It is really hard for me to buy powdered milk because I just don't think I will ever use it. Now with these recipes, I can feel a little easier about buying it and storing it.
Evaporated Milk
To make evaporated milk, mix 1 C water with 2/3 C powdered milk.
Sweetened Condensed MilkTo 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.
TrufflesFor 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).
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 CowMix 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 YogurtOne 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.
