Dry Milk Recipes

Milk

1 quart water
1 cup dry milk
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract

Mix well in blender and chill overnight, if possible.

Evaporated Milk
Yields 12 oz

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon dry milk

Blend very well in blender.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup dry milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/8-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour boiling water into blender.  Add in milk powder, sugar, and butter.  Blend on high one minute.  Add in vanilla and blend a few more seconds.

Whipped Topping

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/4 cup boiling water
2/3 cup water
1 cup dry milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sprinkle  gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water and let stand 3 minutes.  Add boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.  Cool to room temperature.

Place water and dry milk in a large mixer bowl and whip until soft peaks form.  It will take about 5 minutes.  Then add lemon juice and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.  Add sugar, oil, flavoring, and gelatin mixture gradually, scraping sides of bowl until well mixed.  Chill and it is ready to use.

Buttermilk
Yields 8 oz

1 cup milk (7/8 cup water + 1/4 cup dry milk)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Mix and let stand 5-10 minutes before using.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake

2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup dry milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes (mine were about1/2 oz each)
2 1/2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in the order listed in a blender on high.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Makes about three eight-ounce servings.

Instant Oatmeal
 
8 cups quick oats
1 cup dry milk
1 cup granulated sugar

Whirl 6 of the 8 cups of oats in a blender to make them a little finer.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, dry milk, and sugar.  For flavored options, add 2 1/2 cups of freeze-dried or dehydrated fruits.


Magic Mix

2 1/3 cups dry milk
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour

Combine all in a large bowl with a pastry blender or wire whisk.  Mix until crumbly, like cornmeal.  Store in the refrigerator.

White Sauce
Yields:  10 oz

2/3 cup magic mix
1 cup water

In a saucepan combine Magic Mix and water.  Stir rapidly over medium heat until it starts to bubble.

Vegetable Cheese Sauce
Yields:  20 oz

1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup Magic Mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine water and Magic Mix in a pot over medium high heat.  Stir constantly with a whisk until it bubbles and thickens.  Stir in shredded cheese until melted in sauce.  Serve warm over vegetables.

Chocolate Pudding
Serves:  4

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup magic mix
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine magic mix, sugar, and cocoa in saucepan and mix well.  Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles.  Add vanilla and beat.  Cover and cool.

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup

1 cup magic mix
3/4 cup chicken broth (canned, liquid from canned chicken, or bouillon)

Put magic mix in saucepan over medium heat and add the broth, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Optional:  add up to a teaspoon of parsley, and/or a pinch of onion or garlic salt.

The following cream soup mixes do not get used as frequently around here, but it's still very handy to be able to make them when needed, instead of having the store-bought versions taking up shelf space.  And they're real and fresh and not full of ingredients with vague names.   (Modified food starch, autolyzed yeast extract?  What are those things, anyway?)

Cream of Celery Condensed Soup

1 cup magic mix
3/4 cup water
1 cup of dehydrated celery, reconstituted (use excess reconstituting water as part of the 3/4 cup water above)
pinch celery seed

Put magic mix in saucepan over medium heat and add the water, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Stir in celery, celery salt, and parsley.   Optional:  add up to a teaspoon of parsley. 

Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup

1 cup magic mix
1 can mushrooms, 4.5 oz, undrained, plus 1/4 cup water
OR
1/4 cup dehydrated mushrooms rehydrated in 1 cup water
dash onion salt
1-2 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional

Put magic mix in saucepan over medium heat and stir in liquids, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Stir in mushrooms, onion salt, and Kitchen Bouquet. 

Cream of Tomato Condensed Soup
1 cup magic mix
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon parsley, optional
dash salt
dash pepper

Put magic mix in saucepan over medium heat and stir in tomato sauce, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.   Stir in seasonings.

Good Eats with Powdered Milk!

Dry milk is truly the hardest item to store and rotate for most families.  It’s expensive, and most people don’t want to drink it.  But using it in baking and cooking is really easy.  Magic Mix and SOS Mix and yogurt are great ways of incorporating dry milk into your family’s diet.  But there are some times when you just need some milk for cooking other things.  And if you’re like me, you don’t want to have a pitcher mixed up in the fridge.  It’s more likely to go bad before it gets used.  So here’s a handy chart for making milk right as you cook and bake.  

