Free Range Friday ~ Culebra

I'm running a bit late this morning, although I was up with the chickens, so to speak, but went back for a few more zzzz's. I wanted those extra moments because my daughter Sarah, on Oregon time - four hours behind us - called with a slew of incredible information she's been digging up on our family. They've always been a bit of a mystery; well, more than a bit, and some of the rocks turned over are starting to explain a lot of things. It is truly amazing, the information that is out there, with the click of a keystroke and passion. Sarah has the passion and we get to benefit!

This is not my relative, I'm pretty sure. Rather, I read that she is Duchess of Devonshire. 

 I like her style and want to be doing exactly this when I get to her age.

After getting off of the phone, I was wide awake with questions that will never be answered and the bit of wow when lives spoken of all of one's life suddenly become quite real, in black and white, documented history and some with photos. I had no idea that Sarah looked so much like my grandmother!

My Grandmother

And now, on to the food part.

Yesterday I brought home a yogurt maker from a moving sale. I had one about 30+ years ago and used to use it a lot. Before that, when we raised goats and had lots of really delicious creamy milk (yes, you can have delicious milk from goats, it's all in the feed), I would make yogurt without any fancy contraption, as it really is easy to make. But contraptions can sometimes be good reminders and I really like yogurt, so why not. I figure I'll return to myself the money spent on just the first batch!

Salton yogurt maker, recipes online, thankfully!

So, there is the yogurt maker. I like plain yogurt, a lot apparently, as my mother used to tell me that I'd beg for it when I was knee-high. Back then, I think plain yogurt was the only kind to be had, and unless she told me that story a few dozen times, I'd probably not have thought about yogurt being sold at all, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. But I like flavors too, if I can find a decent yogurt, meaning one that isn't full of things I don't want to eat. This way, I control the input and am only limited by trial and error and imagination.

The direction my imagination has gone involves another thing I have around here; eggs. Add up eggs, the holidays, a yogurt maker and of course, there is only one direction to go. Eggnog yogurt, of course!

Have any extra cartons? Recycle! Send them my way. One day I'll go with the cardboard ones, but not yet.

Because I don't have time to experiment with this idea yet, I was looking up recipes for eggnog yogurt and they are few on the ground. Eggnog yogurt with granola (love eggnog, love yogurt, love granola but not together, thank you) and a couple of others, none of which triggered my 'gotta share it' button. So I think the thing to do is just make the yogurt, make the eggnog and mix it together. There should be a better way, but I have to work on that.

A modified  by me Yogurt in a Salton Yogurt Maker  recipe (if you don't have a yogurt maker, check out this page for 3 simple ways to do the same thing and still end up with great yogurt!)


(A thermometer is really helpful but if you don't have one, you want to heat the milk just until tiny bubbles are forming on the edge of the milk; you do NOT want a full boil! At the end of that, you'll know it has cooled down enough to put in your starter if you can comfortably stick your finger in it, lukewarm)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 hours
Ingredients needed:
One quart whole milk (you can use other than whole milk but why? It's yogurt!!)
One heaping tablespoon of plain yogurt with live, active cultures. (we buy a half pint of organic yogurt to use as a "starter" )

1. Pour the milk in a saucepan. Bring to just boiling, remove and let cool to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. When the milk has cooled to the proper temperature, stir in one heaping spoonful of the store-bought yogurt until thoroughly blended.
3. Decant approximately 6 ounces of warm milk into each jar. Snap on the lids.
4. Plug in the incubator. Place the individual yogurt containers in the opening provided. Cover, and set the dial to a time 12 hours from now.
5. Twelve hours later (some say seven hours, you just have to experiment), the yogurt can be removed from the incubator and placed in the refrigerator.


At this point you can add fruit or vanilla or whatever strikes your fancy. I'm going to add eggnog. And after seeing an advert for wine ice cream, you can be sure the eggnog will include rum, brandy or bourbon, depending on my wallet contents (brandy would be my choice). Unless you don't want it spiked, but unless you have a good reason for not drinking alcoholic beverages, eggnog should definitely have the nog in it!

This recipe, taken from (and only slightly adapted by me) here, is about as close as it gets to what one of the best eggnog makers I ever met used.

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Yield: 12 to 16 servings

• 6 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
• 1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup brandy, bourbon, or dark rum
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla (NOT fake vanilla, a criminal offense)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
• Additional grated nutmeg for garnish

Combine eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3- or 4-quart pan, whisking until well-combined. Continue whisking while pouring milk in a slow, steady stream until completely incorporated. Turn on burner to lowest possible heat setting. Place pan on burner and stir mixture continuously until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be patient. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes. 

If you want to be really sexy, you can use one of these spoons carved by John McAbrey. Yes, this is sexy. Photos are used without permission but I'm hoping John and Gretchen won't mind!

For buying information, go here

Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove any accidental small cooked bits of egg. Add brandy, bourbon or dark rum plus vanilla extract and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Pour into a glass pitcher, decanter, or container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate this egg custard mixture to chill at least 4 hours or up to 3 days before finishing.

When ready to serve, pour heavy cream into a bowl and whip until it forms soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into cold custard mixture until combined.

Because mixing the eggnog and the yogurt could make it a bit soupy, I'd go with the Greek yogurt style, which is only one more step on the yogurt, putting it in a sieve and letting it get really dry. Cheesecloth is best. After dripping, give it some good squeezing (see how sexy cooking can be?). It will end up a lot thicker and creamier and hold up to the eggnog.

So there you have it! Except for one more thing.

Have a fully flowering Friday! Do something that puts the fun back in fundamental.