Powdered Milk

Rhonda Hair, from www.TheProvidentHomemaker.com, January 2013 Nonfat powdered milk contains all the nutrients that fresh milk does except for fat. Its high in protein, potassium, riboflavin, Vitamins A, D, and B12. Powdered milk stores for over 20 years if kept cool, dark, and dry, such as in metal #10 cans. It will store less time if kept in paper or cardboard containers or exposed to heat, light, or moisture. It will start to develop off-flavors as it gets older but retains most of its nutrition and is still safe. Off-flavored milk powder can be used in cooking. If it actually spoils or becomes contaminated with bugs, it can be used as fertilizer in your yard or garden. How much to store: The recommended amount, 16 pounds per person will mix up into 64 quarts, or about one cup per day for a year. To improve the flavor, mix the night before so it can chill thoroughly, add 1 tsp. sugar or 1 tsp. vanilla.

Reconstituting Dry Milk

Use This Much Dry Milk- one pound powder will make one gallon of milk
Amount Needed 1 quart 1 pint 1 cup cup cup Instant 1 1/3 cups 2/3 cups 1/3 cup 3 tablespoons 1 tablespoons Non-Instant cup 3/8 cup (scant 1/3 cup) 3 Tbsp. 1 tablespoons 2 teaspoons Water 3 cups cups + 2 Tbsp. Scant cup cup cup

Substitutions Using Powdered Milk

Recipe costs are based on paying $1.89/lb for non-instant milk powder

Buttermilk (about $ .15 for one cup)

1 scant cup water 3 Tbsp. non-instant powdered milk Mix and let stand 10 minutes to sour. 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice

Evaporated Milk ($.21 for 14 ounces)

Mix according to the chart above, except double the amount of milk powder.

Homemade Cottage Cheese- makes about 16 oz., $ 1.00/batch

4 c. hot water 6 Tbsp. white vinegar 1 c. non-instant dry milk powder tsp. salt, to taste Stir together water and powdered milk in a saucepan, heat until it starts to steam, stirring. Drip vinegar around the edge of the pan and gently stir; it will immediately start to separate into curds and whey. If it doesnt, heat it up some more. Let rest one minute. Pour into a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl. Save whey, then rinse with hot water, then with cold water and break apart into the size curds you want. Rinse for one minute or until all the whey is out. Add salt. To make it creamy, add 4-6 Tbsp. sour cream, yogurt, evaporated milk, or cream. The whey may be used in place of liquid (milk or water) in baking. It has vitamins, minerals, some protein, no fat, and some milk sugar (lactose- very low on the glycemic scale.) Since it has the acidity of the vinegar in it, you can add a little baking soda to neutralize and get extra leavening power- use 1 tsp. baking soda per 2-3 cups of acid whey; reduce any baking powder by three times the amount: if using 1 tsp. baking soda, the baking powder is reduced by 3 tsp.

Yogurt makes 2 quarts at $ .57 per quart plain if using your own starter
1 c. regular nonfat dry milk, or 3 c. instant 7 c. hot water (not over 120 degrees) 1/3 c. plain yogurt, with active cultures Combine dry milk and 4 c. water. Whisk or mix in a blender. Add yogurt and whisk. Add remaining water or divide the remaining water evenly between your containers, stir well after adding the milk mixture! Pour into containers, cover, and incubate in a warm place for 6-8 hours. Tip a container after 4 hours to see if it has set. If the yogurt is still liquid, wait 1-2 more hours. It will set up a little more when chilled. Store in fridge. The ideal range for culturing yogurt is 105-120 degrees. The lower of these temperatures you begin culturing at, the sweeter the yogurt will be. The higher, the more tart. Above 120 degrees will kill the bacteria youre trying to grow. Save 1/3 c. for culturing your next batch. To flavor your yogurt after its made, add fruit, jam, juice concentrate, chocolate milk mix, etc., before eating. To flavor it before culturing, use 6-8 Tbsp. of sugar per 2-qt batch, or 4-6 Tbsp. honey (dissolve this in your water first, or it will sink to the bottom), or a 3-oz. box of flavored gelatin, or 1/3-1/2 c. jam, or 1 c. chopped or mashed sweetened fruit. The syrup from canned fruit can be used in place of part of the water. If its not sweet enough, you can always add sugar when its done. 1-2 tsp. vanilla added to the batch is also a nice addition. Make your own combinations- chopped cherries with some vanilla and a little almond extract, blueberries with cream cheese added, toasted coconut with caramel sauce swirled in let your imagination run wild! To make firm yogurt that doesnt become thin after stirring, use 4-6 tsp. unflavored gelatin, or two envelopes, per two-quart batch. Soften it in part of the recipes water, then heat gently on stove, in microwave, or over hot water, until the gelatin melts. Add along with remaining water.

Yogurt Cheese (Greek yogurt; use like cream cheese) 8 oz. and costs $ .29
16 oz. unflavored yogurt, preferably with no gelatin Put in a cheesecloth- or paper towel-lined colander over a bowl, let sit overnight on the counter to drain. You may add salt if you like. If you drain it for only 2-4 hours, you get a sour cream substitute. Sweetened Condensed Milk ($ .50 w/o butter, $ .68 with) scant 1/2 c. boiling water scant 1/2 c. non-instant powd. milk 1 c. sugar 2 Tbsp. butter, optional Combine in blender, or whisk vigorously til smooth. If you like to be precise, use 1 1/2 Tbsp. less than 1/2 c. water (this gives a slightly thicker result, like the can), but the first way is very close (yields 14 3/4 oz) This version costs $ .50 (with powdered milk at $1.89/lb and sugar at $15/25 lbs) without butter, and $ .68 with butter ($3/lb) milk .24, sugar .26, butter .18

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

1(14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 1/3 c. lemon juice 8 oz. cream cheese or yogurt cheese, softened 1 tsp. vanilla Combine all in a blender or bowl- if you just made your sweetened condensed milk, its already in the blender. Beat or mix til smooth. Pour into a crumb crust, chill 3-4 hours until set. For a fluffier cheesecake, use the blender, and/or fold in 2 cups of whipped cream or whipped topping. If yours doesnt set up, serve it frozen. The recipe also works without the cream cheese if you use the whipped cream/topping. Try making variations- stir in a can of drained pineapple and garnish with toasted coconut and maybe some toasted macadamias, OR swirl 1/3 cup of raspberry jam into filling once its in the crust then garnish with white chocolate curls or drizzle, OR melt 2-4 oz. of chocolate (white or brown) and beat into the filling, garnish with mint and raspberries...