 

Fresh Milk	Non-Instant Dry Milk	Instant Dry Milk	Vinegar or Lemon Juice, if making buttermilk	Water
1 cup	1/4 cup	1/3 cup	1 tablespoon	1 cup
3/4 cup	3 tablespoons	1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon	2 1/4 teaspoons	3/4 cup
2/3 cup	2 1/2 tablespoons	1/4 cup	2 teaspoons	2/3 cup
1/2 cup	2 tablespoons	3 tablespoons	1 1/2 teaspoons	1/2 cup
1/3 cup	1 1/2 tablespoons	2 tablespoons	1 teaspoon	1/3 cup
1/4 cup	1 tablespoon	4 teaspoons	3/4 teaspoon	1/4 cup

 

Evaporated Milk

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon dry milk

 

Mix well before adding other ingredients.

(Cost using HSC milk—63 cents)

 

 

Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup dry milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup hot water

1 tablespoon butter

 

Blend very well, in a blender if possible.

(Cost using HSC milk—$1.65)

 

Buttermilk	1 cup	1 T vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes)
		1 ¾ t cream of tartar + 1 c milk
		1 cup plain yogurt
Cream, heavy (36-40% butterfat)	1 cup	¾ cup milk + 1/3 cup butter or margarine (for cooking and baking)
Cream, light (half and half, 12-16% butterfat)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk + 1 ½ T butter or margarine (for use in cooking) OR 1 cup evaporated milk
Cream, sour	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt
Milk, whole	1 cup	1 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk + 2 ½ T butter OR ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water OR ¼ sifted whole dry milk powder + 7/8 cup water

 

Magic Mix

Magic Mix

2 1/3 cups dry milk
1 cup butter, softened, (or coconut oil)
1 cup flour

Combine all in a large bowl with a pastry blender or wire whisk.  Mix until crumbly, like cornmeal.  Store in the refrigerator.  (If using coconut oil, do not store in the refrigerator.)

White Sauce
2/3 cup Magic Mix
1 cup water

In a saucepan combine Magic Mix and water.  Stir rapidly over medium heat until it starts to bubble.  Yield:  8 oz.

Vegetable Cheese Sauce
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup Magic Mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine water and Magic Mix in a pot over medium high heat.  Whisk constantly until it bubbles and thickens.  Stir in shredded cheese until melted in sauce.  Serve warm over vegetables.  (This is best over veggies and spiral pasta.  It looks like you put a lot of effort into making a tasty side dish, when actually, you didn't.)

Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup Magic Mix
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine Magic Mix, sugar, and cocoa in saucepan and mix well.  Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles.  Add vanilla and beat.  Cover and cool.  Serves 4.

Magic Mix Gravy (basic)
1 cup broth or 1 cup water added to meat drippings
1/2 cup Magic Mix
salt and pepper to taste

Beef Gravy Seasoning options
1-2 drops Kitchen Bouquet, (for color)
1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2-1 teaspoon onion powder

Chicken or Turkey Seasoning options
1/2-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Bring broth or water and drippings, to a boil over medium-high heat. Add magic mix, stirring continuously until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in additional seasonings, if desired.

Cream of chicken condensed soup
1 cup Magic Mix
3/4 cup chicken broth (canned, liquid from canned chicken, or bouillon)

Put Magic Mix in saucepan over medium heat and add the broth, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Optional:  add up to a teaspoon of parsley, and/or a pinch of onion or garlic salt.

Cream of celery condensed soup
1 cup Magic Mix
3/4 cup water
1 cup of dehydrated celery, reconstituted (use excess reconstituting water as part of the 3/4 cup water above)
pinch celery seed

Put Magic Mix in saucepan over medium heat and add the water, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Stir in celery, celery salt, and parsley.   Optional:  add up to a teaspoon of parsley. 

Cream of mushroom condensed soup
1 cup Magic Mix
1 can mushrooms, 4.5 oz, undrained, plus 1/4 cup water
OR
1/4 cup dehydrated mushrooms rehydrated in 1 cup water
dash onion salt
1-2 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional

Put Magic Mix in saucepan over medium heat and stir in liquids, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, then remove from heat.  Stir in mushrooms, onion salt, and Kitchen Bouquet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cream of tomato condensed soup
1 cup Magic Mix
1 cup water
2 cans (8-ounce) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon parsley, optional
dash salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Put Magic Mix in saucepan over medium heat and stir in water and tomato sauce, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened, and then remove from heat.   Stir in seasonings.

