Yogurt & A $250 Allen Booth Giveaway!!

Handmade Raspberry Yogurt 

& A $250 Allen Booth Giveaway!

Boy have I got a great post for you guys, and to make it even better there's a great giveaway. Let's start off with the raspberry yogurt that I made. I have the easiest recipe, who woulda' thought that it would have been so easy to make.

Homemade Raspberry Yogurt

Ingredients 
1qt (4 cups) or pasteurized whole milk.
1 1/2 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup of plain greek yogurt (or 1 yogurt starter pack)
1/4 cup of homemade raspberry compote (any berry compote will work)
Fresh Raspberries (or the berries of your choice)
2 trail mix granola bars

Instructions
1. Heat the milk over a medium to medium high heat until it reaches 165 degrees, making sure to stir the milk constantly. Do not allow the milk to come to a boil
2. Once the milk comes to temp, turn off the burner and place the pan on a roller area on the stovetop. Allow the milk to cool to 110 degrees. (or you can use a cold water bath method to speed up the cooling process)
3. When the milk finally cools and reaches the 110 temp wish in the gelatin for a minute or so or until its thoroughly mixed in.
4. Now add the yogurt starter pack and whisk for about a minute or until is to is thuroughly combined.
5. Now place the mixture in a yogurt maker, and allow it to culture for 8-12 hours. (Exactly how long depends on your taste preference). The longer the culture the more tangy,
6. Now whisk your yogurt mixture to be sure its combined. Next fold in your berry compote, but be sure not to over mix it, this is good for your flavor profile.
7. Now take 1/2 of your mixture and divide it evenly, then place it in the bottom of two small mason jars. Then add a layer of fresh raspberries, and then add another layer of yogurt with the rest of your mixture. Then finally top the parfait off with some granola. I like to break up a trail mix granola bar and use that, because it's crunchy and chewy along with some almonds and raisins mixed in. I love it  because gives the parfait a fantastic texture. Then I top it off with a fresh raspberry or two.
(If you want the granola to remain very crunchy, just wait ti add it right before you eat it.)

Raspberry Compote 

Ingredients
1 pint of fresh raspberries
1 quart of water
1 cup of sugar

Instructions
1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add the raspberries
3. Allow to boil until you get your desired thickness (25-45mins)

See I told you easy peasy!! I thought it would be much harder, but turns out it wasn't that bad. The compote can also be used as a yummy topping, it all just depends on your taste. I am a sucker for a good parfait, so I made 10 of them and left the granola aside so that I could just add it to the yogurt when I'm ready to eat it. I'm one of those people that loves the super crunchy granola with the creamy yogurt, it makes for a perfect texture and an amazing flavor profile. I'll admit it's much easier to buy the yogurt at the grocery store, but it definitely doesn't taste better. It's a bummer that I'm always so on the go, or I would have fresh yogurt in my fridge all the time, it's one of my favorite snacks. i love the fruity flavors they have like cherry, raspberry, and blackberry. There's even this one yummy pomegranate blackberry flavor, and it's delish. I find that by topping a store bought yogurt with some fresh ingredients will really make it amazing. One of my favorites is fresh fruit like mango, pineapple, and berries. then add some trail mix granola, and look out. I feel like I'm talking a little to much about yogurt today....LOL! 

Now let's talk about the beautiful pieces that I got from Allen Booth, I'm so excited to share them with you. Everything they sell is handcrafted, and made in the USA. Not to mention that it's all durable and made of real quality. Now a days things are so expansive and made so cheap, it's a real shame. I got 2 cutting boards, with a matching mason jar lid, and two wooden spoons. The cutting boards are beautiful, I especially love the look and how they match the mason jar lid. The multi wood design includes maple, walnut, cherry and poplar, it's so beautiful I almost don't want to use it..lol! Same with the spoons, I really needed a couple good ones so I stop scratching up my pots and pans with the metal ones. I hope to replace all of them, espceially since I plan to get a whole new set of pots and pans when we finish remodeling the kitchen, and we all know that a good set costs a pretty penny, and I'm definitely not down with the flimsy plastic cooking utensils, so Allen Booth is definitely the way I'm gonna go. 

They also carry so many other cool things like picture frames, beautiful cherry wood bowls, coasters, wood and metal utensils of all kinds, measuring spoons and much much more, Plus did I say that everything is made in the USA ...lol! and it comes at a very affordable price point. You definitely have to check them out, I know you'll love their products. 

When you go to out use the code STARGAZER11, and get 10% off of your purchase.

(SWIPE 2 THE LEFT for more pics!!)Now for the surprise, I've partnering up with them to bring you guys an amazing giveaway!!

ALLEN BOOTH GIVEAWAY!!

One person will win a $250 gift card to Allen Booth!!

To enter just follow the below link to their website, type in your email address and zip code, then click enter. It's that easy!!

What are you waiting for, hurry up and go enter before it's over!!

ENTER HERE -> bit.ly/2s5hGwT

This was the smaller cutting board of the two, and boy is it going to make the perfect placement for my cooking posts :o!!

Now on another note this is a shot of how I spent a few hours yesterday, it was so relaxing and nice. Plus the weather was amazing here in Baltimore, it's been in the mid to high 70's for three days now. Now let me tell you guys a little about me, I HATE super hot weather, ever since i hit my 30's I am always hot and un-comfy, so every season but summer is good for me. I look at it this way, with winter you can put on a comfy sweater if you're cold, but with summer you can only take off so much and you still remain hot. I know people think I'm crazy for thinking this way...lol! Anyway check out the video of this view that I posted on Instagram -> @DanaStargazerTruitt 

Make sure you watch for 15 secs so you hear the music, it's my official theme song!!

 Well here's to a fabulous weekend, thanks goodness tomorrow if Friday!!

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