Frozen Yogurt Recipe

I've had several requests for this recipe, it's super easy, and yummy! I use organic yogurt. I've used both plain and vanilla flavored with good results. I think our favorite is a mixture of part plain, part vanilla--heavier on the plain.

I buy a LARGE container of yogurt. It is probably about 5 or 6 cups worth. Line a colander with cheesecloth and dump the yogurt into the colander. Use the ends of the cheesecloth to cover the top of the mound of yogurt. Place the colander in a bowl (you seriously don't want to skip this step--and no, I haven't made that mistake, but it wouldn't have been unfathomable!) I usually try to leave the yogurt overnight and end up straining more than a cup of whey out of it.

Stir 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar into 4 cups of the strained yogurt. We usually use closer to 3/4 cup with the vanilla, but slightly less than 1 cup with the plain. We like it on the tart side. Stir it until smooth and then put it back in the fridge for about an hour.

Put the mixture into your ice cream freezer and start it up! My freezer usually takes about 20 minutes to get the right consistency. I serve it promptly with fresh berries on top--raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, they're all great!

If you have any leftover (we usually don't), you can put it in a covered container in the freezer. I find it is better if you let it warm a little before you serve it from the freezer. The flavor is better when combined with a softer consistency.

I find it hard to believe that just two ingredients can make something so yummy! Feel free to add vanilla or anything else you want... We've decided that we really like it simple. The lack of any extra ingredients enable you to appreciate the full effect of the tart flavor of the yogurt combined with the sweet berries!

If you make this, please send me your feedback and any changes you made! I'd love to try your variations as well.

Drug of Choice

Why would a seemingly sane person spend two days making frozen yogurt in the middle of winter? And it's real Winter here, not like the 75* Winter in Raratonga. It's actually cold here--we have feet (yep, plural) of snow on the ground. And yet, for some completely insane reason, I've spent the last two days making frozen treats in my kitchen. What kind of crazy does that make me? I really don't know... You'll have to decide.

Some of you may know that I'm a BIG fan of frozen yogurt. You may not know that in my old neighborhood, I was moderately famous for my ice cream. Truth be told, my old neighbors knew me as the maker of all things ice cream. I spent each summer perfecting my newest recipe. I even created my own recipe for a very delicious coconut ice cream.

However, since my fortuitous trip to New York City, and my infamous introduction to Pink Berry, I've been nursing a serious addiction to frozen yogurt. But not just any fro-yo will do. No, I am an actual fro-yo snob, and I've got a pretty serious addiction to Pink Berry and Red Mango. The truth is, my addiction can sometimes spur me to make late night excursions to get my fix. I've even been known to hop two subways to get to my Pink Berry before closing time. I never thought my love of ice cream would be eclipsed by a new, creamy indulgence, but it has.

So why, you ask, have I never parleyed my ice cream skills into making frozen yogurt? I guess I'd have to say that it simply never occurred to me to make frozen yogurt. Or, maybe I thought it would be too hard. Or, maybe I was worried that it just wouldn't compare with the irresistible yumminess of my two fav fro-yos. But after today, instead of sneaking off to the yogurt shop, I'm going to make my own brand of narcotic. I've discovered that I can make a very good approximation of my beloved fro-yo. In fact, I have created a deliriously delightful frozen treat!

Behold. My marvelous concoction of addicting, creamy deliciousness.

I made my first batch of frozen yogurt yesterday and we polished it off in about 15 minutes. Today's batch included some alterations--also with a very tasty outcome. Honestly, I think the only way to make my new concoction better would be to serve it outside, on the deck, on a hot and sunny afternoon. I guess I could have done that today, but although it was sunny, it certainly wasn't Summer (or even Spring) weather.

So, I guess I'll be saving my gas money and feeding my addiction right here at home. No more driving through seedy neighborhoods looking to score. No more sneaking a few extra spoonfuls to get me by. No more sobbing requests for someone to provide me with my next hit.