Note that this recipe does not contain any sugar, whereas high fructose corn syrup is the second ingredient in Campbell's cream of tomato condensed soup.  Some people really miss the added sugar.

Cheeseburger Mac 'n' Cheese
Serves 6
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup dried onion, rehydrated in 1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup Magic Mix
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ketchup
2 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Cook the macaroni in boiling water until tender and then drain.  While the noodles cook, brown the hamburger and onions in a skillet.  Combine the Magic Mix and water in the macaroni pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until thickened.  Stir in cheese, salt, ketchup, and mustard.  Add in the cooked hamburger and noodles and heat through. 

Beef Stroganoff
1/4 cup dried minced onion, rehydrated in 1/2 cup warm water
1 cup Magic Mix
1 can (4.5 oz) mushrooms, undrained, plus 1/4 cup water (OR 1/4 cup dehydrated mushrooms rehydrated in 1 cup water)
dash onion salt
1-2 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 lb cooked beef equivalent (canned, fresh, or dehydrated and rehydrated)
1 cup sour cream
Hot cooked noodles or rice

After the onions have rehydrated, prepare the cream sauce by combining the Magic Mix, liquid from the mushrooms, and water in a saucepan over low heat.  Cook until thickened and then stir in onion salt, Kitchen Bouquet, garlic salt, onions, and beef.  Just before serving, stir in sour cream and heat through.  Spoon over hot noodles or rice.  Serves 4-6.

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

16 ounces elbow macaroni

1 cup Magic Mix

2 cups water

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

3 ounces cream cheese, sliced (make it from yogurt)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

In medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine water and Magic Mix.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add salt, pepper, and mustard, stirring well after each addition.  Add the cream cheese slices, and continue stirring until melted.  Stir in shredded cheese a little at a time until fully melted. 

Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce; stir to coat.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6.

 

Banana Cream Pie

1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla Wafers

3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup Magic Mix

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups water 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 bananas, sliced

Combine the crushed cookies and butter and press into a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes.  Set pie crust aside.

Combine Magic Mix and sugar in a small saucepan.  Stir in water, and over medium heat, continue stirring until mixture bubbles and thickens into pudding.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Let cool 15 minutes.

Place sliced bananas on pie crust.  Pour pudding over the bananas.  Top with Nilla Wafers.  Chill and serve.  Serves 8.

For Chocolate Banana Cream Pie, add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder or 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the pudding mix when you combine the Magic Mix and sugar.

 

 

SOS Mix

SOS Mix

2 cups dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup instant chicken bouillon

2 tablespoons dehydrated chopped onion

1 teaspoon each basil, parsley, pepper, and thyme (optional)

 

Combine all ingredients in a plastic container or zippered bag.  This recipe substitutes for the equivalent of 9 cans of cream soup.  Quite the savings!

This mix will substitute very well for canned cream soups and as the base for other soups.

Cream of Chicken Soup
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water (may use chicken broth for the water and omit the chicken bouillon)
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, optional

Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened.  Substitutes for one can of cream of chicken soup.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water and reserved mushroom liquid
4 oz can mushrooms

Drain mushrooms and reserve liquid.  Add enough water to reserved liquid to make 1 1/4 cups.  Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened and add mushrooms.    Heat thoroughly.  Substitutes for one can of cream of mushroom soup.

Cream of Celery Soup
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water
1/3 cup celery, chopped (fresh or rehydrated)

Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened and add celery.    Heat thoroughly.  Substitutes for one can of cream of celery soup.

Simple Potato Soup
2/3 cup SOS Mix
2 1/2 cups cold water
2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes

Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened.

Cream of Tomato Soup
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 cups tomato sauce

Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened.  Stir in tomato sauce.  Heat thoroughly.

Note:  This yields three servings of tomato soup.  It is not a substitute for canned tomato soup.

