mixture on baking sheet and place in oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. (Stir occasionally during this process to avoid burning. Although not very apparent in color, a few minutes too long leaves this recipe with a strong burnt flavor.) Ellie suggest letting it cool completely, but I think it tastes perfect warm and right out of the oven.