Powdered Milk

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Powdered milk is a basic food storage item. 
But what do you do with all that powdered milk in your food storage, especially if your family won't drink mixed milk? 

Lots of things -- read on! (Note: recipes in this newsletter use non-instant powdered milk.)

Reconstituting Powdered Milk

To reconstitute powdered milk, follow the instructions for the milk you have. Usually, the proportions are 1/4 to 1/3 C powdered milk to 1 C of water. My family can't tell the difference between regular milk and milk mixed ½ and ½ with reconstituted powdered milk. Sometimes you can minimize the powdered milk taste by making the powdered milk mix a little weaker - for example, mix 3/4 C powdered milk with 1 quart water.

Baking with Powdered Milk

Use powdered milk whenever you bake. You can't tell the difference, and it's usually cheaper than regular milk: A cup of milk made from powdered milk costs about 7½ cents (dry milk at $1.20 /lb); a cup of regular milk costs about 12½ cents (at a cost of $2/gallon).

When you bake with powdered milk, use the same amounts you'd use if you were reconstituting it for drinking (1/4 to 1/3 cup of powdered milk to a cup of water -- for example, if a recipe calls for a cup of milk, you would use a cup of water and 1/4 to 1/3 cup of dry milk powder).
One advantage of baking with powdered milk is that you can include milk in dry mixes. For example, say you want to make bread in your bread machine using the timer, and the recipe calls for milk. If you use powdered milk instead of fresh, the bread mix can sit without spoiling.

Evaporated Milk

To make evaporated milk, mix 1 C water with 2/3 C powdered milk.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

To make sweetened condensed milk, mix

½ C very hot water

1 C powdered milk

1 C sugar

1 T butter

Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar & powdered milk.

Truffles

For a decadent treat, make sweetened condensed milk (above) and stir in a 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips. Chill, then shape into balls (a melon baller works nicely).

Cream Soup Mix

(from Heloise column)

Mix together

1 C powdered milk

1 T dried onion flakes

2 T cornstarch

2 T chicken bouillon powder

½ t dried basil

½ t dried thyme

½ t black pepper

To make soup, mix the above with 2 C water in a large saucepan; stir constantly until thick.

To make different flavors, add another ingredient - such as mushrooms, celery, potatoes, bacon, etc.

Kid Pleasers

My kids won't drink mixed milk plain, but they love chocolate milk, a "purple cow," and peanut butter balls.

Chocolate Milk (1/2 gallon):

Mix together

8 C water

2½ C powdered milk

1/8 C cocoa

1/4 to ½ C sugar

pinch of salt (optional)

a few drops of vanilla (optional)

I like to mix this in a half-gallon jug, which is small enough for kids to handle. If you want, you can mix together just the dry ingredients and use as hot chocolate mix (about 1/3 C mix to 1 C water).

Purple Cow

Mix reconstituted powdered milk and grape juice half and half. A good way to give kids grape juice, since when it's mixed with the milk, it doesn't stain like regular grape juice does.

Peanut Butter Balls (from the TightWad Gazette)

Mix together

½ C honey

½ C peanut butter

1 C powdered milk

Form into balls (a melon baller works well).

Home-made Yogurt

One of the very best ways to use powdered milk is to make yogurt. This is fast, easy, and inexpensive. (It takes 5-10 minutes to start a batch of yogurt. A pint of plain yogurt runs about $1.39; a pint of homemade yogurt costs about 30 cents). There are lots of ways to make yogurt. Here is one basic method (makes one quart). You'll need some plain yogurt with active cultures for the "starter;" a thermometer; and a way to incubate the yogurt.

• Mix together 4 C water and 2 C powdered milk.
• Heat in the microwave about 2 minutes. Take out and let sit until the temperature reaches about 120 degrees. Mix in 1 heaping T of plain yogurt (mix thoroughly). Pour into a container and cover.
• Now let the yogurt incubate until it sets up. You can use a commercial yogurt maker; a heating pad set to low, with a large pot inverted over top your yogurt; or even the pilot light on an oven. The important thing is to keep the yogurt at a constant temperature of 100-120 degrees for from 4-8 hrs.
• When you use the yogurt, reserve a little to start the next batch.

Note: You can freeze yogurt starter. Just spoon into ice-cube trays, then store the yogurt ice-cubes in the freezer. Thaw 1 cube (don't microwave) for a batch of yogurt, and use as usual.

What to Do With Yogurt

Substitute yogurt for sour cream (1 C yogurt = 1 C sour cream) in dips, dressings, and sauces.
Fruit Smoothies. In the blender, liquify 1 pint yogurt, 2-3 frozen bananas, cut in chunks, 2 C frozen fruit (peaches, strawberries, pineapple etc.) You can vary the proportions as you wish; more yogurt makes it more like a drink, more fruit makes it more like soft-serve ice cream.

• Holiday Fruit Salad. Mix together 1 quart yogurt, 1/4 - 1/3 C frozen orange juice concentrate and your choice of fruits: mandarin oranges, pineapple, grapes, bananas, apples, etc. (vary proportions to suit your taste)Top with a thick layer of coconut. Then garnish the top according to the holiday:
• Valentines - dried cranberries, maraschino cherries, bright red apple slices
• St Patrick's - kiwi, sliced green grapes
• Easter - robin's egg candies, jelly beans
• 4^th of July - blueberries & sliced strawberries
• Halloween - mandarin oranges, choc. sprinkles
• Christmas - kiwi, dried cranberries

Creamy Salad Dressing

1 C yogurt + 2 T dry milk powder

1 t onion or garlic powder (or to taste)

1 t salt (or to taste)

1/4 t pepper (or to taste)

Additional seasonings as desired (parsley, dill, blue cheese, etc.)

Combine & let sit to blend flavors.

Cream Cheese Substitute. Put a coffee filter in a strainer placed over a bowl. Put 1 pint yogurt in the coffee filter and let sit overnight. You'll end up with about 1 C of thick, non-fat yogurt "cream cheese." Use as you would cream cheese, in dips, spreads, cheesecakes, etc.
Buttermilk Substitute. Mix plain yogurt with an equal amount of water (for example, to make 2 C buttermilk, blend 1 C plain yogurt with 1 C water).