Download for Soup or Sauce (SOS Mix) booklet from Utah State University Cooperative Extension office  https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/119/

Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water
1/3 cup broccoli (fresh or rehydrated freeze-dried or dehydrated)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (fresh or rehydrated freeze-dried)

Whisk water into SOS Mix until well blended.  Cook and stir on stove over medium-low heat until thickened.  Stir in broccoli and cheese.  Heat thoroughly.  Yield:  2 servings

Taco Soup
1 pound hamburger
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1/3 cup SOS Mix
2 cups water
1 can (15 oz) corn, undrained
1 can (10 oz) Ro-Tel, or similar product, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/2 bag tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream, optional

Brown beef and onion in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Drain fat.  In a small bowl, whisk SOS Mix and water together until thoroughly blended.  Add to hamburger and onion, and stir in remaining ingredients, except chips, cheese, and sour cream.  Heat thoroughly.  To serve, crush several tortilla chips in each bowl, fill with soup, and garnish with 1 tablespoon of cheese and sour cream, if desired.  Yield:  8 servings.

 

Lasagna Hamburger Helper Copycat
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup fresh, or 1/3 cup dehydrated and reconstituted)
1/3 cup SOS Mix
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
3 cups uncooked noodles
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (fresh or freeze-dried and reconstituted)

Brown hamburger and onion in a large skillet over medium heat.  Drain fat.  In a small bowl, whisk SOS Mix and water until there are no lumps and add to skillet.  Add the remaining ingredients, except for mozzarella cheese.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and stir frequently until the sauce is thickened and the noodles are cooked, about 15 minutes.  Top with mozzarella cheese three minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Chicken and Rice
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1/2 cup powdered milk
2 cups cold water
1 can mushrooms, drained and liquid reserved and used as part of the water, above

¾ cup uncooked long grain rice

4 boneless chicken breasts

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine SOS Mix and powdered milk with water. Cook and stir until thickened and then stir in mushrooms.  Spread rice in a 9x13 pan.  Arrange chicken on top of the rice.  Pour mushroom sauce over the chicken.  Cover and bake at 350°F for 60 minutes.  Serves 4.

 

 

Tuna Noodle Skillet
1/3 cup SOS Mix
3 cups water
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 can tuna
1 cup peas (frozen or canned)
1 cup cheese, grated
½ cup buttered bread crumbs or crackers, optional

In a medium bowl, whisk SOS Mix and water until well blended. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the SOS mixture and noodles.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until noodles are tender. Stir in tuna, peas, and cheese. Heat through. Top with buttered bread crumbs or crackers, if desired. Serve immediately.  Serves 5.

Asian Chicken and Rice
3/4 cup uncooked rice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves OR 1 can (16 oz) canned chicken
2 cups water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup SOS Mix
paprika

Spread rice in a 2-quart shallow casserole dish with lid.  Next, arrange chicken breasts or canned chicken on rice.  Mix water, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and garlic powder together, and then whisk in SOS Mix until smooth and no lumps remain.  Pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until chicken tests done and rice is tender.
  

 

Chicken and Biscuits
1 can (10-15 oz) cooked chicken, drained (reserve juice)
1/3 cup SOS Mix
1 1/4 cups cold water and reserved chicken juice
1 can (15 oz) mixed vegetables, drained
Biscuits:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup lard
3/4 cup milk (2 1/4 tablespoons dry milk + 3/4 cup water)

Drain chicken and reserve juice.  Pour juice into measuring cup and add water to make 1 1/4 cups.  Whisk SOS Mix and water/juice mixture together until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened.  Stir in the chicken and vegetables.  Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan.

For the biscuits, combine the dry ingredients.  Cut in the lard.  Quickly stir in the milk.  Roughly form dough into biscuits with fingers and drop onto the chicken and vegetables.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.  Yield:  6 servings.

SOS Mix Macaroni and Cheese

1/3 cup SOS Mix

1 ¼ cups water

1 cup cheese, grated

2 ½ cups cooked macaroni

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk SOS Mix with water until well blended.  Cook and stir on stovetop until thickened, about 8 minutes.  Serves 4.

 

SYRUP

 

Buttermilk Syrup

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk (3/4 cup milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes)

1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil)

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.

 

Reviews:  This is pretty wonderful on blueberry pancakes.

 

Caramel Syrup

3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons powdered milk
2 teaspoons vinegar

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine the water, powdered milk, and vinegar (this is a buttermilk substitute) in a 5-6 quart pan.  (This syrup gets very frothy and will boil over in a smaller pan.)  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients except the vanilla.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil and stir frequently for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

 

 

Hot Chocolate Mix

1 cup powdered milk (instant is preferable in this case)

½ cup sugar

¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container.  To make hot chocolate, add ¼ cup mix to 1 cup hot water.  For added richness, stir in a teaspoon or two of coconut oil. 

