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By Kellene Bishop
(Please note: This article is not for those who are repulsed by the use of puns. đ
When it comes to long-term food storage, many feel that getting enough dairy is a significant challenge. Well today, Iâm going to show you how you can milk the most from your powdered milk to provide your family with the dairy products you love.
For starters, I cannot state emphatically enough how good powdered milk is today. When I teach my âUNDERwhelmed in Food Storageâ class, I insist that those who attend at least try the powdered milk samples Iâve got. You should see some of the faces I get when I make this announcement. You can tell that some of these folks have some serious nightmares from their childhood when it comes to powdered milk. But inevitably, ALL courageous tasters admit that it tastes VERY different than when they were growing up. While I still have some folks who feel that it doesnât take âjust like ârealâ milkâ they will at least concede that they could live with it if they needed to. Personally, I find it delightful. I LOVE the independence I feel when running out of milk doesnât mean a trip to the store. And when I purchase it in the big 50 pound bags at the wholesale stores, it breaks down to only about $1.27 per gallonâa great deal in this economy. Today, the only time I actually buy milk is when Iâve got double coupons and can get it for less than 50 cents a gallon. (I just got a gallon and half the other day for only 17 cents!) In fact, the taste of powdered milk has come so far, that my otherwise persnickety husband actually grumbles a bit now when we have to drink the ârealâ stuff now.
So, what can you do with powdered milk? You can make some downright heavenly items that you usually pay a small fortune for. So letâs see how we can milk the most from your food storage.
One of the pleasant surprises I discovered is how easy it is to make sweetened condensed milk. I make it in a blender presently, but I have practiced a couple of times and can easily make it with a non-electric blender. All you have to do is combine a ½ C of hot water, 1 C of non-instant powdered milk, 1 C sugar and 1 T of butter. (Yes, butter. You know, the stuff that youâre now canning for a rainy day?) Just mix it all in a blender and presto! Youâve got your very affordable, sweetened condensed milk to use in any great recipe!
Making evaporated milk is just as easy. To make 12 ounces of evaporated milk, simply mix 1½ C of water with a generous ½ C of non-instant powdered milk. You may not be aware of this, but you can use evaporated milk successfully as a substitute for cream, half-and-half, or even whole milk in any recipe. Pretty darn simple, eh? I LOVE to mix 12 ounces of this in a sauce pan along with ½ C of butter and about 1 C of strawberry puree to make humdrum pancakes taste a bit more gourmet! Also, The Food Network showed me that adding some evaporated milk to your meatloaf is the key to keeping it moist and yummy!
Add some powdered milk to some flour and butter and youâve got the makings for some GREAT white sauces to go on pasta, vegetables, and even as a soup base. YUM!
And last, but not least is using powdered milk to make buttermilk. Just take 1 C of  your milk (made from powdered, of course) and add 1 T of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it stand for 5 minutes and then proceed to use it in your recipe that calls for buttermilk. Some of my favorite treats are made from buttermilk and Iâm not about to do without them. So, just because I love my readers, Iâm going to share my two most favorite buttermilk treats. Youâll LOVE them!
Celestial Syrup
Combine the following in a small sauce pan:
ž C sugar
½ C buttermilk
Âź C butter
- Boil for one minute.
- Remove from heat and add ½ t. baking soda and 1 t. vanilla.
- The puree of any fruit can be added, but is not necessary. Itâs heavenly without it.
- Serve over pancakes, waffles, or your favorite ice cream.
Chocolate Buttermilk Pudding
2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding
2 C of cold buttermilk (If you donât have refrigeration, this will still taste just fine.)
- Whisk together until well blended.
- Fold in 1 16 oz tub of Cool Whip. (You can make whipped topping from powdered milk as well, of course.)
Fold in 2 small drained cans of mandarin oranges. (I like to cut the oranges in half to create more “perfect bites.”) - Then fold in the entire package of Keebler Fudge Striped cookies, crushed. (I just got a bunch of them for only 50 cents each and then sealed them in a large Mason jar for maximum shelf life.)
- Chill for about 30 minutes or more. (Again, refrigeration isnât necessary to serve this dish–only if youâre going to store it. I like to fold in the cookies just before serving, but this is a still yummy even a couple of days out!)
Thereâs more to discover to your powdered milk. Just keep exploring and âmilking itâ for all itâs worth. We havenât addressed yet everything thatâs possible to make out of powdered milk, but itâs a worthwhile start. Enjoy!
Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.
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