Goodbye Red Mango--I'll miss your cheerful decor. But Pink Berry--unless I can figure out a way to make frozen yogurt in my hotel room--I'll be seeing you this Summer!

Weight: I'm Falling!

You know those moments when you want to crawl under a rock and die of embarrassment? I should have had one of those moments the other day, but I didn't. Why didn't I? I guess because I can acknowledge the truth.

This week someone asked me if I was expecting. And before you even give that another thought, let me just remind you that I have triplets. And now, I will assure you that the answer is NO! No, I am not having another baby. The truth is, I'm just getting fat.

At one point in my life I would have been mortally wounded by someone suggesting that I had put on a few. The truth, however, is that I can acknowledge that I do indeed need to lose some weight. I could give any number of excuses, starting of course with the fact that I did carry a set of triplets (how could anyone forget what that does to a body?!). But the truth is, I just haven't put any effort into it lately.

So, I guess it's that time once again. Time to lose a few pounds. Luckily, I had already decided to make a change, but thanks for the added incentive!

You might have noticed my SkinnyR graph at the bottom of this page. I am going to post my progress. Is this an effort in self-humiliation? Yes, yes it is. I am hoping that by knowing there is a possibility that someone is watching, I'll try harder. So please be supportive. And no laughing!

So here's the deal: I will weigh myself several times a week and post the results. I will not fudge the numbers (mmmmm, fudge). But I am not agreeing to weigh myself on days when the Fall weather gets the better of me. For instance, if (by chance) I make a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies I will eat one (OK, I'll eat more than one) and I will not be posting a weight check the next day! My weight chart--My rules.

My goal is to lose a total of 27 pounds. I am taking suggestions, recipes, tips, and encouragement. And just for the record--Red Mango is a diet food. It's yogurt and fresh berries. So you can still feel free to bring one over!

There's a New Treat in Town

OK--I have a confession. My name is Bonnie, and I'm an addict. It's been six days since I last indulged. . . .

I went to New York this summer and ordered my first Pinkberry. Everyone told me it was amazing, yeah right. Yeah Right! That stuff is addicting! One night we walked to the Pinkberry from our hotel only to find that the yogurt machine was broken. Can you believe that we walked to the end of the block, hopped a subway, rode two stops, walked to the end of another block, then stood in line for 15 minutes??? Addict!

Now that I'm home, I've been having serious cravings for the Pinkberry. What's an addict to do?

Enter: Red Mango. The Red Mango sign has been up for a while, but it wasn't open. The doors finally opened, and I decided it was worth a shot--of course it couldn't be as good as my Pinkberry, but I still had high hopes that it would be better than everything else I had tried in an effort to relieve my cravings.

I walked in and tried to keep my hopes in check. The styles of Red Mango and Pinkberry are very similar, hmmm, interesting. The furnishings are contemporary and clean. The offerings are basically the same: original (plain) yogurt or green tea flavored--again, very similar. The berries and other toppings are fresh and colorful--I'm hopeful, this could be it!

And then the big mistake--I mention the similarities and the girl at the counter says "yea, Pinkberry copied Red Mango."

What?! Oh -- no you didn't, you did not just slam my Pinkberry! How could that be??? My beloved Pinkberry! OK, I'll forgive that slander for the moment. . . . you're young (and probably wrong). I'll just take my Red Mango now and be going (still hoping for the best).

RED MANGO! I found it! Pinkberry, you were my first, and still possibly my favorite, but Red Mango is in UTAH!!! I know that distance is supposed to make the heart grow fonder. In my case, the heart learns to love what it can get! And I love Red Mango! I know, it makes me seem fickle. But this is really good! And now I won't have to suffer until I get back to New York next summer!

Now I'm embarrassed by how many times I've been back to Red Mango. I'm considering sending my kids in to order for me next time. If you come to visit me, will you please bring me a small regular yogurt with all the berries?! And Shelly, I will meet you there on Tuesday!