DIY Nesquik

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Combine the sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl and then stir into a cup of milk. 

It doesn’t mix up quite as easily as Nesquik.  I had to whisk the mixture for about 30 seconds.  Nesquik has soy lecithin and carrageenan, additives that help the cocoa mix in more readily. 

YOGURT

Yogurt
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
8 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups dry milk, more or less, depending on the brand used and the desired thickness of your yogurt
1/2 cup plain yogurt with cultures

Sprinkle the gelatin over 1 cup cold water and let sit 10 minutes.  Then whisk in the cornstarch and stir until smooth.  Set aside.

Using a wire whisk, stir dry milk into 3 cups cool water and blend very well.  There should be no lumps.  Stir in 4 cups boiling water and the cornstarch-gelatin mixture.  Let cool until the temperature reaches 125°F.  Put the 1/2 cup of yogurt starter in small bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the milk mixture.  Then add the yogurt mixture to the milk mixture and stir very well.  Pour into jars to incubate. 

Now you've got all kinds of options for incubating your yogurt.  For years, I incubated my yogurt in a warm (not hot!) crockpot, turned off, and covered with towels.  A lot of people make yogurt in a cooler with warm water poured in to maintain the temperature at 115-120°F, adding warm water as necessary, and that is probably going to be the best option in a grid-down scenario.  Incubating in an oven with the light on is popular, and some people can set their ovens to 115°F, so that works also.  And that is what I did, because first I want to make good yogurt, and then I will work on being able to make good yogurt without electricity.

Yogurt usually incubates 4-12 hours, with 6-8 hours being the most common.  Yogurt can even be left longer; it just becomes firmer and tarter with time.  Do not disturb the yogurt while it is incubating.  When you reach your desired firmness, carefully move it to the refrigerator.  Be sure to set aside some yogurt to start your next batch.  Most yogurt-making aficionados say that subsequent batches must be started within ten days.  I've waited 10-14 days without any problem.  After this time, the bacteria diminish in their ability to culture yogurt.  However, the yogurt itself is still fine to eat.  In fact, properly refrigerated, it should be good up to 45 days.

If you wish to make flavored yogurt, add those ingredients after your yogurt is done incubating.  Otherwise, you won't be able to use your yogurt to start your next batch. 

Thicker, Creamier Yogurt

The Brød & Taylor website (they sell small kitchen appliances, including a bread proofing box that also functions for culturing yogurt) discusses yogurt making and presents findings showing that culturing yogurt at a higher temperature resulted in a faster set and milder flavor, and a lower temperature meant it would take more time and the yogurt would be more acidic. 

Brød & Taylor’s research (well, actually, they just followed what researchers at the University of Wisconsin found) showed that keeping the milk at 195°F for 10 minutes and then culturing the yogurt at 120°F for 1 hour before reducing the temperature resulted in the thickest, creamiest, and least acidic yogurt.  (They also found that yogurt cultures faster at higher altitudes.)  Using full-fat milk instead of nonfat is also critical.  These factors are essential to making good cream cheese from food storage items.

The new recipe is even simpler.  Gelatin and cornstarch aren’t needed.  For best results, however, you want to add some whipping cream.  (The yogurt will be thicker and creamier, and the extra fat makes for the nicest cream cheese.)  Fortunately, there are shelf stable options for this. 

Thicker, Creamier Yogurt—Ideal for Making Cream Cheese

7 ½ cups cold water

3 cups powdered milk

½ cup whipping cream

¼ cup plain yogurt with active cultures[1]

In a medium saucepan, whisk the powdered milk into the water, stirring until no lumps remain.  Stir in the whipping cream. Heat to 195°F and hold it there for 10 minutes.  Whisk frequently to prevent the milk for developing a skin.

Cool the milk to 120°F.  Remove ½ cup of the cooled milk and gently whisk in the yogurt.  Add this mixture to the cooled milk. 

Pour the milk into jars and place a lid on the jars.  Incubate at 120°F for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 100°F. 

Check the yogurt after 2 hours.  It may be ready at this time or may take another hour or so.  When the yogurt has set, place it in the refrigerator to stop culturing and chill thoroughly. 

