The Yum Yum Factor

I can't believe it has taken me this long to make yogurt in my Instant Pot but better late than never., right? I used this recipe from   Tid Bits  , which appears to be the standard recipe that everyone uses so I suggest you follow that link and use their recipe too. No need to reinvent the wheel when the wheel works like a charm. Because I was going to turn it into labneh, which is a Middle Eastern yogurt cheese, I omitted the vanilla. Labneh is like greek yogurt on steroids that has been drained to the point where it's so thick that you can roll it into balls if you want. Click here to see a great slide show with all kinds of amazing ways to use this stuff here it is at the Greek yogurt stage Okay, onto the yogurt: You need an Instant Pot Duo or the Smart version  To make a full batch of yogurt, you use a gallon or 3.7 litres of milk (in Canada, that equals three bags of milk. Yes, we have bagged milk in Canada and you should too world) 3 tbls of...

There are a million recipes out there for babaganoush, a popular, Middle Eastern, smoky eggplant dip so why am I sharing one more? To me, the actual dip is just a blueprint that you can use to then dress it up as you wish. I like mine kind of thick, so it's also a spread and have found that it's as great smeared on crostini or in a wrap as it is eaten as a dip with a piece of pita bread so I replace the lemon juice with the rind of a pickled lemon. I also love the addition of pickled turnip as much for their sour crunch as for their beautiful pop of colour in what, otherwise, is a sea of grey and grey food is never appealing on it's own. The toasted walnuts might not be authentic but that's how I like it so that's how I make it. Smoky Eggplant Spread 1 large eggplant 1 clove garlic, grated on a rasp or fine grater OR chopped very finely 1 tsp kosher salt *1 preserved or pickled lemon 3 tbls tahini 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp cumin a...