References:

https://brodandtaylor.com/blogs/recipes/custard-style-yogurt-recipe

[1]Researchers found that yogurt with L. casei cultures yielded a thicker homemade yogurt.  L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus made runnier yogurts.  They also had better results using 8 oz containers from the store rather than larger pints or quarts, which they attributed to better turnover at the store, i.e., a fresher yogurt.   https://brodandtaylor.com/blogs/recipes/the-science-of-great-yogurt

Greek Yogurt

To turn this fresh yogurt into Greek yogurt (you can also use yogurt you’ve previously made or store-bought yogurt):

Line a strainer with a coffee filter and place it over a bowl to collect the draining whey. 

Scoop the yogurt into the coffee filter. 

If you prefer a tarter yogurt, let the yogurt drain on the countertop.  If you prefer a milder yogurt, let it drain in the refrigerator.

Let it drain until the budding Greek yogurt is the consistency you desire.  Refrigerate.

Most store-bought Greek yogurt is full fat, but you can also make Greek yogurt with low fat or skim milk. 

Cream Cheese from Yogurt

1 carton whole fat yogurt

Line a strainer with cheesecloth (or coffee filter, or flour sack towel) and place it over a bowl or other container to catch the draining whey.  Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth.  Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the yogurt to cover it and keep it clean.  Place the straining yogurt in the refrigerator and let it drain for 24 hours. 

At this point, a lot of whey has drained into the bowl and the remaining yogurt is what is now called yogurt cheese.  It’s light and at this point you can add herbs, salt, fruit, etc., and make a nice little spread for crackers or bagels. 

But to achieve that block of more solid cream cheese that we are accustomed to, there’s an additional step. 

Line a resealable container with cheesecloth or a flour sack towel that’s been cut down to size.  Scoop the drained yogurt cheese into the cheesecloth.  Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the yogurt cheese, making a nice block, and place the lid on the container.  (You want this to be a very tight fit, and an excess of cloth is quite acceptable, and maybe even desirable.  That’s because the cloth is going to soak up any excess whey in the yogurt cheese, firming it up into the cream cheese we know and love.  Unfortunately, simply hanging and draining the yogurt cheese longer will not do the trick.)  Put the container in the refrigerator and let it set for a week.  (Alternately, you can change the cheesecloth out every other day or so.)

One week later, open up the container and remove the nice block of cream cheese from the cheesecloth.  At this point you can add in salt, herbs, fruit or whatever to season the cheese.  It’s also suitable for baking and cooking. 

As you undoubtedly noticed, Mary’s directions assume you are beginning with store-bought yogurt.  And most people reading this blog are assuming that the time is coming when we will not have a grocery store.  So we want to be able to make cream cheese from food storage items.  I’m happy to say it’s entirely possible.  You just have to begin with making your yogurt using the directions I posted directly above.  While the first recipe I posted three years ago makes great yogurt, it’s a little too acidic.  Yesterday’s recipe adds shelf-stable cream and uses specific temperatures to culture faster, which makes the resulting yogurt less acidic, perfect for making cream cheese at home.

References:

Mary’s Nest Cream Cheese https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVRzfYPEW0

 

No-Bake Cheesecake

1 can (or equivalent) sweetened condensed milk

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

1/3 cup lemon juice (or 4 packets True Lemon)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend the ingredients for the condensed milk in a blender or food processor.  Add in the cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.  Pour into the prepared pie crust.  Chill at least 2-3 hours. 

 

EMERGENCY BABY FORMULA

Right at the start, let’s get this out of the way—when it comes to feeding babies, breast milk from the mother is best.  Second best is breast milk from another woman, preferably a close relation.  Breast milk can be induced in women; it takes a bit of time and effort. 

Those two options are going to be a baby’s best bet in a crisis.  If, however, neither of those is possible, here are some DIY alternatives.

Weston Price Raw Milk Formula

2 cups whole fat raw milk, from pasture-fed cows
¼ cup homemade liquid whey
4 tablespoons lactose
¼ teaspoon Bifidobacterium infantis
2 tablespoons good quality cream (can be pasteurized but NOT ultra-pasteurized, or UHT)
½ teaspoon high vitamin cod liver oil (or 1 teaspoon of regular cod liver oil)
¼ teaspoon high vitamin butter oil (optional)
1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons gelatin
1 7/8 cups filtered water
¼ teaspoon acerola powder

Pour 1 cup water into a pan and heat on medium. Add the gelatin and lactose to the pan and stir until dissolved.  Remove pan from heat and add remaining water.  Add coconut oil and butter oil and stir until melted.

Pour this water mixture and remaining ingredients into a blender and combine.  Pour into bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate until use.

 

Goat Milk Formula

1 cup boiled water

1 serving goat milk powder, according to the package

½ teaspoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon  brown rice syrup

2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses

½ teaspoon cod liver oil, optional

Combine all ingredients in a pint jar and mix until fully dissolved and incorporated. Refrigerate any unused formula immediately.  Discard after 24 hours.  Due to the short shelf life, only make one bottle at a time.

Added Vitamins

All of the above recipes may have vitamins added in the form of infant vitamin D drops, infant DHA drops, and 1-2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast.

The Weston Price raw milk baby formula has been touted as the best.  It also calls for a lot of ingredients people are unlikely to have on hand after a disaster, but if you’ve got a milk cow around, you might choose to give it a try.

Pediatricians have ranted about how terrible the above instructions are, water will adversely affect a baby’s kidneys, etc.  No one is going to claim that the recipe is better than breast milk.  It may not even be a good substitute, especially with what we currently know about infant nutrition.  But you know what?  A couple of generations of babies were raised on that DIY formula.  Most of them are still here and pretty healthy.  That formula will work just fine in a pinch, even if that pinch lasts several months.  (Make sure the evaporated milk is whole milk, not lowfat or nonfat.)

Powdered Milk Formula

1/4 cup non-instant dry milk powder  OR 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon instant dry milk powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/3 cups boiled water

Cool water to warm before adding other ingredients.  Combine milk powder and sugar together and then add to water.  Stir until no lumps remain.  (Some dry milk powders dissolve more readily than others.)  Mix in coconut oil.  This formula may be spoon-fed if bottles are not available.

Evaporated Whole Milk Formula

6 ounces evaporated whole milk (do not substitute low-fat or nonfat)
9 ounces water
1 tablespoon sugar or 1 ½ tablespoons corn syrup

Mix together, stirring well until the sugar is all dissolved.

A few cautions: 

• Be extremely careful with adding vitamins.  A baby's liver and kidneys are extremely delicate and excess vitamins may put undue strain on the vital organs.  
• Use only pure cane sugar, if possible.  Beet sugar, which is what all granulated sugar sold in stores is unless it is pure cane sugar, may contain traces of Roundup.  Sugar is necessary for the baby's body to process the protein.  
• Never give honey to any baby under 12 months of age due to the risk of infant botulism.  
• Some corn syrup contains high fructose corn syrup as one of the ingredients, so be sure to avoid that.  Last I checked, Karo syrup was still clean.

Instant Oatmeal Mix

The basic recipe is as follows:

8 cups quick oats
1 cup dry milk
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix, optional

Whirl 6 of the 8 cups of oats in a blender to make them a little finer.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, dry milk, sugar, and optional pudding mix.

For flavored options, choose one of the following:

Blueberry
Stir in 2 1/2 cups of freeze-dried blueberries
Strawberry, Banana, or Peach
Whirl 2 1/2 cups of your choice of freeze-dried fruit in the blender a little bit to get smaller pieces, then stir into the oatmeal mix.

Apple and Cinnamon
Whirl 2 1/2 cups of dehydrated or freeze-dried apples in a blender to chop them up a bit.  Substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar.  Stir in 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.

Store in an airtight container.  Or package into snack size baggies if your children have difficulty with portion control.

MISCELLANEOUS

Sugar Cream Pie

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup non-instant dry milk
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 9-inch pie shell, baked

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch.  In a medium saucepan, combine dry milk and water and whisk until smooth.  Bring mixture nearly to a boil while adding in vanilla, butter, and cinnamon.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Immediately pour into baked pie shell and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Play Dough

1/3 cup peanut butter

¼ cup honey

½ cup dry milk

 

Knead all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Children can model simple figures and eat as they play.

 

Homemade Dog Food
7 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons chicken, beef, or ham bouillon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly and then stir in the buttermilk.  Divide the dough in half and roll each half to fit on an ungreased cookie sheet. (Do not worry.  This will not stick to the pan too much, and what little does stick just needs to soak in water for a few minutes.)  This is most easily done by using some waxed paper and a rolling pin to roll the dough out to the edges of the pan. Bake at 350°F until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, turn the food over with a spatula, and break it into small pieces.  Lower the oven temperature to 200°F, and return the food to the oven to dry out thoroughly, about one hour. 

Let cool and break pieces into appropriate size for your pet.

Survival Bars

2 cups quick oats

2 1/2 cups dry milk

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 3-ounce package Jell-O, lemon or orange taste best

1/4 cup water

Mix the first three ingredients together in a bowl.  Mix the next three ingredients in a saucepan, and,   stirring constantly, bring to boil.  Remove from heat, combine with the dry ingredients, and mix well. This dough is rather stiff, so I'd recommend using a food processor or heavy duty mixer if you have it.  If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and mix it in thoroughly until you are able to pat the dough into the pan (a cookie sheet is what I'd recommend).  Cut into bars before baking.  Bake at 200 to 250°F for 1.5 hours or in a dehydrator at 150°F for 4-5 hours.

For variety, you can try changing Jell-O flavors, adding extracts or nuts, or substituting molasses for honey.

Package the bars to suit your needs.  Vacuum-seal and put them in your emergency kits. 

 

Terror in a Bucket:

Taste Tests with 55-Year-Old Powdered Milk

 

After church one Sunday, I got to visiting with my friend Penny.  Penny has been storing food for a while.  Years.  Decades.  She decided it was time to update her stores and offered to let me try out a few of her old buckets to see what kind of shape they’re in.

Here’s what Penny had to say about how the food had been stored:

The milk and wheat are at least 55 years old.  They were in Vegas in a closet under a car port for 25 years at least. Pretty hot in the summer, and not too much cooler in the winter.  Up here, the past 30 years, they have been under a shed where they get warm in the summer, and the temp gets below freezing in the winter.  I'm surprised the milk tasted as good as you said it did.  That can of wheat [actually a plastic bucket] had been opened; it will be interesting to see if the sealed cans have weevil. We might be able to lift another can of wheat out of there although that road equipment is backed right up to it. Sometime this summer the equipment will probably be moved and we'll check about the beans.

I opened the wheat bucket first.  It was less intimidating.  I planned to try sprouting it and making some bread.  Well, that bucket had weevils—just a few skins.  I still tried sprouting the wheat berries, even though I was sure they wouldn’t germinate.  And I was right.  Zero percent germination.  The weevils all looked dead, but I didn’t want to take any chances contaminating my food and pantry with weevils.  So I didn’t make bread with it.  That bucket went straight out to the compost pile. 

The bucket of milk was a different story.  Note that it wasn’t stored with Mylar bags or oxygen absorbers.  Just a plastic bucket.  It looked like Carnation instant powdered milk. That stuff tastes nasty even when it’s fresh, and this stuff was old and stored for decades in the heat. Talk about terror.  But, you know, trying this stuff out is part of my job description.  So I mixed up a quart, along with the requisite sugar and vanilla extract. 

The first sip wasn’t bad.  After the second sip, it caught up with me.  Not horrid, but not good, either.  I’d rate it a C or C-.  I wouldn’t want to have to live off this. 

The next order of business was to make yogurt with it.  It set up beautifully within about three hours.  I tried it out the next morning, prior to making a smoothie with it, and the plain yogurt had an off taste.  I made the smoothie with strawberry jam and a banana.  While I could detect the off taste even through the banana and jam, it wasn’t really bad.  I could eat it on a daily basis. 

Finally, I made some Magic Mix with it and used that to make some chocolate pudding.  I taste tested the leftovers in the pan after they had cooled down.  The powdered milk definitely imparted a bit of an off taste.  But after the pudding had chilled in the refrigerator, it was a different story.

Pretty good stuff.

Reviews:  First off, all ten of us who ate the pudding made with 55-year-old powdered milk are still alive.  No one has experienced any intestinal upset or disturbances of any kind.

Belle and I both detected an off taste but very happily finished the pudding.  Aaron, Jared, Buttercup, and King of the Picky Eaters didn’t notice anything wrong, and scarfed theirs down.  Same with Tom, Penny’s son.  Two missionaries were at our house for lunch on Saturday.  One said she would only take a taste of her companion’s pudding (just to be polite, I guess), and then proceeded to help her finish it off. 

So there you have it.  Now, in no way am I recommending eating food that is so old.  This powdered milk likely doesn’t have any vitamins left—just my guess.  But the minerals are still in there, and so are the calories.  I have the option of sprinkling the powdered milk in the garden—calcium is good for tomatoes—but I’m just going to put it in the basement with the other dry milk to share with someone in need when the opportunity arises.